Nottoway supervisors allow Inverness Solar appeal to proceed and later approve 5 MW special exception with conditions

The Nottoway County Board of Supervisors voted to allow an appeal from applicants Sean and Catherine Haney to move forward on a proposed 5-megawatt solar array on property they own at 884 Inverness Road, and later approved a special-exception permit for the project with multiple conditions.

The appeal vote followed a lengthy public hearing that included testimony from Planning Commission members, neighbors and the Haneys. Planning staff and the applicant sparred over whether the project “substantially complies” with the county comprehensive plan, a standard under the Code of Virginia. County planning staff adviser Greg (planning staff) summarized that standard during the hearing: “Substantial compliance with the comprehensive plan.”

The matter first came before supervisors as an appeal of an August Planning Commission recommendation to deny the project. Planning Commission members had voted 8–0 with one abstention to recommend denial. Brian Thomas, a Planning Commission member who addressed the board during the appeal hearing, read sections of the Nottoway County comprehensive plan and a conservation easement deed recorded against the Haneys’ property and argued those instruments supported the commission’s denial. Thomas quoted the deed’s stated purpose as intended “to assure that the architectural, historic, natural, cultural, and associated open space features of the property will be retained and maintained forever substantially in its current condition.” He and other opponents said the proposed panel fields—roughly 40 acres in one corner of the…