The Rush Township Zoning Hearing Board will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 to hear plans for a 35-acre commercial solar farm on land near the village of Hometown.

Zoners will consider special exception and variance requests made by the land owners, Cathy and Carl Briesch, Hazle Township, and the developer, Pitch Mountain PV I, Chicago.

Plans are to construct a 6-megawatt farm at 0 Claremont Ave., which includes two adjoining land parcels. The parcels contain a combined 1,975 acres and the farm would take up about 1.7% of it, according to the application.

The application notes that the project would begin in May 2026 and include “clearing of trees, grading of property, and construction and use of a 6 megawatt solar farm on 35 acres.” An existing access road off Progress Road would be improved.

The land is zoned as woodland preserve and highway commercial, according to property records. It is used for hunting, the application notes.

In the application, the applicants note that they are seeking relief from the township zoning ordinance.

“The ordinance effectively prohibits commercial solar in Rush Township and we would like to argue that it is within the landowners’ right to host a small scale solar project for their benefit,” according to the application.

The zoning hearing will be held at the township municipal building, 104 Mahanoy Ave., Hometown.