DAMASCUS TOWNSHIP, PA — During a Monday, June 15 meeting of the Damascus Township Board of Supervisors, the board discussed the status of the township's work-in-progress data center ordinance. In other business, the board discussed the status of several solar projects, as well as other township matters. 

The work in progress amendment to land development procedures is not yet complete, and a work session will soon follow to finish this. 

The planning commission plans a session on July 1, and plans to have the proposed data center ordinance ready to present to the Board of Supervisors at the July meeting, which is July 20. 

Solar developments

The board of supervisors held a special meeting on June 10 at which the developer behind the Detore property solar project, Ampliform Corp., withdrew its proposed project. 

The minutes of the special meeting were reviewed, and regarding the project, a motion was made to adjust the minutes “so that it is clear that the withdrawal is complete," as read the text of the motion. The motion was passed, and the adjustment was made to reflect the withdrawal of the application by Ampliform Corp. 

If there were to be a resubmission of the application by the developer, the process would be starting over again. 

Honesdale Solar 1 LLC is requesting an extension of its conditional use permit.The current extension for this project ends in September 2026.

Peter Montgomery and Mustafa Sezgin attended on behalf of Coast Energy, which owns Honesdale Solar LLC. The original developer was New Leaf Energy and the project was taken over by Coast Energy in 2024. 

There have been delays, mostly due to PPL but the Coast Energy is next in queue for the substation, and Coast has purchased utility equipment and hired a new contractor. The PPL rate case was cited as impacting costs, but this was settled on June 4.

Montgomery said that the cost increases of around one million dollars will be absorbed by Coast Energy without undue impact and the necessary upgrades to the site will be done by October 5. Mobilisation at the site will be in process by November, and PPL site work will start in enough time to be complete by 2027. The target date for completion is now July 2027. Honesdale LLC/Coast Energy representatives said they will meet with Lebanon Township board on July 13, since the project overlaps into Lebanon Township. 

The township will consider the extension request and have an answer within around 30 days, most likely at the next regularly scheduled township board meeting on Monday, July 20. 

Roads, bridges, projects 

Major ditch repair was done on Baldwin Hill Road including cutting pipe and moving it back to allow better drainage. 

The Multi Modal Transportation Fund grant program application is ready to be submitted, so that funding will be secured to complete the Boyce Bridge repairs. The application needs to be submitted by July 31

The parks commission applied for a GTRP grant (Greenways, Trails, and Recreation Program) in the amount of $211,611.50 

Additional grant funds are due late in September and at the end November 2026. The Park and Pavillion will be closed during construction after Labor Day.