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A divided Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors on Monday voted 3-2 to grant a special exception permit for a 3.0 megawatts solar array that is to go on 21 acres of a 141-acre farm near Natural Bridge Station.
USS Hilltop Solar LLC is to install the solar array on Douglas E. Braford’s farm on the west side of the intersection of Lloyd Tolley (Va. 773) and Gilmores Mill (Va. 708) roads. A public hearing on the proposal that began back in November was continued until Monday’s meeting so that the supervisors could gather more information on the plans.
When the proposal was considered by the Planning Commission at its Oct. 11 meeting, the Commission voted 3-1 to recommend the supervisors deny the special exception permit.
Dan Csaplar, project coordinator, and Rachel Tippett, consultant for the project, addressed concerns Monday that had been raised about the project and spoke of revisions to the plans that have been made in response to those concerns.
The reason why solar arrays such as this one are being proposed in Rockbridge County and elsewhere in Virginia, Csaplar explained, is because of the Clean Energy Act legislation that requires Dominion Energy to produce 100 percent renewable energy by 2040.
Tippet spoke about additional vegetation that is to be planted to augment planned buffers between the project and neighboring properties. Csaplar said noise emanating from the array would be nearly inaudible to neighboring properties during daylight hours and there would be no noise at all at night. The panels used in the array do not contain hazardous materials, he said. He noted that grading for the array would occur on only 15 percent of the project area and no soil would leave the site.
Several citizens spoke during the continued public hearing to say they remain opposed to the project. Jeannie Jeffer said she lives directly across from where the array would go and that it would be “in my line of sight. Our views would be compromised.” She said she’s not against solar energy but questioned whether this was an appropriate site for it, given the scenic views.
Tracy Hipp and Teresa Bullock, who operate a nearby short-term rental property, said the array would spoil their views and be harmful to their business. No one wants to “vacation next to a power plant,” Bullock said.
In response to questions about how much solar energy the array would produce at this site, Csaplar said the site has been studied extensively and it has been determined that an array there would produce more energy than arrays the company has installed in other states such as Minnesota and Maine.
When discussion returned to the supervisors, David McDaniel said he’s a “firm supporter of landowners’ rights” and that he understands the economic challenges farmers are facing. Still, he said, he worried about how the array would mar scenic views. “I’m not sure it fits in,” he said. Leslie Ayers said the landowner wants to save his farm and has done much to minimize the harm to viewsheds. She suggested that an alternative use for the property that is allowable – a residential subdivision – would be less desirable to neighboring landowners.
Dan Lyons said the applicant had been responsive to concerns raised and that the project would be far less obtrusive than the array that’s going up in Fairfield on the Alexander farm between U.S. 11 and Interstate 81.
Bob Day made a motion to deny the special exception permit for the project. McDaniel seconded the motion, which failed on a 3-2 vote. Saying he supports the landowner’s rights, Jay Lewis made a motion to approve the permit. Lyons seconded the motion, which passed 3-2. Lewis, Lyons and Ayers voted in favor while McDaniel and Day dissented.
