[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-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",[32,74,86,98,109],{"_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",6061514,"mediaKeyId","3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf","parentId",3281508,"title","Supervisors authorize Chase Hill Elementary Guaranteed Maximum Price and approve related budget items","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",10208000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf&start=10208&end=10208","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf/thumbnail_10208000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6061514/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Supervisors-authorize-Chase-Hill-Elementary-Guaranteed-Maximum-Price-and-approve-related-budget-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061514-7009d79b91e5d331b26c27050abf6a8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196239&Signature=nJBfRWE7hDXdtCbG5brRJ~yYlJaOgFH-YSGpUR1ctPGdfI0XtUwJRuiRSTGylPeh2C3NIjf8ZqdBx4QyqCbN9P50yMKdcQTQIOXhdOV7XR1DGjqPgkMlmWrdi5Jx5UKZfy4Sh6bOUIb0t-xNY74s6gdYjHqTyTVK-FcyB7oyZX~VgN1hmNHbk60xKlfw617czI3tZLLWOOhkA57rukI241K1~bTCaODhF6WPFEJbJQhSSCgdEzIf6a7WBDEwAhQaDhTOjv4z7TZ3oeRmsu6~eAgeq3WYvSGoRQkzr0xXhUj5Trgqy6Gvb5GyesgbAy8OYxG-67kpvSPRzDSoxR4wqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mecklenburg County, VA","date","2025-05-12T16:46:13Z","article","The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors authorized the Mecklenburg County School Board to enter a comprehensive agreement (pursuant to the cited procurement code) with Black Construction for rehabilitation and expansion of Chase Hill Elementary School at a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $34,752,876.

Board members voted to approve administration requests related to FY2025–26 budget amendments that the budget and finance committee had previously reviewed. The committee also recommended a supplemental appropriation of $45,963 to the Circuit Court clerk budget from the State Compensation Board to support digitalization and scanning of records; the full board approved that appropriation.

County administrators said they had secured necessary transformer and utility planning to support the school expansion. The board approved the GMP authorization by voice vote and adopted the recommended budget amendments and ordinances during the same meeting.

The approvals move the school construction forward to procurement and construction phases subject to contract execution and standard project oversight.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Supervisors, May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board authorized the school board to enter a comprehensive agreement for Chase Hill Elementary with a guaranteed maximum price of $34,752,876 and advanced recommended budget amendments including a Circuit Court clerk appropriation.","taxTitle","Mecklenburg County, Virginia","taxId",37843,"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},6061519,"Secondary roads committee adds Greenwood Road to VDOT six‑year plan; supervisors approve amended plan",769,8848000,9617000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf&start=8848&end=9617","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf/thumbnail_8848000.jpg","/articles/6061519/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Secondary-roads-committee-adds-Greenwood-Road-to-VDOT-sixyear-plan-supervisors-approve-amended-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061519-b7760cad9bf72872e9b8cc7a5d957b30/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196239&Signature=BcxmeyndvFXjYCE-daFJkz24tLf2R5wHiBAnIqi-yZBlICQ~H9l390XhkWVSc~Abvl9aCYo9nt1fvm-pM6TmLigk8e5zlzNQr2eQXSp-BtQyYuCWJhsTgXkSQewRhsuXqQ~TY9YegnOH1BpkA0LkCr~Xo7AUS8ZqmJx2L5fqu7kbfO8ZNaAo2v2~dVLLa3MgHilidwQx3It3xIJXgCskkniQpr2Z-RWH3Z-51evh27SmzW1qaecYRbRHvqptc0nZkRQwmXSBls85vzbPHh9IoXyDE-Tfigdl9gDYFqI1dCEjvIHJMXURBHi~Z3rHC-ocWjVrlV6JAR76kwtd3rXLdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mecklenburg County secondary roads committee held a meeting and an advertised public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) FY2026–2031 secondary roads six‑year plan. Several Greenwood Road residents attended and asked the committee to add Greenwood Road to the plan after an updated traffic count increased the route’s count from 40 to 70.

The committee voted unanimously to add Greenwood Road as a revenue‑sharing project for 2029. The committee then recommended approval of the full plan, which lists projects by year including Lonoke Road (2026), Lambert Road (2026), Bowers Road (2027), Wilson Newton Road (2027), Twin Cedar Road (2028), Enrico Road (2028), Luxe Circle (2029), Dixie Bridge (2029), Hilltop Road (2029), Greenwood Road (2029), LeGrande Road (2031), Wheeland Road (2031) and Traeger Road (2031).

The full Board of Supervisors subsequently received the committee recommendation and approved the amended six‑year plan by motion. Committee and board members said the addition responds to new growth and development that increased traffic on Greenwood Road and to resident complaints about dust, erosion and washboarding.

