Current Pennsylvania Solar Development Trends: Update for Municipal Leaders

Current Pennsylvania Solar Development Trends: Update for Municipal Leaders

This session offers a timely update on solar energy development trends across Pennsylvania, designed specifically for municipal leaders. As solar adoption continues to grow, understanding the regulatory framework, economic impacts, and planning considerations is essential for effective local governance.

Key Topics Covered:

• Basics of Solar Development An overview of different types of solar development, what each requires to be feasible, and how they may affect communities in terms of land use, infrastructure, and local planning.

• Legislative Developments Recent and proposed legislation aimed at streamlining permitting processes, promoting agrivoltaics, and expanding community solar programs. These efforts seek to balance state energy goals with local control and land use priorities.

• Regulatory Landscape Solar development in Pennsylvania is shaped by a combination of federal, state, and local regulations. This section will highlight the roles of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), local governments, and federal agencies like FERC and the U.S. Department of Energy.

• Zoning for Solar: Local Experiences Rob Davidson will share insights from Montour County’s experience in developing a solar zoning amendment, including available resources and strategies for township officials. The discussion will emphasize the importance of engaging community members and developers to protect local interests without overly restrictive policies.

• Key Zoning Considerations A detailed look at Montour County’s zoning language will highlight key elements to address when regulating solar development as a land use, offering practical examples and guidance.

Who Should Participate: Municipal officials, planners, zoning board members, and community leaders interested in preparing their communities for responsible, well-informed solar development.

Speakers

• Robert Davidson, Hummel, Lewis, and Davidson, LLP
• Matthew Svetz, Educational Program Specialist, Penn State Extension

Group viewing brought to you by Lancaster County Planning.

Lancaster County Planning strives to provide educational opportunities for our planning partners – professional planners, municipalities, consultants, designers, engineers, local planning commissions, and interested citizens. In 2025, we will continue to provide an opportunity for our partners to join us at our office to view a mix of live and recorded webinars we have purchased or registered for from various sources on a variety of planning topics. Many of these programs will provide AICP CM and ASLA continuing education credits. Due to site license restrictions, we are not able to share our webinar access information with interested parties. For independent access, please contact the webinar provider directly.

For questions related to this event, please contact 717-299-8333 or email bGNwY2VkdWNhdGlvbiB8IGxhbmNhc3RlcmNvdW50eXBhICEgZ292.

Also check out other Workshops in Lancaster, Virtual events in Lancaster.