BUTLER TWP — The planning commission voted Tuesday to recommend the township allow solar panels.

Jesse Hines, Butler Township zoning officer, said the township updated the zoning ordinance in 2017 to only allow solar panels on roofs that don’t face a street.

“Solar panels at that time, they were reflective, and in a neighborhood that would be distracting,” Hines said. “The technology has really come a long way, and it’s more and more prevalent. ... They’re not as reflective as they used to be.”

Hines also said the township has received six requests for residents to install solar panels that are street-facing recently. Rather than have all of the requests appeal to the zoning hearing board, Hines said now would be a good time to simply amend the ordinance.

“All this is changing is we’re just going to allow solar panels on any side of the roof,” Hines said. “The industry standard now is they have a matte finish, they are more muted than they used to be, so we want that in there.”

Township solicitor Rebecca Black also gave the proposed language update the go-ahead.

The Butler Township commissioners will review the updated ordinance at the Dec. 19 meeting.