Committee chairman Kirk Gravatt presided over the session and county staff handled the procedural notifications to VDOT and the public. The motion to approve the plan carried unanimously at the committee level and was adopted by the full board.","Following a public hearing that drew nearby residents, the county’s secondary roads committee voted to add Greenwood Road as a revenue‑sharing project to the VDOT FY2026–2031 six‑year plan; the full board later approved the amended plan and its project list.",{"_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},6061524,"Board accepts planning commission recommendation for third‑residence exception on Sandy Fork Road",65,772000,837000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf&start=772&end=837","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf/thumbnail_772000.jpg","/articles/6061524/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Board-accepts-planning-commission-recommendation-for-thirdresidence-exception-on-Sandy-Fork-Road","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061524-5c6a30640960aabcf6f5fa509e04808c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196239&Signature=dYiooZAQggMz8DPi2qysm5mbBdLZFDN5YZvwmJW3PFkYSRQ33m31zB-5wEw6gTns-9DxWFwsykijXWrYb7QdeY-PdBDUZcVp965BIIQIB9vj0JHFKy9k-ksBlHZkWNo0XYyH4vzaEeHBtN4P4aP2xb03~TiGR3BfMBDQtkv9JsjnegTKdZ0w1MMPXgCCfpmdGVTg~czV5~8hyv8SgUZ8NzPCcl3-CQjCz2m2GdYTbkksTBzdtjv5vUmdoMERxsS3cvPq9R417AWEmWMCEza-YL4R73LtM-VhpCBxJmaNblgLCZcQMvTuYE2ycBAYcvMLIFNpZ1DRKZKpWJFanPzPEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors accepted the planning commission’s recommendation to grant Garland Pillard a special‑exception permit to construct a third residence on agriculturally zoned property on the east side of Route 8701 (Sandy Fork Road) in Election District 1.

County staff presented the application (parcel cited as tax number 145000‑09‑01 and partial record number 39332). The board opened a public hearing; no members of the public testified and the board voted to accept the planning commission’s recommendation. The motion carried on a voice vote and the permit was approved.

The approval allows an additional dwelling on the described parcel consistent with the county’s special‑exception standards as recorded in the planning commission record.","The board approved a special exception allowing a third residence on a rural property in Election District 1 after the planning commission recommended the exception.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":90,"_46":103,"_48":104,"_50":105,"_52":106,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":107,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":108,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6061529,"Board approves special‑exception permit for ATV repair shop on county property",92,680000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf&start=680&end=772","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf/thumbnail_680000.jpg","/articles/6061529/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Board-approves-specialexception-permit-for-ATV-repair-shop-on-county-property","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061529-87f8d6d686e4ab4ab1baa0b41a976dc4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196239&Signature=F3eZszOuJLFWn-uhvvv0N6UZL9GNF7cP6evRMGLuIVONqmjZ~bPqMlaBUxlebpdbyaZeI68jTcL8AAMLYfbwr1viKj3qsalnQ0GYYdjh5xlqZhyXZgtR5901E4Zg-G5TkCTThBk~-5z0q8yDJsV7GJxzgHM4CbZYcI5sUtDT1~E~dQsxxBZvHsnG0~CUYXlS0tsRB8z66EZGDih0FibuE8wOLpXPh40CvsISDDqbBU83p2-EsRG~XmNyKnSZd6ZADVP-TKckMwTCGM324GT5CZru6~DcE6ShN5AHUkjpR8T8eLfRYM8dr4lR6DsRPT2n2hzoSGyBYZ99WIYWgepFzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors approved a special‑exception permit request by Michael Obi to operate an ATV repair shop on a parcel identified by county tax number 142000‑8 in Election District 9.

Planning and zoning staff introduced the application and the planning commission recommended approval. The board opened a public hearing; no members of the public spoke for or against the request. A supervisor moved to accept the application based on the planning commission record; the board voted by voice vote and the motion carried.

The decision allows the property to operate the specified commercial use under the county’s special‑exception rules. The minutes record a standard approval with no roll‑call breakdown provided.","The Mecklenburg Board approved a special‑exception permit allowing an ATV repair shop on a queried tax parcel after the planning commission recommended approval; no public speakers testified against it.",{"_33":110,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":111,"_41":112,"_43":113,"_45":114,"_46":115,"_48":116,"_50":117,"_52":118,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":119,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":120,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6061533,"Mecklenburg supervisors reject 7 Bridges Solar siting agreement and deny 80‑MW permit after months of hearings",7722,925000,8647000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf&start=925&end=8647","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281508-74f20556ac6c4f897d26597eaf6e75cf/thumbnail_925000.jpg","/articles/6061533/Mecklenburg-County/Virginia/Mecklenburg-supervisors-reject-7-Bridges-Solar-siting-agreement-and-deny-80MW-permit-after-months-of-hearings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061533-89e470757dd2361a88026b7cc761c3fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196239&Signature=QT2LloAelZ788BPQoOAHPnswkT4QVDCL8DlJXba~BwAEoieqsBECgZQH9hStsT49KNzqo-48mo-i51-Hw3TBJ4qdSIJ8ebiA2K-3624QBaqkwtnndvBhN3X7OFuhRwBP-aFvm4a3QJM9zpAKQ2xR2gcbORpbtA4p2mX-kDolgi74oNEIh3aoRO4eCQya1hB8BPZaSLWFKKWnOlVZwLt2ou4SIYuZ2PalicM7iPOSWbFifYv4PCQg7aX4EFIxljn-5GnYS8SMiUevKFNcpu9PtzMAzX62c6RogtnxyFsuzxgeO15aS4yVsVGWyVHr81acBeL8bdpgoaqhAhcv3eAsuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors voted May 12 to reject a siting agreement with 7 Bridges Solar LLC and, after a separate hearing, to deny a special‑exception permit to build an 80‑megawatt solar facility near Chase City.

