At least 20 solar energy projects have been proposed or finished over a little more than a year.
But the surge in solar proposals has come with a surge in complaints.
Among the most common are those raised in White and Greenwich townships -- that views of farm fields will be replaced by rows of mirrors facing skyward.
When a plan for 300,000 solar panels in Greenwich Township was aired at a zoning hearing in June, more than 100 people from a standing-room-only crowd spilled outside the meeting room.
Residents in those townships, particularly those who live near potential solar sites, worry about the effect on their lives and property values.
The plan in Greenwich Township to install more than 300,000 panels over 110 acres pitched by Warren Solar, a subsidiary of Houston-based Elements Marketing, had residents questioning its merits as recently as a Thursday land use board hearing.
Real estate appraiser Charles Blau theorized at the hearing that taking away open farmland could hurt property values, but admitted there is limited information to draw from since solar power is still a young industry.
The White Township proposal is on a private property and has received the approval of the local zoning board, but a developer and opposing resident are working to reach a settlement.
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