UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Unity Township Zoning Board unanimously approved a special exemption last night to allow CVE North America to continue working toward potentially building a solar farm in Unity Township.
That special exemption is for use of about 13 acres of land currently zoned as conservation zoning, which the township tells Channel 11 is mostly woods.
Township Supervisor Mike O’Barto tells Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek the company wants to build an 8,700-panel solar farm on a high point of the nearly 168-acre property by the former stone quarry on Bethel Church Road. They wouldn’t be seen from the road or be right next to the soccer fields.
“It just gives them the ability to put a solar farm in Unity Township in the area that is designated for it,” O’Barto said.
Unity Township recently denied a different solar farm being built in an area zoned for agriculture. That is currently being appealed.
O’Barto said the township would rather see a solar farm on this type of land instead of on land zoned for agricultural use
“We took them out of the agricultural areas and put them into the conservation districts where it would not inhibit neighborhoods as well as people living in that area,” he said. “Taking agricultural areas, farmland, is not something our residents wanted to see.”
Channel 11 spoke with neighbors who live on Bethel Church Road who did not want to go on camera. They said as long as they can’t see the panels and it doesn’t impact their property, they’re fine with them being built.
CVE North America will need to get approval from the planning commission and the township supervisors.
“What we have to be cognizant of is 20 years into the future. What’s going to happen if the solar farm is no longer in use?” O’Barto said. “We have to make sure there are provisions in the ordinance as well as financial responsibility of the decommissioning of the solar farm itself.”
O’Barto said neighbors can express their opinions at upcoming planning commission meetings or by stopping in to speak with a commissioner.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
