Bloomingdale Joins Neighbors in Solar Ordinance

As more residents make efforts to be environmentally conscious, the Boroughs of Kinnelon, Butler and Bloomingdale, as well as several neighboring communities, have adopted ordinances that restrict where property owners can place solar panels and wind turbines near their homes.

The Bloomingdale Council adopted an ordinance at its Sept. 25 meeting that bans the use of wind turbines on private property, according to Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy.

"We're tailoring Kinnelon's ordinance," Dunleavy said.

Under approved by the Kinnelon Council in July, solar panels are allowed on private property, but with restrictions. For example, solar panels mounted on the ground are not permitted and rooftop panels, while permitted, are not allowed to exceed the borough's height restrictions for residential structures. Borough officials have said firefighters and emergency responders could be in harms way if an electric reaction occurs when they are responding to an emergency situation.

The Butler Council also sought to protect its volunteer firefighters with consideration of an ordinance that would regulate where residents could put solar panels on their property. The ordinance was adopted in May.