[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6102656,"mediaKeyId","2803720-bb2edd5bb9733a0197aca714a2d3666d","parentId",2803720,"title","Planning commission holds public hearing on proposed Article 20 amendment to remove utility-scale solar; speakers urge county not to ban projects","audioSeconds",573,"startMs",1165000,"endMs",1738000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2803720-bb2edd5bb9733a0197aca714a2d3666d&start=1165&end=1738","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2803720-bb2edd5bb9733a0197aca714a2d3666d/thumbnail_1165000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6102656/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Planning-commission-holds-public-hearing-on-proposed-Article-20-amendment-to-remove-utility-scale-solar-speakers-urge-county-not-to-ban-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6102656-799ce2afb430c45a6a0cb722ba99a6e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439034&Signature=YQnZtWIe0divqSY6CMqd1sV1OGSprVU~MeK-g9RHV0FCfXyLghPo-kF8SV5yU~YIK9y1JuPrHVFzajWdXLeS125GRPYHEACbKZN0b1Rs-IMmetE78H2Oz~A2oUO8fxgTgn1rcvdHPYS2L9phSoi47x6EE3gQcNwJ9ongcZjhIfUYnzfVtEm63-7yo2ekFf9Ov1ONph0u4XzhxEY0n0T8k8Yg4ykkG7ExAYfN6GKtARML~3wc8jT4j5uKoQP9J9ZZieOM~PNDTQo6H7FYTCRcu5VKsOzZyPwxUsyVpuvheBFftSZg0FNc6EVEikmORq-W~Q2IRJSvQ35Dk7e2ymLQfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mecklenburg County, VA","date","2025-03-28T04:17:02.453Z","article","Mecklenburg County planning commissioners held a public hearing on proposed amendments to Article 20 of the county zoning ordinance that would remove utility-scale solar facilities as a permitted use in any zoning district and change the special-exception-permit process.

The proposed amendment, initiated by a resolution adopted by the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors on 03/10/2025, would remove utility-scale solar from permitted uses. The planning commission explained applications for utility-scale solar submitted to the zoning office before 03/10/2025 would not be subject to the proposed amendment and would be allowed to proceed under the current ordinance provisions.

Public commenters included farmers, local agrivoltaics operators and representatives of clean-energy organizations who urged the commission not to remove utility-scale solar from the ordinance. Ryan Romack, who runs an agrivoltaic vegetation-management company and described hiring local labor and spending locally for equipment and supplies, said limiting solar would “suffocate local farm based businesses” and reduce economic benefits for rural communities. “This ordinance on solar development in Mecklenburg County would be a multimillion dollar mistake regarding our agricultural community,” Romack said.

Other commenters described broader energy needs. Laurie Huber urged the commission to “broaden our options” and warned Virginia imports electricity from out of state; she recommended against banning or capping solar. Blake Cox, a founder of a nonprofit called Energy Right, asked commissioners to continue evaluating projects “individually and on their merits” and warned that removing local solar opportunities might prompt state-level changes to local control.

Commissioners discussed procedural details, including whether approvals of comprehensive plans and special-exception permits already in process would be affected. A commissioner noted that if the change were limited to special-exception permits it could nullify progress on in-process applications, and suggested that approved comprehensive plans could allow affected applicants to continue. The transcript records a motion to approve “this application,” a second, and the chair announcing “motion carries.” The meeting transcript excerpt does not include a detailed roll-call tally or explicit wording of the final resolution in the portion provided.

Speakers urged careful local review rather than an outright ban. Several residents and the mayor of Chase City praised specific developers for community outreach and mitigation commitments, including conservation easements, setbacks from waterways and donations to local assistance programs. Commissioners and applicants discussed potential conditions such as conservation easements, revegetation plans, stormwater controls, and financial assurance for decommissioning.

