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Aug. 19, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: Rockbridge County is making decisions blindly in advancing some solar projects with no idea of actual ownership.
The county has been asked to enact an ordinance to request the real party of interest information from solar applicants, but, meanwhile, the application for Warm Run Solar, LLC, advances through the system without it.
Yes, we know that Warm Run is owned by Sun Tribe Solar Development, LLC, but Sun Tribe is just another LLC with no ownership interests disclosed. What person or persons own Warm Run and its’ parent Solar Tribe?
In most cases for solar, we don’t know the identity of the actual beneficiaries of these “special” exceptions to normal zoning. Anonymous people are being granted special exception deals to avoid complying with zoning regulations like the rest of us must do. This is wrong.
The law has allowed Rockbridge to ask for this information since July 1, 2019: “localities may provide by ordinance that the local planning commission, governing body or zoning appeals board may require any applicant for a special exception, or a special use permit, amendment to the zoning ordinance or variance to make complete disclosure of the equitable ownership of the real estate to be affected including, in the case of corporate ownership, the name of stockholders, officers and directors and in any case the names and addresses of all of the real parties of interest.”
For over five years, Rockbridge County has chosen not to see this information or to allow its’ citizens such information. Even neighbors whose land use and value are potentially adversely impacted are not allowed this information. Why? In whose interests is this? Fix this before Warm Run is approved. BILL RUSSELL Kerrs Creek
