The Shenango Township farmland property where a solar farm development is planned. May 11, 2026.
Multimedia Journalist
The Shenango Township farmland property where a solar farm development is planned. May 11, 2026.
The Shenango Township Board of Supervisors has voted to approve conditional use for a solar farm development on Bethel New Wilmington Road.
Township solicitor Brett Stedman confirmed to 21 News that the board of supervisors approved the application from Wilmington Solar, LLC — a subsidiary of Susquehanna Solar — at its meeting May 7. Stedman described the project as a “rather standard” small-scale solar farm, which will use less than half of the property.
Those living nearby have fought the proposed development. Several neighbors told 21 News Monday that they worried about environmental, aesthetic and property value impacts.
A solar farm project in Shenango Township has been granted conditional approval, but some say that the project has received some pushback. Ally Ross has more on what some residents have been saying.
“I was devastated to hear about this. … I won’t call it progress,” said Jacquie Calvert, who has lived on the street for 48 years.
Calvert said she was especially concerned for the local wildlife.
“We have deer, fox, eagles, hawks,” she said. “Bear [came] through the property here in 2022. I worry about storm water drainage here, runoff. They talk about silt getting into the creek, I’ve heard, or nutrient deprivation, which would starve the fish and anything aquatic down there.”
Susquehanna Solar did not respond to 21 News’ request for an interview to share more about the project and address neighbors’ concerns.
Our 101 West program, “Moving the Needle,” explored the use of solar and wind as an alternative energy source in Ohio. What we found were barriers going up against the development of renewable energy.
Longtime residents Donald and Joann Yasnowsky are selling part of their property to Susquehanna Solar for the project. Joann said in an interview Monday that as she and her husband age and their health declines, they stopped farming on the land years ago.
The retired couple lives with their 40-year-old son, Kevin Yasnowsky, who has Down Syndrome. While Kevin has made strides towards independence — he works a part-time job and recently learned to drive — Joann said there is no other family to take care of him when they are gone. Selling the chunk of property became important to them to be able to invest in his future.
“It was our decision, and it was the best one for us,” Joann said. “We’re staying here at this farm, and we’re going to be neighbors with the solar panels, too.”
Joann said she supports environmentally friendly energy and does not share her neighbors’ concerns about negative impacts.
Even if the supervisors wanted to reject the development, they may not have been able to. Stedman said Pennsylvania law obligates the township board of supervisors to approve any application, so long as it meets all of the criteria in the zoning ordinance.
He added that the benefit of a conditional approval is that it allows the supervisors to enforce certain standards and requirements.
“Safeguards for noise, for buffering, for decommissioning in the event that the property owner abandons the use, as well as for a separate bond for maintenance of the property in the event that the property owner fails to maintain it,” Stedman said. “Standard protections … from either unsightly views, a nuisance noise, glare, those sorts of requirements were all included.”
Despite her disappointment, Calvert acknowledged that the supervisors “did the best they could” to mitigate any negative impacts.
According to Stedman, the next step will require the company to apply for a land development plan, where more details will be learned about what the solar farm will look like and its timeline for development.
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