{"id":139366,"date":"2026-03-16T04:26:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T04:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/139366\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T04:26:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T04:26:06","slug":"ransom-twp-defends-rejection-of-solar-farm-amid-appeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/139366\/","title":{"rendered":"Ransom Twp. defends rejection of solar farm amid appeal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ransom Twp. argues a proposed solar farm the supervisors rejected last year adversely affects the township and its residents as the developer appeals the supervisors\u2019 denial of the project.<\/p>\n

In an opposition brief filed last month, then-township Solicitor Kevin Conaboy said residents opposed to the plans presented credible evidence of the adverse effects the project would have on the area and Pivot Energy didn\u2019t provide proof the project would be compatible with township zoning.<\/p>\n

Conaboy left as the township solicitor earlier this month, Supervisor Chairman David Bird said. The supervisors are expected to appoint William Rinaldi as the solicitor at their meeting next month, he said.<\/p>\n

The supervisors denied the Denver-based company\u2019s request for conditional use<\/a> to build 6,550 solar modules on 18 acres of a nearly 300-acre township-owned parcel at Ransom and Lower Narrows roads in June of last year. Residents opposed the proposed solar farm, concerned about its impact on the township\u2019s character, their property values, the environment and wildlife.\n<\/p>\n

In their decision, the supervisors said the proposal doesn\u2019t comply with adjoining development, would impact the area\u2019s rural nature and harm property values. They also stated that Pivot failed to provide evidence about the anticipated glare from the facility and how the farm\u2019s potential effects on area properties and public roads would be controlled.<\/p>\n

Attorneys Richard Williams and Tara Giarratano appealed the decision<\/a> in Lackawanna County Court shortly after the supervisors\u2019 decision.\n<\/p>\n

The attorneys argue that the township and the objectors didn\u2019t present evidence that Pivot didn\u2019t meet the requirements in the zoning ordinance for the proposed conditional use and that the property\u2019s use as a solar farm would substantially affect the community\u2019s health, safety and welfare.<\/p>\n

They said the supervisors\u2019 decision relied on the objectors\u2019 complaints that the proposed solar farm is incompatible with the area and impacts adjacent properties and property values.<\/p>\n

Conaboy said in the brief the objectors presented evidence that having a solar farm on the property was incompatible with neighboring development, would impact the rural area, that the project would directly impact the community\u2019s health, welfare and convenience, and would negatively impact property values \u2014 all of which violate the township\u2019s zoning ordinance.<\/p>\n

He also stated the developer didn\u2019t provide evidence concerning the anticipated glare from the facility and how potential nuisance from the project to area properties and public roads would be controlled, which also violates the township\u2019s zoning ordinance. Conaboy said the glare study provided by Pivot Energy failed to take into account all the surrounding properties that would be affected by the project \u2014 also required under the zoning ordinance.<\/p>\n

Conaboy asked the court to deny the developer\u2019s appeal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ransom Twp. argues a proposed solar farm the supervisors rejected last year adversely affects the township and its…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":139367,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[201,182,139,28,4373,178,180,179],"class_list":["post-139366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-lackawanna-county","tag-local-news","tag-news","tag-pennsylvania","tag-ransom-township","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139366"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139366\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}