The record in the provided transcript does not include the final written ordinance text or the minutes that would clarify the exact language acted on; commissioners advised interested parties to submit written comments to the zoning office.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Meeting March 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mecklenburg County planning commissioners held a public hearing on proposed amendments to Article 20 that would remove utility-scale solar as a permitted use, drawing industry speakers and local residents who urged retaining local review and grandfathering in-process applications.","taxTitle","Mecklenburg County, Virginia","taxId",37843,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6102660,"Mecklenburg planning commission approves special-exception permit for local sorting-and-recycling site",813,343000,1156000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2803720-bb2edd5bb9733a0197aca714a2d3666d&start=343&end=1156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2803720-bb2edd5bb9733a0197aca714a2d3666d/thumbnail_343000.jpg","/articles/6102660/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Mecklenburg-planning-commission-approves-special-exception-permit-for-local-sorting-and-recycling-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6102660-1e223c9baa1d3bc42b4f0f5ba8b59ab8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439034&Signature=OqTdGxEd2uUke-Qoj7D0siQ5UoscOB7yea11hSi1z7L8OZb-LAvozyaeW0o9bh8v0zlaJahkYz3X3OGE-7c-4e6GTZ~ykS18IA6VrwsMB4gqHLk6ZSqSZIXCEpOnEXDIAvVlQbts1MBqCyekYZ07ikDdx5SeEb2xj3xCHQeg0YPS2HAFa7y~ftI7AmN4zABLmuEFIT6gcbFnrV5YYItTexPyERIx7i0Lg1Ff0MG2cL7guCw2YTQvLmPlKakyc2NnI1dxQg5EF2nhPmZT7A4NpKSYxV-DndXjBL7kAtlsZler66kCOUV-um26HuFAgTfB1~YGjSRjRS7ftm6pLRqz3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mecklenburg County Planning Commission voted to approve a special-exception permit for a commercial sorting-and-recycling operation proposed by Albert Dudley, owner of American Catalyst Recycling.

The permit covers the applicant’s plan to operate a hand-sorting recycling site on a parcel in Mecklenburg County zoned agricultural along the south side of Highway 58, about two miles west of its intersection with Rogers Road. Planning staff and a commissioner said the site will be required to obtain all necessary permits and to keep the site entrance onto Highway 58 clean of mud and debris.

The applicant, Albert Dudley, told the commission the company recovers nonferrous metals, wood, pallets and cardboard and has been piloting on-site recycling since September. “We’ve kept about 1,200,000 pounds out of the landfill from one job site,” Dudley said, describing sorting, hand-separation of metals and local sales of materials. He said his operation currently diverts roughly 60%–65% of inbound material by weight and that some plastics will be baled and shipped once minimum weights are met.

Resident speakers supported the proposal with conditions. Laurie Huber, who said she has decades of experience in the hazardous-waste and waste industries, urged the commission to limit activities at the site to separating and sorting and to ensure hazardous or contaminated wastes are not handled or burned. “There are some things that can get mixed in with industrial waste that are very nasty, and we’d hate to see them leaked or buried at the site,” Huber said. Dudley responded that nonrecyclable or damaged materials would be sent to the landfill and that his company already does business with the local Southside Landfill.

Commission discussion referenced neighborhood outreach and on-site visits by neighbors. One commissioner said neighbors who initially raised concerns came away “real pleased” after meeting the applicants and seeing the operation. A commissioner moved to approve the application for the public welfare, noting it would “not affect the safety of persons or neighborhood” and that the operation would reduce landfill volume by diverting recyclable material; Mr. Raymond seconded the motion. The chair called for the ayes; the motion carried.

The commission’s approval requires the owner to obtain any necessary county permits and stipulates the site must meet county commercial requirements if it expands. No detailed hours or a full enforcement schedule were included in the materials presented; Dudley said typical operating hours are in the early morning through midafternoon but also that some work can run later as needed.

