Battery storage land in South Union Township, Pennsylvania

Start with the hours the battery would operate

Section 4 of the township’s Ordinance 2-2025 says battery facilities shall not operate from dusk to dawn. The downloaded ordinance has signed enactment and certification pages dated January 6, 2025. Have the team check subsequent changes and the provision’s application to its design.

Ask the developer what it expects the battery to do during the day and at night. Would it charge, discharge, remain on standby or run cooling equipment? Ask how those activities are treated under the applicable rules and who has confirmed that interpretation.

If the proposed business depends on a schedule that has not been accepted, ask which decision would resolve it. Would the developer change the design, seek a different approval or stop pursuing the site? Find out before agreeing to a long reservation period.

Ask for the explanation in writing alongside the intended operating schedule. A statement that the equipment is quiet does not by itself explain whether the hours of operation are acceptable.

Reference: South Union Township: signed Ordinance 02-2025 download

Ask where the fire-water supply would come from

The ordinance’s battery section assigns the developer responsibility for confirming water access for local fire departments and specifies hydrant distance and flow requirements. Ask the project team to confirm the current requirements and the actual supply it plans to use.

Have the preliminary drawing show the hydrant or other proposed arrangement, its route to the equipment and any work needed to provide it. Ask who has checked the supply and what remains to be designed, tested or approved. A hydrant visible from the road is only a starting observation.

If work would extend beyond the battery area, ask which land rights are needed. Would a water line cross your driveway, a tenant’s space or a neighboring parcel? Who obtains permission, pays for the work and maintains the installation?

Also discuss access for responders and how it fits with the uses you keep. Mark gates, deliveries, turning areas and places you need available. Have the project team explain how the proposed emergency arrangements would work after construction.

Reference: South Union Township: signed Ordinance 02-2025 download

Confirm the district and the actual battery layout

The ordinance combines solar provisions with references to batteries and a separate battery section. Ask the township and the project adviser to identify the provisions that apply to this proposal, including its district, approval route and layout. Do not assume every solar provision applies identically to a separate battery.

The township publishes zoning application, instruction and plot resources. Use the actual property location when asking which records and current map govern the land. Ask for any later amendment or decision the project team is relying on.

Ask for a drawing showing the equipment, fence, existing dwellings, access, electrical work and water arrangements. Have the team explain how it checked required separation distances. Compare the drawing with your boundary and the parts you want to keep using.

For example, an owner might have vacant space behind an occupied building. The useful question is whether a compliant, accessible layout fits there while preserving the building’s use. Total acreage alone does not answer it.

Reference: South Union Township: signed Ordinance 02-2025 download · South Union Township: zoning applications and plot resources · South Union Township: code enforcement office

Keep the connection question separate

Ask who would connect the battery and which utility or grid process the team would use. What application, study or agreement supports the plan? What is still uncertain about cost, timing and the route?

A line beside the property does not tell you whether the proposed battery can use it. Ask which equipment and rights would be needed between the site and the connection point, including work outside the area being leased or sold.

If the developer expects the local operating provisions to affect its electrical or commercial plan, ask how it has accounted for that. The explanation should connect the intended schedule, connection and project economics rather than treat each as a separate promise.

You do not need to determine the technical answer yourself. You need to understand what the developer knows, what remains unconfirmed and how those uncertainties affect the rights it is asking you to sign.

Match an option to the unresolved work

Ask what document is being offered: an option, a lease, a purchase agreement or permission for investigations. Discuss which rights start immediately and which depend on later decisions. Have the actual agreement reviewed before signing.

If operating hours, water supply or the layout still need confirmation, identify a reasonable period for that work. Ask what is paid during the reservation, what permits an extension and when the property becomes available again if the plan does not work.

Discuss your other plans while the proposal is being studied. Could you renew a tenant, repair an access road or pursue another use? Mark the areas affected and ask which restrictions apply. A small equipment area can still require rights elsewhere on the property.

For investigations, agree on notice, the allowed work and restoration. Ask who records existing conditions and repairs damage. Permission to inspect the land should be understandable separately from long-term operation or construction rights.

Send Sunland the property location and your priorities

Start with your name, email and phone number, then the South Union Township location in Fayette County. Tell us how the land is used now and whether you are considering a lease, sale or only part of the property.

Mention any offer, operating plan or site drawing you have received. If you know about water supply, nearby dwellings or access constraints, include that context. Parcel numbers, acreage and supporting documents can follow later; uncertainty is useful information too.

An inquiry does not reserve your land or establish that a battery can be built. We need to review the actual rules, design, connection, rights and commercial terms. Your priorities help identify the questions worth resolving before discussing an agreement.