The board first voted to reject the siting agreement offered by the developer; a later roll‑call vote approved a motion to deny the special‑exception permit. The denial cites staff findings that the proposed project would place panels on roughly 435 acres inside a larger 1,249‑acre property that includes areas mapped as prime farmland and forest with high ecological value and that the site lies near the South Meherrin River, a tributary to the Maherrin River.

Why it matters: The votes stop a project Long Road Energy has been developing since 2017 that the company and supporters described as a local source of renewable electricity, a multi‑million‑dollar revenue stream for Chase City and the county, and a construction‑period jobs generator. Opponents argued the site threatened water quality, historical resources and farmland, and that prior solar projects in the region had caused erosion and other lasting impacts.

Long Road Energy and backers outlined changes they said addressed community concerns. Cliff Sher, development director for Long Road Energy, told the board the project had been reduced from about 942 acres to roughly 435 acres of panel footprint and that the company had offered a series of mitigations, including a 250‑acre conservation easement adjacent to the South Meherrin River, a western construction access road to reduce traffic at Scott’s Crossroads, expanded capital payments to Chase City and a commitment to use First Solar modules. \"We are not utilizing good neighbor agreements on this project,\" Sher said, presenting a sworn affidavit he said had been handed to the county.

Supporters — including landowners, local nonprofit representatives and several residents — spoke in favor of the project, calling it a source of local revenue and long‑term investment. John Mullen, a landowner who negotiated the option with Long Road, told the board the company had \"listened to the community and addressed concerns\" and that the site was well‑sited for transmission access. Karen Drozdiak of First Solar described her company’s panels and recycling program and said the technology was proven in other jurisdictions.

Opponents urged the board to protect river water quality, farmland and scenic and historic resources. Deborah DeSantis, who lives where the project’s main construction entrance would be located, described receiving a \"good neighbor\" document and said she would not sign it, adding, \"There was no way that I would ever sign that agreement.\" Judy Brothers of Friends of the Meherrin River cited erosion, siltation and historical sites along the river corridor and recommended rejecting the project. Other speakers cited concerns about panel disposal, wildfire risk, and the adequacy of erosion control during construction.

Staff and the board cited several technical concerns in the decision denying the permit. The board’s motion to deny referenced findings in the staff report and state planning models noting agricultural and forestry conservation values on the site, the property’s identified ecological significance, and the site’s proximity to the South Meherrin River and the Maherrin River scenic corridor as designated by the General Assembly (cited at hearing as Va. Code §10.1‑418.3). The staff statement also said the developer had not provided an overall vehicle count for proposed construction routes and that potential off‑site impacts to waterways merited denial.

Roll‑call outcomes: On the siting agreement rejection vote, supervisors registered these recorded positions (\"Yes\" votes rejected the siting agreement): David Brinkley (Yes), Craig Gravatt (Yes), Dennis Spence (Yes), Andy Hargrove (Yes), Sterling Wilkinson (Yes), Brenda Blackwell (No), Claudia Lundy (Yes), Tom Tanner (No), Jim Jennings (Yes). On the later special‑exception permit denial, the board’s roll call was similar and the motion to deny passed.

Board members also debated the county’s long‑term approach to solar development. Several supervisors emphasized property‑owner rights and the need to follow ordinances and the comprehensive plan; others stressed the county’s responsibility to protect water and environmental resources. The board noted that planning commission hearings had previously recommended approval in some cases but concluded the staff report and site‑specific impacts supported denial.

The project’s next steps: With both the siting agreement and permit denied, the developer could seek further administrative remedies, revise and resubmit plans, or pursue other legal options. County staff and several speakers noted that change in energy sourcing is likely to continue across Virginia and that future proposals will probably return to the board.

The decision concluded a daylong public hearing that drew roughly 20 speakers for each of the project’s two hearings and extensive written materials submitted to the county.","After an extended public hearing with dozens of speakers for and against, the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors voted to reject a developer’s siting agreement and then denied a special‑exception permit for the 80‑megawatt 7 Bridges Solar project, citing farmland, forest conservation and river‑corridor concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Supervisors authorize Chase Hill Elementary Guaranteed Maximum Price and approve related budget items

Secondary roads committee adds Greenwood Road to VDOT six‑year plan; supervisors approve amended plan

Board accepts planning commission recommendation for third‑residence exception on Sandy Fork Road

Board approves special‑exception permit for ATV repair shop on county property

Mecklenburg supervisors reject 7 Bridges Solar siting agreement and deny 80‑MW permit after months of hearings