[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6591897,"mediaKeyId","3000883-106627a75335ecf68765487ac1ec43ed","parentId",3000883,"title","BZA approves 2-MW Preston community solar special use with conditions, limits construction hours","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",7640000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000883-106627a75335ecf68765487ac1ec43ed&start=7640&end=7640","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000883-106627a75335ecf68765487ac1ec43ed/thumbnail_7640000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6591897/Caroline-County/Maryland/BZA-approves-2-MW-Preston-community-solar-special-use-with-conditions-limits-construction-hours","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6591897-a9d5f9177bdd5c858933f4632f1f3032/orig.mp4?Expires=1771017835&Signature=JxFRJQVVhbguXUBDQ3CVjSFpZyPyDESsV8azK-ZcMmWZqHhcttl3EYXVlPjOEAEdg-oV0Pgx0UFJp3jnKY88pOQIFe0ajBnCH7amqg0iq46uT9R9aCLgQ5X9J9DH8hZz1rulZIw-qLBDVX~ir0XBsUv0mZ~uqAeXP2aN3f6TKyqEW8lCJO8~II1qX5xv0Hpyvqtvf-qij5KPvz8c~E8Te7HKXAJG~MA-YP~lemjoXhi89YPTSDXvKgQ1nSYn~Rv0EwAyu1PyxTh-Uv2OcO5ig~AB87h0mo1Obsj42XKk2fplh4CLOc4Lmy7d4mMeC3xanJ0f-X9ktM3Hsv1f2eA7DQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Caroline","date","2025-04-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Caroline County Board of Zoning Appeals on April 15 approved a special-use exception for a 2-megawatt AC commercial community-scale solar facility proposed by Preston Community Energy Initiative LLC on a roughly 12.5-acre area at 22945 Dover Bridge Road, Preston.

The board’s approval is conditional on completion of outstanding items in the staff report and compliance with the county’s solar design standards: a 200-foot setback from residences, 30-foot planted screening buffers to be reviewed by a licensed landscape architect at applicant expense, a 7-foot secure chain-link fence with privacy mesh, underground electrical runs where required by the utility, and a county-approved decommissioning plan. The board also required that the full exhibit package and the BZA decision be transmitted to the planning commission as part of the final site-plan review.

Project presenters described the 2 MW single-axis tracker array, a 16-foot-wide gravel access road and remote monitoring and telemetry for operations. Ted Hastings of Becker Morgan Group, the civil engineer for the applicant, said the design follows the National Electric Code and National Fire Protection standards and that stormwater management will treat the two- and ten-year storms for the disturbed acreage. “This facility will be designed in accordance with the National Electric Code and National Fire Protection Act,” Hastings said during his presentation.

Jack Rollin, the applicant’s development manager, said the project is intended to participate in Maryland’s permanent community solar program and that about 40% of customer subscriptions will be reserved for low- and moderate-income customers who would receive a guaranteed minimum discount on their electricity credits. “The purpose of community solar is really just making it possible for everyone to support local solar power and receive some guaranteed savings on their electric bill,” Rollin said.

Several neighbors spoke in opposition and raised concerns about drainage in a low-lying area, visual impact, and community engagement. One nearby landowner described local drainage patterns and urged that an alternative location or a grass waterway be considered to avoid redirecting flow; the applicant and county staff responded that the stormwater report shows the site will meet county stormwater design standards and that the project’s post-construction runoff will meet required treatment levels.

Construction-hour limitations were added as conditions: weekdays 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m.–5 p.m., no construction on Sundays; pile-driving operations were specifically limited to 8 a.m.–5 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. The board included standard staff recommendations in the approval and required that the outstanding staff-review items be resolved before the application proceeds to planning commission for major site-plan review.

Motion and vote: The board moved and seconded approval of application 24-0043 with the conditions described above, including transmission of exhibits to the planning commission and the construction-hour limits; the motion passed with the board recording at least a majority in favor and one recorded dissent.

Next steps: The applicant must address outstanding items listed in the staff review (landscape maintenance agreement, financial securities for plantings and decommissioning, and outstanding plan details), submit the final site plan to the planning commission, and secure any required utility interconnection approvals before construction.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Caroline - Board of Zoning Appeals - Apr 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Board approved Preston Community Energy Initiative LLC’s special-use application for a 2-megawatt community-scale solar facility on Dover Bridge Road with staff conditions, a 30-foot planted buffer, a 7-foot security fence with screening mesh, and limits on construction working hours and pile driving.","taxTitle","Caroline County, Maryland","taxId",61674,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6591902,"BZA grants special use and variances allowing farm mobile home for Thomas family to remain",1530,6000000,7530000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000883-106627a75335ecf68765487ac1ec43ed&start=6000&end=7530","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000883-106627a75335ecf68765487ac1ec43ed/thumbnail_6000000.jpg","/articles/6591902/Caroline-County/Maryland/BZA-grants-special-use-and-variances-allowing-farm-mobile-home-for-Thomas-family-to-remain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6591902-6dac457a62468f6b967e59fab45f2abf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771017835&Signature=TUfVfv51rCoLBJkxXCPI-ZqfL~YUWTVYTjtLu9UGRar56viBAHLloBl~5wU~l2wVnhVT1cGWiaFW5t7J-oqgVo2eF3sDP2k4FKYGLjOiEiR-Q44DRgxI16scPwpyniDTBPq-XNzWsO81BfViQnf8GoQCMhxkiZzPw8yAWaAn0vb~1CPDW0c3RQ2MWai~mB7RLdf2eCNXrMGNBuOqh9wS8M-T-4auJuwVjxr8BBL8IZURZsVzw9x6HRQHCpIiCrl6ypHtDFnGJL5hn5PD6pXhw39uE37wj-Faxpfk1JZq8UoK~tSHwwk3jFNX8xjg5KuV-XBE3LLb4gk0QPMpr6XOow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Caroline County Board of Zoning Appeals on April 15 approved a special-use exception and three variances to legalize an existing farm mobile home on property at 23211 Hogg Creek Road, Preston, owned by Christy H. and William R. Thomas Jr.

