[{"_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",6073112,"mediaKeyId","2997237-cd29a52a149e91f321d8d7c976c6cf99","parentId",2997237,"title","Board hears $261 million budget proposal; considers tax cuts, fire-appartus fund and housing incentives","audioSeconds",198,"startMs",3808000,"endMs",3610000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2997237-cd29a52a149e91f321d8d7c976c6cf99&start=3808&end=3610","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2997237-cd29a52a149e91f321d8d7c976c6cf99/thumbnail_3808000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6073112/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Board-hears-261-million-budget-proposal-considers-tax-cuts-fire-appartus-fund-and-housing-incentives","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6073112-c370645dc6d6110a796a762204c1d80f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773589205&Signature=CoItoV8XT1XJt-CXPtYLQc4ptEjuyD9CEKLHrw06YlAsrXba8qZXNMGmithuXxMYJmdJW7l0cCbLbIdeVYzIZpczqtE2j7vfjafFag9UmlL1BQS4G2~3ZiVgJLr-PfiGP7y4ZZG2zKltYhsDAP7z94LoMxtTnt-Xz3dpysCzzE5uwi9HFxUlhdU6QWM~3jN~qw9L6kHP44agbJuiZsGtkIdKBr-Eu6UcbskxW1AhphKC9xgSBOJZ0w7vfngpckHbavepRojpkCTiiA2pDDM1mwSHkpKPQFtfZNehclUt-vm8QbszS7VACj6Tb5AjVqLL2WLV-msS4OZbVeoJMghhUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mecklenburg County, VA","date","2025-04-14T15:51:25Z","article","County staff presented the recommended fiscal year 2025–26 budget and accompanying capital plan to the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors, outlining revenue growth tied to new real-estate assessments and data-center development, proposed tax policy reductions, and several new programs and capital requests.

Key budget figures and proposals
- Recommended gross budget: $261,400,000; net budget after transfers: about $195 million.
- Staff said new taxable real-estate and personal-property improvements provide a materially higher revenue base for FY 2025–26 and that sales-tax and building-permit revenues have exceeded prior projections.
- Proposed tax-policy reductions included eliminating the county vehicle-registration (decal) fee (estimated $600,000 revenue reduction; $25 per vehicle savings), terminating the local electric consumer tax for county accounts (estimated $36 per household annual savings for many county accounts), and reverting the personal-property tax rate to $3.26 (a small per-vehicle reduction compared with FY 2025). Staff also proposed rescinding small leftover license fees on the books and better advertising a high-mileage vehicle evaluation process.

New programs and capital items
- Fire apparatus replacement fund: staff proposed a $1,000,000-per-year contribution to help local volunteer and combination fire companies replace aging apparatus; the county will not dictate vehicle specifications but will provide up to $1M toward purchases.
- Housing incentive pilot: a small program to help developers build residential subdivisions in and around towns by offsetting certain infrastructure costs to encourage infill rather than sprawl.
- Convenience centers and landfill repairs: continued capital funding and a request for property to site additional convenience centers and complete landfill machine-shop repairs.

Actions taken
- The Economic Development Committee’s recommendation to accept the low bid from Waco Inc. for the Bailey campus booster station at $4,018,927 was moved to the full board and approved by voice vote; the county will execute the contract and proceed with procurement steps.
- The board also voted to form the Route 58 Activation Corridor Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA) with the Town of South Hill, following the Economic Development Committee recommendation; the board adopted an ordinance to create the RIFA.

Why it matters: staff said county revenues have risen because of recent development and long-term economic development decisions, allowing investment in schools, public safety, road paving programs and new county initiatives while pursuing targeted tax relief. The presentation set a public hearing for the budget on the advertised date (public hearing scheduled in the packet) and directed committee review of amendments.

What’s next: the budget will be advertised as required, the public hearing will be held as scheduled and the Budget and Finance Committee will consider amendments at its April 30 meeting; the board expects a final adoption vote at its May meeting. The Baileycampus booster station contract and RIFA ordinance proceed as approved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Supervisors, April 14, 2029","oneSentenceSummary","County staff presented a recommended FY 2025–26 budget that uses new assessment growth to propose tax relief, a $1 million-per-year fire-apparatus fund, housing incentives, and additional capital projects; the board approved a $4,018,927 contract for the Bailey campus booster station and moved forward with a Route 58 RIFA.","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},6073116,"Board approves series of special-exception permits and rezonings in routine zoning session",257,355000,612000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2997237-cd29a52a149e91f321d8d7c976c6cf99&start=355&end=612","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2997237-cd29a52a149e91f321d8d7c976c6cf99/thumbnail_355000.jpg","/articles/6073116/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Board-approves-series-of-special-exception-permits-and-rezonings-in-routine-zoning-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6073116-524fbf5f8dddcd425a9a4f55746f0f16/orig.mp4?Expires=1773589205&Signature=KxxbktSJ7Bh43ZU9SYO3EeA~NDkqxBfk2dc0HB7iTQ7tq5-Uwjl4fhex8Eg4B34LY7iC47Y0mDrhaoxzbFyT8ka4sjAoKLlhV540bScrn6nFn2vy9lICgBfeFvxXWgtowLfbkPvmX8x8n1LMVzsp-HOlHXKkFK8y5xap0XRszQmUL9CZM3ChbyqHqV9k04RCNWZmoyC4aZX9dXE7zIun2xtK7iFgf1guAqxtkiwELSFBPS4~xurGdorOa2094DLdd8wgV~9pDCJirr6~OVoYKhpbuvPfYZKhJNSwwjbV5V1wSXIJX1OsTUeQ6dMM55qn-dVm5QJ0~tQ43Nmt8MzXww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors approved several routine zoning requests on unanimous voice votes after short public hearings and planning commission recommendations to approve.

