Union approves 2025 budget, resolution seeking county zoning changes for solar farms

RINGTOWN – Township supervisors at Union Township approved the 2026 budget and a resolution asking Schuylkill County’s Zoning Hearing Board to better regulate large scale solar farms.

At last Tuesday’s regular township meeting, Solicitor Bob Matta said, with the countywide reassessment, the total assessed value of property in Union Township increased from $28 Million to $140 Million.

“It went up five times in value,” Matta said. “As a result, the new millage will be 1.456.”

The previous millage was 7.25. Each mill represents $1 in taxation for every $1,000 of assessed value.

For the year following the reassessment, municipalities must remain “revenue neutral,” meaning they must bring in the same amount of tax revenue as they did the previous year, and tax rates must be adjusted as a result.

In other business, Matta raised the solar farm issue after the township learned that a project had been approved for the Lindner farm off Pine Swamp Road, near Little Mountain Road.

Specifics on that project were not available.

The resolution, approved 3-0 by the supervisors, requested that the county zoning amend their regulations for large scale solar farms and “put a stay on approving such farms until the matter can be addressed in the opinion of the public, including the citizens of Union Township,” Matta said.

“This is for large scale farms,” Matta said. “It’s not for somebody who wants to put 50 panels or 20 panels in their backyard and use it to heat their pool or use it as an energy source for themselves.”

The Schuylkill County Zoning Hearing Board held a hearing on the matter on Oct. 7.

County zoning had previously considered amendments to the zoning ordinance last year.

Union Township does not have its own zoning ordinance or zoning hearing board and defers to the county.

The Shenandoah Sentinel was the ONLY local news source at this meeting, and has been the ONLY local news source covering Ringtown Borough Council and Union Township supervisors for well over a year. If you find value in our reporting and in knowing what YOUR local elected leaders are doing, PLEASE consider contributing to our efforts via Patreon or Buy Me A Coffee.

The article Union approves 2025 budget, resolution seeking county zoning changes for solar farms first appeared on The Shenandoah Sentinel.