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Planning commission approves 2 MW Community Energy Initiative site plan at 4810 Williamsburg Road
Summary
Dorchester County planning commissioners approved the final site plan for a 2 MW community solar project at 4810 Williamsburg Road in an I-2 (heavy industrial) zone; Delmarva Power requested an access drive for equipment maintenance and the project previously received a unanimous Board of Appeals approval.
The Dorchester County Planning Commission approved the final site plan for a 2 megawatt community solar facility proposed by Community Energy Initiative LLC at 4810 Williamsburg Road near Hurlock.
Pat Mason, senior associate with Becker Morgan Group, presented the site plan and said the site is zoned I-2 (heavy industrial), a classification the presenter argued was well suited to solar relative to other heavy-industrial uses. Mason told the commission that an existing mature tree buffer along Waynes Square Road would provide immediate screening for the project and that a Delmarva Power access road requested by the utility had been added to the plans to allow maintenance of distribution equipment.
Mason said the project previously received a favorable planning commission recommendation and was unanimously approved by the Board of Appeals on Oct. 24, 2024; he told the commission that staff had recommended final approval. Jack Rowland of ProLog Community Energy Initiative, who attended the public outreach meeting, told commissioners that three people attended the outreach meeting on Sept. 28, 2024 and described responses as generally positive or inquisitive about location and operations.
Commissioners asked whether local contractors would be given a chance to bid for construction and landscaping; Mason and members of the project team said contractors would be able to bid on landscaping and other site-specific work. After questions and no objections from commissioners, a member moved for approval and the planning commission voted in the affirmative.
The approved final site plan includes the requested Delmarva access drive. According to the project team, the facility will interconnect to Delmarva Power and is below the state CPCN threshold because it is under 2 MW.
Action taken: planning commission approved the final site plan for the Community Energy Initiative project at 4810 Williamsburg Road.