Approvals included special-exception permits for second residences on existing parcels, conditional permits to add recreational-vehicle sites, and one rezoning from agriculture to residential. In most cases staff noted that the planning commission had voted unanimously to recommend approval; public hearings produced no speakers opposed or testimony was brief and supportive. Board members moved to approve each application based on the commission’s recommendations and the motions carried by voice vote.

Why it matters: these routine zoning actions permit limited residential development and accessory uses on specific parcels and follow normal administrative and public-hearing processes. Approvals listed in the record include a special exception for a second home on a parcel identified by county tax number 143000A-13, an application by Whitty Carter Moore for a second home (county tax number 053000-8-007), a special-exception permit for two recreational-vehicle sites on a parcel identified as county tax number 136000-8-059, and a rezoning request from agriculture to residential for a parcel identified as county tax number 13000-01-001.

Board members stated these items were the wishes of the supervisors for the districts in question; where the district supervisor moved the motion, the board approved based on the planning commission decision and after closing public hearings.

What’s next: approved special-exception permits and rezonings will be recorded in the county land records and property owners may proceed under the terms of their approvals and applicable county conditions.","The Board approved multiple special-exception permits and a rezoning request after public hearings and planning commission recommendations; no contested public hearings produced votes against the measures.",{"_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},6073121,"Mecklenburg County bans new utility-scale solar in zoning code, allows three pending projects to proceed",801,739000,1540000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2997237-cd29a52a149e91f321d8d7c976c6cf99&start=739&end=1540","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2997237-cd29a52a149e91f321d8d7c976c6cf99/thumbnail_739000.jpg","/articles/6073121/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Mecklenburg-County-bans-new-utility-scale-solar-in-zoning-code-allows-three-pending-projects-to-proceed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6073121-2d96745c391dd0d65e1283207aa85737/orig.mp4?Expires=1773589205&Signature=KnWWoFKCnvnhgZR8oJaikJrw03Gmj~HAapMIJPVFBUsD6uZr6afDimqVTpgtm99ecn1Co1eUEROp2JJEZiPXgkNPoHYPx4qyKoi--FggDcYkr7cP9c3I5~~kmTR5l2NNffk9m2xokI~qEsSoEV0dZy2E6iXEDvimiPniav1LB~5s~NOYYdFr6RyZmkfJXtBYoZPUUSqj2NWaw--6jB~v9w-D1myOI6UKJS2mlunCzZX1YlReFIpUbjPcdBFQ4CvAP7xdnA6DSiMyBvaWQgKOmP4MYduHVEwu0-CgnV58b8EwNTg6JLYdqrZwvcSUp--ezUeY8UwZNb4SFpNJGEOMzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously April (date in record) to remove utility-scale solar from the county zoning ordinance and to allow three projects that already have applications in process to continue through the county’s review.

The vote implements a resolution the board adopted on March 10 directing the planning commission to review Article 20 — the section of the Mecklenburg County zoning ordinance that addresses solar facilities. The board’s action removes utility-scale solar as a permitted use in any zoning district and provides grandfathering for three projects that have applications in the county’s queue so they may complete the zoning process under the current rules.

Why it matters: the change halts future county approval of new utility-scale solar projects while preserving the entitlement process for projects already underway. Board members and staff repeatedly emphasized that allowing applications already filed to proceed does not guarantee final approval; those projects still must complete public hearings and satisfy zoning criteria.

The planning staff outlined three practical options for the board: adopt the amendment as drafted to ban utility-scale solar; adopt the amendment but grandfather two already-filed projects; or adopt the amendment and grandfather three projects (the latter option was the board’s action). Staff and the planning commission had recommended removing utility-scale solar and recommended grandfathering pending applications to avoid legal fairness claims for applicants who had already spent time and money preparing filings.

In discussion, staff said the grandfathering applies only to projects that have submitted special-exception-permit or 2232 review materials to the county before March 10, 2025. County staff noted the filings are at different stages: some projects have complete SEP submittals while others are more preliminary. The board discussed whether the county’s stated maximum acreage cap for solar (2,325 acres countywide, as drafted in the ordinance) could be reached by the grandfathered projects and whether that would unintentionally block smaller residential or rooftop installations; staff said they would monitor and if necessary the board could amend the ordinance later.

The resolution adopted by the board is lengthy and staff said it was written to document the board’s rationale should the amendment be challenged in litigation. The motion carried on a roll-call style affirmation; supervisors present recorded their votes affirmatively during the roll call.

What’s next: the ordinance language will be entered into the county code as amended. Projects grandfathered by the action will continue through the public-hearing and SEP process; final approval for any of those projects is not automatic and remains subject to the usual public hearings and county zoning requirements.

","The Board of Supervisors voted to amend Article 20 of the county zoning ordinance to remove utility-scale solar as a permitted use, while allowing three projects with applications already before the county to continue through the process.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board hears $261 million budget proposal; considers tax cuts, fire-appartus fund and housing incentives

Board approves series of special-exception permits and rezonings in routine zoning session

Mecklenburg County bans new utility-scale solar in zoning code, allows three pending projects to proceed