Prince Edward supervisors approve Green Bay 5 MW solar project after revised site plan and conditions

Prince Edward County supervisors approved a special-use permit and a site agreement on Tuesday for a proposed 5-megawatt solar facility near Green Bay after the developer presented a redesigned site plan and conditions intended to reduce visual and downstream impacts.

The developer, CEP Solar, said it had removed panel arrays closest to U.S. Route 360, shifted panels north of Flippin Creek and added timber reserve and vegetative buffers. "This project has a capacity of up to 5 megawatts," said Harry Kingery, the project presenter for CEP Solar. "We shrunk the project size by about 30% and we build in some, some factors." The company also proposed conditions for erosion control, panel management and a staged construction approach.

County staff announced the application and noted the Planning Commission previously recommended denial, citing aesthetics and downstream runoff concerns. Don Giesick, director of permitting initiatives at CEP Solar, told the board the applicant had revised the design and added conditions and said, "We feel that we have thoroughly resolved these issues." The company also provided a letter of support from an adjacent landowner, which the developer read into the record.

Several residents spoke during the public hearing. Brian Stephan, a Maharon Lehi District resident, told the board he remained skeptical about long-term risks from panel materials and asked who would speak for downstream water users. "Reducing the risk does not mean that there is no risk," Stephan said. Other neighbors and landowners, including Alvin Phillips, who identified himself as a part owner of land used for the project, urged approval and said the project would diversify the county tax base. "Vote yes for this project," Phillips said.

Board members asked about setbacks, stormwater controls and panel recycling. The applicant said the revised plan places panels more than 600 feet from Route 360, retains topsoil, models panels as impervious surfaces for stormwater design, limits disturbance to half the site at a time and commits to a damaged-panel management plan. The developer also distributed a list of recycling facilities and said manufacturers have take-back commitments.

The board approved the special-use permit and the site agreement; the site agreement proffer included a one-time payment of $112,500 ($22,500 per megawatt) and an annual payment of $1,540 per megawatt. County staff noted the payments are based on project capacity rather than actual generation. The board adopted draft conditions recommended in staff materials and included additional monitoring and reporting requirements. The motions were approved by majority vote.