The West Penn Township supervisors conditionally approved a preliminary land development plan for a solar panel farm.

The plan, approved during Monday’s board meeting, is for the Gregory and Jodi Duschak Solar Energy Collection Land Development near Ash Circle and Ridge Road.

Plans call for 63 rows of solar panels on 34 acres of private land zoned for agricultural use.

The West Penn Township Planning Commission recently reviewed the plan and recommended that supervisors conditionally approve it.

The approval is contingent upon comments from ARRO Consulting being satisfied.

A representative for the developer noted that the plan is preliminary. A final plan must be devised and approved before the project moves forward.

Before the meeting, supervisors held a hearing to discuss the zoning ordinance for solar energy systems.

Solicitor Paul Datte said some revisions would be made, however, more discussions about the ordinance would likely come at the board’s 10 a.m. May 21 meeting. Datte said a hearing on the ordinance would be scheduled at that meeting.

In an unrelated matter, the speed limit on a stretch of Dairy Road will be reduced to 25 miles per hour from 55 miles per hour.

Township police Chief James Bonner recommended the reduction in both directions between Route 309 and Strauss Valley Road.

Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution to bump back the speed.

Signs will be placed every half-mile in each direction. Costs are estimated at about $150 per sign.

The board noted that it will send letters to Dairy Road residents and businesses, to ask them to consider donations toward the signs.