Residents urge board to pause NextEra’s Woodside substation review as commissioners affirm substantial accord

Dozens of residents from the Stonewall magisterial district told the Frederick County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 8 they oppose NextEra Energy Transmission's proposed Woodside transmission substation and asked the board to pause further action or extend review so neighbors can get more information and explore legal options.

The concerns centered on health, property values and local land‑use priorities. Speakers said the project would place transmission infrastructure and a substation within tens of feet of existing homes and would permanently change the rural landscape near Jolene Drive and Ridgeway Estates.

The discussion followed a recap from Supervisor Leroux that the Planning Commission, at its Oct. 1 meeting, voted 8–3 that the county review (2232 submission number 01‑25) was "in substantial accord" with the county comprehensive plan. Leroux told the board the site under review is a roughly 72‑acre parcel with about 35.6 acres expected to be disturbed and is located near Interstate 81 north of Winchester in the Stonewall district.

Why it matters: Residents said the substation would undermine long‑term plans for the county's west‑side gateway, threaten home equity and raise health questions about electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Planning staff and outside counsel told the board the legal standard before the board is whether the Planning Commission's finding of substantial accord should stand; the board may overrule the commission only by a majority vote and within…