Solar Project Hearing Postponed, New Plans Expected

Hillsborough's Planing Board hearing Thursday night on an application to build a solar array on Sourland Mountain has been postponed.

The application by Gibralter Quarry and KDC solar was adjourned at the request of the applicants because they want to present revised plans to the board to address issues raised at an earlier  board meeting.

The application will now be heard Sept. 13.

Though the entrance to the 750-acre quarry is on Belle Mead-Blawenberg Road in Montgomery, the 9,996-panel solar array was proposed to be located on the mountain in Hillsborough off Dutchtown-Zion Road. About 500 acres of the quarry, formerly owned by 3M, are in Hillsborough and 200 acres are in Montgomery.

The quarry was to construct the solar array that would power operations at the quarry.

An engineer for the applicants said the panels, to be installed by KDC Solar, will generate 2.3 megawatts of power for the operation at the quarry. The solar panels will be located on 7.5 acres of the 20-acre site; the engineer explained the additional room is necessary so that the 100-foot trees in the area would have enough room to topple without hitting the panels. The panels, on concrete pads, will be 5 to 8 feet off the ground, he said.

The engineer said that the solar array, because of the slope and the surrounding trees, would not be visible from Belle Mead-Blawenberg Road.He said the panels would not be reflecting sunlight because “if they’re reflecting light, they’re not operating.”

In a notice posted on Facebook, Cliff Wilson, president of the Sourlands Planning Council,  said Gilbralter and KDC have decided to move the proposed array to an open piece of the property so that only a few trees would be impacted.

Wilson said that decision came after members of the Soulands Planning Council met with representatives of Gilbralter and KDC.