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County greenlights negotiations for solar arrays on closed landfills; R-Board and developer propose 8 MW project
Summary
Staff and the R-Board presented a proposal from Community Power Group to install solar arrays on closed landfill acreage at the R-Board and Cool Springs sites (proposed 5 MW and 3 MW arrays). The Board directed staff to draft leases and pursue negotiations; board members asked for details on revenue, decommissioning and future land use.
County and regional solid‑waste officials presented a proposal May 6 to lease closed landfill space for solar power arrays, and the Board of Supervisors directed staff to negotiate leases with Community Power Group, the preferred respondent to an R‑Board request for proposals.
Phil Hathcock, director of the R‑Board, summarized a year‑and‑a‑half effort to identify beneficial uses for closed landfill parcels, and said a joint county‑city review selected Community Power Group to develop renewable energy arrays on the closed portions of two landfills: a proposed 5 megawatt array at the R‑Board site and a proposed 3 megawatt array at the city of Fredericksburg's Cool Springs Road site.
Hathcock said staff and consultants vetted four RFP responses and SCS engineers reviewed technical feasibility. The R‑Board adopted a resolution of support in December 2024; Community Power Group submitted a proposal for the sites and asked the county for the opportunity to negotiate leases covering the closed areas and other unused landfill land.
Revenue, decommissioning and tradeoffs: Staff said typical lease structures include a modest nominal fee during an initial study period and larger payments after construction and operation. Hathcock said typical illustrative lease revenue could be "around $2,000 a year" during the study phase and "between $2,000 and $3,000 a month" after construction, noting that actual numbers depend on the final array size, whether it serves as a shared solar project, and grid interconnection capacity.
Board members asked practical questions about grid connection, project scope and future land use. Supervisor Meg Baumke asked whether solar use would preclude future recreational or park use of the closed landfill; staff said leases would address decommissioning and that leases could include decommissioning obligations and time limits. County staff cautioned that leases generally run for long terms and the county would need to negotiate decommissioning language to preserve future options.
What the board directed: After Q&A the board expressed general support for negotiating a lease. Several supervisors noted revenue would be modest and asked staff to return with a lease draft and additional detail about grid interconnection, environmental review and decommissioning responsibilities. The board did not finalize any lease or execution authority at the meeting; staff was authorized to proceed with negotiating terms for a lease to return for Board approval.
Why it matters: Leases could provide a revenue stream from otherwise unused landfill property and convert closed landfill acres into renewable energy production; tradeoffs include long lease terms, decommissioning obligations and the loss of temporary future open‑space or park options for the leased acreage.
Next steps: County and R‑Board staff will draft lease documents and return to the Board for approval of any final lease. Community Power Group would then move into zoning and environmental review and seek grid interconnection if leases are signed.
