Solar Installation Ordinance Before Bedminster Committee

The Bedminster Township Committee is preparing for an introduction of its solar ordinance at Monday’s meeting.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the municipal building on Miller Lane.

The last discussion on the ordinance was held during a Land Use Board meeting in December, and changes have been made to reflect concerns from residents and officials prior to its planned introduction.

This is the first time the township has moved forward with a plan to amend Bedminster’s code to deal with solar installations and equipment.

The ordinance plans to separate the standards of solar installations into three different categories—roof-mounted panels, parking lot canopy systems and ground-mounted arrays.

Mayor Steve Parker has said the ordinance that was given to the committee from the professionals did not mirror any of the concerns expressed by residents and Land Use Board members at the Dec. 6 meeting.

That is why, Parker said, the ordinance has taken so long to come to the committee.

With the township preparing to hear the ordinance, some residents have already expressed concerns about a planned application that could put up to 49,000 solar panels on the Kirby Farm if it is approved by the Land Use Board.

Although the ordinance and application are not connected—and the application has not yet been heard because of a previously incomplete application—a group called Preserve Bedminster is already opposing it, and are planning to speak out before both the township committee and the Land Use Board.

The committee has said it will not comment on the application once it is brought before the Land Use Board, but members of Preserve Bedminster have said they plan to be at the committee meetings for discussions of the solar ordinance.

As for the ordinance, once it is introduced, there will be a public hearing before its potential adoption.