Mecklenburg supervisors reject Dominion signing agreement and deny special-exemption permit for proposed solar project

The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors voted on Oct. 14 to reject a signing agreement submitted June 27, 2025, by Dominion Energy and to deny a separate special-exemption permit tied to the same proposed utility-scale solar project after a publicly noticed hearing and a roll-call vote.

Board chair Justin Jennings moved both motions. The roll-call vote on the signing agreement rejection recorded six votes in favor (Claudia Lundy, Dennis Spence, [first name not stated] Brinkley, David Gravatt, Sterling Wilkinson and Justin Jennings) and two votes opposed (Brenda Blackwell and Annie Hargrove). The special-exemption denial passed by the same recorded margin.

The votes followed a lengthy presentation by Dominion Energy representatives on site design, storm resilience, decommissioning and recycling, and a public hearing that included more than two dozen speakers. County staff told the board the planning commission had recommended denial of the special-exemption permit.

Dominion presenters emphasized testing and vendor controls for module materials and said recycling and decommissioning were covered in project plans. In response to board questions about damaged panels and end-of-life disposition, a company representative said the company would “absolutely recycle”…