Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Solar topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission recommends excluding ground-mounted solar farms from "utility use major" definition
Summary
The Mathews County Planning Commission voted 6-2 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve zoning text amendment 202500046, which would add language excluding ground-mounted solar farms and solar arrays from the county's definition of "utility use major" and align conditional-use language in the industrial district.
The Mathews County Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve zoning text amendment 202500046 to amend the county zoning ordinance definition of “utility use major” and to align conditional-use permit language in the industrial district.
The staff presentation, delivered by Planning Director Bobby (last name not specified), said the amendment would add parenthetical language "excluding ground mounted solar farms and solar arrays" to section 1752.2 and would change the conditional-use language in section 175.10.3.I so the industrial district matches other zoning districts. "The requested action, now on the on the staff report, you'd see in parenthesis, where it says excluding ground mounted solar farms and solar arrays. We wanna add that verbiage to, 1752 2," the director told commissioners during the hearing.
Why this matters: the change would make commercial ground-mounted, land-based solar arrays ineligible for classification as a "utility use major" under the cited ordinance text, narrowing the category of large utilities that are exempt from conditional-use review in some districts. Staff said the change is intended to remove ambiguity in the code and reduce staff time spent on applications the county considers unlikely to occur.
During discussion commissioners and members of the public asked whether the amendment would affect residential rooftop or yard-mounted systems and whether private arrays attached to home-based businesses would be limited. The planning director responded that the amendment targets "land based only" commercial arrays and would not prevent rooftop or private residential systems. He said minor utility uses (residential-scale systems) remain allowed. Commissioners also debated whether the amendment would create a loophole for large systems disguised as "minor" installations; one commissioner urged caution against allowing applicants to use minor classifications to achieve essentially commercial-scale projects.
No amendments were offered at the public hearing. Planning Commissioner Roush moved that the commission recommend approval of zoning text amendment 202500046; the motion was seconded (second not named in the transcript). The commission approved the recommendation by roll call, 6-2. The transcript records the following votes: Planning Commissioner Meeks, yes; Planning Commissioner Dean, no; Planning Commissioner Riddle, no; Planning Commissioner Cook, yes; other commissioners recorded as voting in favor such that the certified tally announced at the meeting was "6-2 in favor of the amendment."
Next steps: the Planning Commission record shows the body will forward the recommended amendment to the Board of Supervisors for action. The amendment as presented changes the ordinance text in two places (1752.2 and 175.10.3.I) and, if approved by the Board, will govern future zoning determinations and conditional-use permit requirements for land-based solar projects in Mathews County.
