Jackson Township residents and environmentalists are opposing Six Flags Great Adventure's plans to build a large solar generation facility on a currently wooded property.
JACKSON - Township residents and environmentalists packed the Municipal Building on Monday night in hopes of getting a solar energy project scrapped.
Six Flags Great Adventure is seeking approval from the township's Planning Board to construct a solar generation facility - consisting of solar panels, inverters, transformers and a substation - on approximately 66 acres of current woodlands between Reed Road, Perrineville Road and Six Flags Boulevard.
If approved, the project is expected to make the 510-acre theme park and safari entirely energy self-sufficient.
However, during the nearly five-hour meeting - which still was not long enough to accommodate all of the comments from the public - many of the project's opponents said Six Flags should find another location for its solar project.
"I've very much in favor of solar panels, but not at the expense of the nature that we're trying to save," township resident Linda McHale said.
Six Flags president John Fitzgerald previously said that putting the panels in the theme park's parking lot would be too close to the public and would put visitors at risk of injury or the equipment in danger of being damaged.
"Tens of thousands of visitors come to Six Flags every day and use the parking lot including many children and young adults," Fitzgerald said. "It would be imprudent to allow park visitors access to solar arrays set over such a large and widespread area."
But some residents argued that if places like Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia or Rutgers University could make parking lot solar arrays work, a mostly seasonal amusement park should also be able to accomplish its renewable energy goals without cutting down 15,000 trees.
"I can't help but think that Great Adventure is known for building all of these innovative rides and attractions, they're constantly building these new incredible coasters," township resident Debbie Hadley said.
"In my mind," she continued, "Great Adventure has some of the most creative and skilled engineers on this planet. And I can't figure out why they don't have the brainpower to figure out how to install solar panels on existing impervious structures. It seems that at their own hand, they have access to minds that can solve this problem and it should be a challenge Great Adventure should want to rise to."
Township resident Elaine Leighton said she was in favor of solar energy projects, but said there is a way that Great Adventure's solar aspirations could be a win-win for itself and Jackson Township.
"Removing those trees and allowing development in an area that is sensitive ... is not a good idea," Leighton said. "I would like you to consider putting solar panels in areas that are already cleared, already damaged and isn't going to harm anybody. That way we can have both."
During the lengthy public comment session, which is scheduled to continue on Feb. 29, there was only one Jackson resident who spoke in favor of the project: Joe Fiero, a member of the township's Economic Development Committee.
"The environmental benefits of this project far exceed the environmental costs," Fiero said. "(Great Adventure's) desire to be the first theme park to be run by renewable energy should bring accolades, not critical response."
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.