Solar Farm VS Farmland

A Solar Farm big as the Eyes Can See

Note, this was written January 10 2012

Recently, I have been made aware of a trend in New Jersey. This is the idea using farmland for solar farms or wind turbines.
Now, I am all for using alternative energy sources, but gobbling farmland with solar farms is replacing building homes since the decline of the real estate market.
Community Energy of Radnor Pa
While I served on the Millville Zoning Board there was a prop to build on land that was to be developed as housing. The biggest concern was the noise issue since Millville does not have the amount of farmland like Beuna.

Same Solar Company in Vineland

There are multiple proposals for solar energy generating facilities on currently cultivated farmland in South Jersey. I believe there are more suitable locations for this industry, such as landfills or brownfields.  Due to this industry being considered an inherent beneficial use, the solar industry  is using this classification to step onto farmlands to the detriment of agriculture and land preservation in this state. 

Solar energy generating facilities should not be permitted within agricultural zoned areas. To allow this practice to continue is wrong and not in the best interest of the citizens of New Jersey. The decision for large scale utility should be left to the discretion of municipal planners and not have this industry “forced down our throats”. The demand for solar generation within the state prompted solar companies to flood our farmland communities with proposals to use their easily accessible, open land, to quickly establish generating facilities with no regard for land use choice. Due to the temporary “slow down” within the industry in this state, I think that it is imperative that regulations and/or changes be made with this regard before any advancement in the acceleration of RPS generates another “demand rush”  I interviewed a resident who lives in a small South Jersey town. This is what they had to say:

There have been several proposals to farmers in my area (Buena Vista Township) to utilize their current farms as solar energy generating facilities.  A 51 acre farm directly across the street from my rural home is one, along with at least two other farms along the same street within our farming community. Because of my great concern of not only it being my new neighbor (50ft from my front yard), but also my concern of farmland being utilized for this purpose, I have been asking for help from anyone that will listen to try to put a stop to what I consider a misuse of agricultural lands.  I have written the Governor, PBU Pres. Lee Solomon, Sen. VanDrew, and the NJ Conservation Foundation.

This resident has tried to get an updated master plan four Beuna Vista but only up dates. The last full master plan received was dated in 1969. An effort is being made to strengthen the ordnance in Buena Vista. The current regulations on this topic can be found in the section title Sustainable Energy Accessory Use Systems. This was added in November of 2008 by Ordinance 14-2008. There is one section that is important.

The primary purpose of a wind or solar energy system will be to provide power for the principal use of the property whereon said system is to be located and shall not be for the generation of power for commercial purposes, although this provision shall not be interpreted to prohibit the sale of excess power generated from time to time from a wind or solar energy system designed to meet the energy needs of the principal use. For the purposes of this section, the sale of excess power shall be limited so that in no event an energy system is generating more energy for sale than what is otherwise necessary to power the principal use on the property.

It is noted that there is no ordenence that covers large scale solar nor wind systems in place. Other towns in New Jersey have them on the books. My contact states if a restrictive ordence is passed that the town will posslibly get sued. If the panel is build my contact fears that they will not be able to sell since the front window view will be a solar panels and the value will decline. I was taken to a similar solar facility located nearby in Vineland. The buffer was some small Christmas trees.