County staff said a building permit was issued in February 2004 to replace an earlier dwelling and that the present mobile home does not meet the current code setbacks for farm mobile homes (including the 200-foot-from-farm-building provision and the requirement that the mobile home not be closer to the public road than the principal farm residence). The applicant told the board the structure has been at the location for decades and that the family’s participation in the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation easement program depends on resolving the nonconformity.

The board considered the special-use criteria under Section 175-66 of the county code for farm mobile homes and the variance criteria under the zoning chapter. The applicant’s attorney described the occupant as a family member who provides security and daily monitoring for multiple poultry houses and elderly family members; staff confirmed the occupant does not derive more than half her income from employment on the farm, which is one of the special-use criteria.

After deliberation the board voted to approve the special-use exception and the requested variances (location closer than 200 feet to farm buildings; location closer to the county road than the principal farm residence; and location less than 100 feet from adjacent property lines). The approvals were made with the standard staff recommendations and will be memorialized in the planning record; the applicant will proceed with required documentation for the land-preservation easement process.

Motion and outcome: The board moved and seconded approval of application 25-0009 (William R. Thomas Jr.) for the special-use and for the variances under Section 175-66; the board approved both items and recorded the decision in the public hearing record.

Next steps: With the BZA approvals in the record the property owner and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation can proceed toward finalizing the easement and the associated settlement documents.","The Board approved a special-use exception and three variances that legalize an existing farm mobile home on property owned by William R. Thomas Jr. The decision clears a title issue so the owner can proceed with a pending agricultural land-preservation easement.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6591905,"Caroline County BZA approves variance for Greers to use existing barn as commercial stable",1630,155000,1785000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000883-106627a75335ecf68765487ac1ec43ed&start=155&end=1785","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000883-106627a75335ecf68765487ac1ec43ed/thumbnail_155000.jpg","/articles/6591905/Caroline-County/Maryland/Caroline-County-BZA-approves-variance-for-Greers-to-use-existing-barn-as-commercial-stable","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6591905-4b286e2fc941207cb51d998177542003/orig.mp4?Expires=1771017835&Signature=lrMJMNkzP4sfItJR50ne9XnUNzkXjG9AOcNufdjNKhf-rjGe905zW2mxRSYdCfJpXKg8TTK1hRUjroBOja0PhGhgzk4HaFyZN-OU5S6J6T5wN4Gabkz5a8yAsZT5XMSMrWtz1lKWs~yzIT5tls~vy~sJENy0fxrf92nHBF6KcW1iknvYvH37ePp9ezOZE7LnDMPxrYm-UQHCANnUEWveyg4GfJ6jhx83WlpH-tGMyPYjQtY2yQt5YYRNnH8JIiX4VFKX86-mKghuJLPmZSHiWub5ZB0z-zrPi5tzI8WX8DBP9QVj1muz~K-81UDIJnTFnoWDCctil-rClzUdHTzwWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Caroline County Board of Zoning Appeals on April 15 approved a variance allowing Olivia C. and David A. Greer to use an existing 48-by-36 barn at 25840 Gary Road in Denton as a commercial stable despite the structure being closer than the zoning-required 200-foot setback.

The board voted to approve the Greers’ application with the conditions listed in the staff report and an hours-of-operation restriction of Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Board members asked that standard site-plan items be completed before final site-plan approval by county staff.

Applicant David Greer described the barn and paddocks as existing features the couple bought with the property in December and said they planned to host a single trainer and a small number of horses. “We bought the property in December, and I had the stable there, and it looked awesome. I love horses,” Greer said, adding that a trainer would provide full care and lessons. County staff noted the barn was permitted for residential use by a prior owner in February 2006 and that the commercial stable use requires a variance to proceed with site-plan review.

During the hearing staff described the outstanding site-plan exhibits submitted with the application, including aerials, a site plan and the variance application. The board reviewed the variance criteria — hardship arising from special circumstances, that the hardship not be self-created, and that the variance be the minimum necessary — and concluded the barn’s pre-existence and construction made relocation impractical. The board found no testimony demonstrating a detrimental effect to neighbors; one nearby resident testified they did not oppose the application.

Motion and vote details: the board moved and seconded approval of application 25-0007 with staff recommendations and the hours limitation; the motion carried and the application was approved as presented.

Next steps: The applicants must finalize the site-plan materials and comply with the staff report requirements before county planning staff issues final site-plan approval.

For reference: the property is described as Tax Map 23, Grid 24, Parcel 186.","The Caroline County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance allowing Olivia and David Greer to operate a commercial stable in an existing 48-by-36 barn that does not meet the 200-foot commercial-stable setback. Approval included standard staff conditions and hours of operation limited to Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

BZA approves 2-MW Preston community solar special use with conditions, limits construction hours

BZA grants special use and variances allowing farm mobile home for Thomas family to remain

Caroline County BZA approves variance for Greers to use existing barn as commercial stable