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Board OKs variance to shrink buffer at proposed Dominion Energy substation on Sand Ridge Road
Summary
The Dorchester County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance allowing Dominion Energy to reduce the required use buffer at a proposed transmission substation near Sand Ridge Road after staff said additional plantings and a six‑foot privacy fence could mitigate impacts to adjacent property.
The Dorchester County Board of Zoning Appeals on Feb. 26 approved a variance allowing Dominion Energy to reduce the depth of a required use buffer for a planned electrical substation near Sand Ridge Road.
County planning staff told the board that the property owner — Dominion Energy — did not have sufficient land to meet the buffer requirements of section 13.2 of the county zoning code and that an overhead transmission easement limited planting in parts of the parcel. "If the board does determine that the impact to neighboring properties can either be mitigated by additional plantings, or is minimal," the staff report says, "the applicant meets the requirements for a variance, and therefore would recommend approval of the request."
William Lam, an engineer with Thomas & Hutton representing Dominion Energy, said the substation would serve a nearby renewable natural gas plant and provide redundancy for the town of Dorchester area. He described the site as adjacent to an existing transmission line and said the layout needs a 10‑foot safety buffer around the fenced substation for grounding and equipment safety. Lam told the board the company proposed a roughly 19.5‑foot screening buffer in combination with evergreen plantings and a six‑foot privacy fence where full buffers were not feasible.
A board member moved to approve the variance citing the presence of existing power lines and the need to site a substation adjacent to transmission infrastructure; another member seconded the motion. The board voted in favor and the variance was granted.
The staff report noted alternatives such as moving the substation to a different site would require additional right‑of‑way clearing and new transmission lines; staff also flagged that not all four variance standards were fully addressed in the applicant’s written responses but recommended approval if the board found mitigation adequate.
The approval allows Dominion to proceed with the proposed layout subject to any conditions the board may impose during permitting and inspection.
