NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – Neighbors aren’t happy about a Washington County homeowner’s large installation of solar panels.

Larry Nader is a former Pennsylvania State Police trooper who just happens to be passionate about the environment, and that motivated him to install massive solar panels outside his North Strabane home.

“My wife and I are concerned about climate change, and we wanted to mitigate our carbon footprint, so we thought this was a good way to go,” said Nader.

But while Nader worries about global warming, his neighbors are decidedly cool on his panel ensemble, which they say is an eyesore that stares them in the face every time they walk out of their homes.

“This is a beautiful neighborhood. We all care about our homes, and they’re just very large solar panels in a very small yard, and it’s very noticeable,” said Valerie Ruslabage, a neighbor. “This is not something out in the middle of a farm.”

While Nader understands and respects his neighbors, he has no intentions of taking the panels down, saying he sought and received all the necessary approvals from the township zoning board.

Township Manager Frank Siffrinn said the township had no choice but to approve the panels since local ordinances have nothing to say about permitting or restricting solar panels.

“It happens from time to time,” said Siffrinn. “You try to be diligent when you craft these ordinances and provide for a very specific use, but sometimes it doesn’t happen.”

The township says it will review its ordinance going forward, but that’s not sitting well with Nader’s neighbors who want action now.

“We’re asking the township to do what they can to rectify the situation or make it less of an eyesore,” said Susan Zanke, another neighbor.

Nader hopes his neighbors grow to accept and even embrace his panels.

“I hope in the future they’ll look at the big picture and see that this is good for everybody and cleaning up the air a little bit,” he said.

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