Lancaster planning commission tables residential solar ordinance changes to August

The Lancaster County Planning Commission on a July 2025 meeting tabled a public hearing and decision on proposed amendments to Part 1 (definitions) and Article 28-3 (small-scale residential solar) of the Lancaster County, Virginia Land Development Code until the commission's August 2025 meeting. The commission postponed action after several members said meeting minutes from May 21 suggested the item would be discussed again before a public hearing.

The proposed changes would add the phrase "stand alone" to the definition of a solar carport and set a 15-foot maximum height for stand-alone solar carports on residential property, while roof-mounted or building-integrated systems would be regulated under existing height limits for the applicable zoning district. "We decided that it would be a good idea to add the word stand alone in front of a solar carport," said Ms. Pert, Lancaster County planning staff, describing the draft change and the distinction between a detached carport and a carport attached to a residence.

Miss Hall, Lancaster County planning staff, told the commission that the Board of Supervisors had asked the planning commission to reevaluate the ordinance after raising concerns about whether some existing residential solar installations "coalesc[e] with the intent of the ordinance as it relates to small-scale residential solar facilities, specifically size, height, location, and noise." Miss Hall said the proposed text and related materials were advertised as required by law and that, "to date, county staff have not received any public comments."

Commission members spoke about procedural clarity before proceeding. Charlie Costello, a planning commission member participating remotely, noted the minutes from the prior meeting and questioned whether the public hearing should occur that night. Commissioner Lee and others agreed that tabling to a future meeting would be "cleaner," and the commission voted to table the hearing until August 2025. The commission did not take a substantive vote on the ordinance language at the July meeting.

The commission packet included the current ordinance language, the existing definition of small-scale residential solar, staff research on residential solar elements, and draft revisions. Staff said they reached out to a local commenter, Jim Cornwell, for review and that following commission discussion staff had drafted revisions incorporating that feedback. The commission indicated staff would return with the revised language and that the item will be publicly noticed again for the August meeting.

No formal amendments or ordinance adoptions were approved at the July meeting; tabling preserves the current code until the commission reconvenes the public hearing in August.