The commission did not record a roll-call tally in the portion of the transcript provided; the chair announced the motion carried.","The Mecklenburg County Planning Commission approved a special-exception permit for American Catalyst Recycling to operate a sorting and recycling site on Highway 58; the applicant described current operations and said the business diverts substantial material from local landfills.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6102652,"Long Road Energy presents 7 Bridges Solar plan to Mecklenburg planners; supporters cite jobs, conservation and local spending",1463,1755000,3218000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2803720-bb2edd5bb9733a0197aca714a2d3666d&start=1755&end=3218","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2803720-bb2edd5bb9733a0197aca714a2d3666d/thumbnail_1755000.jpg","/articles/6102652/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Long-Road-Energy-presents-7-Bridges-Solar-plan-to-Mecklenburg-planners-supporters-cite-jobs-conservation-and-local-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6102652-0b2849a1b3e4cf4b39e68c45be6101a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439034&Signature=h2Ac9twfM-f7~pXfy1dg9yGgctEh5ZW6guHXb1D3lPYRKirZk4G0QwLjrzgOute1gpmMvP3DJERhexaSUozvpUt1l9DNXRpEG6DpfgR4K7VF-Jsp~97IO5NtsZ2ryJL67-BgZw2NbCxK1WgQLCvMnRNpjnzrMO0HTUQQSPbc8nHoN6C6Xf4LCiaKW59mRwCkdJ4C1cvQfTik43ORgfMhvzHzbGTy5HIaOb3bXIln2aSJwOkvHN1hK0ChStsFvRbshZZft1WJ2nkjzQlzxO0KSWHShVI1R1p0Rc67Uay4XFT2dGtARhZhXzCGcAuFX6XySKOcGaaGq5Hh9XbshoV~2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Long Road Energy presented its special-exception permit application for the 7 Bridges Solar project at a Mecklenburg County Planning Commission public hearing. Company representatives described the project footprint, conservation commitments, revegetation and economic benefits, and several local officials and residents spoke in support.

Cliff Sher, development director with Long Road Energy, said the company, founded in 2016, is a developer, owner and operator of large-scale renewable projects and has developed and moved into construction more than 5,000 megawatts of projects nationwide. Sher described the 7 Bridges site as approximately 1,295 acres of timberland with an anticipated development footprint around 435 acres, and said the project would include a permanent conservation area of about 250 acres adjacent to the South Mahurin River.

Sher said the project would set panel arrays back substantially from Scott’s Crossroads and the South Mahurin River and would leave large areas of the property in timber. He said the company is proposing to post financial assurance for decommissioning and that the decommissioning cost would be reevaluated every five years. Sher also said the company is pursuing revegetation plans and pollinator-friendly seed mixes and is considering sheep grazing within fenced areas to reduce mechanical mowing.

Darren Lawrence, vice president for environmental at Long Road Energy, described past Long Road projects where the company worked with regulators and researchers on stormwater management, revegetation and habitat solutions. Sher and Lawrence cited examples—including conservation easements and pollinator programs—intended to address concerns about revegetation and stormwater performance on previous solar projects elsewhere.

Company materials presented to the commission estimate over $30 million in economic output during construction (about $17 million direct spending and $14 million in indirect/induced spending), $10 million in county revenue over the life of the project (via revenue-share programs and property taxes) and commitments including a $500,000 contribution to the town of Chase City at the time of construction and a $150,000 donation to the Clarksville Ruritan energy-bill assistance program.

Public commenters who spoke in support included Alden Fanger, mayor of Chase City, who said Long Road Energy had worked to build local trust; Bev Wood and other local residents said prior experiences with solar in the county had been mixed but praised Long Road’s outreach and mitigation plans. Ryan Romack (agrivoltaics operator from Halifax County) said Long Road “takes care to beneficially impact the community” and encouraged the commission to study how sheep grazing (approximately 800 sheep referenced in testimony) would affect the county.

The applicant asked the commission to approve the SEP application; the transcript excerpt ends before any roll-call vote on this specific SEP is recorded in the provided excerpt. Commissioners and staff asked multiple questions about setbacks, stormwater controls, revegetation and decommissioning assurance; the applicant said a long-road employee would serve as a public liaison during construction.","Long Road Energy presented a special-exception permit application for the 7 Bridges (also referenced as Everett/7 Bridges) solar project, describing a roughly 1,200–1,295-acre site with a 435-acre panel footprint, conservation commitments and local economic benefits; several local officials and residents spoke in favor during the hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission holds public hearing on proposed Article 20 amendment to remove utility-scale solar; speakers urge county not to ban projects

Mecklenburg planning commission approves special-exception permit for local sorting-and-recycling site

Long Road Energy presents 7 Bridges Solar plan to Mecklenburg planners; supporters cite jobs, conservation and local spending