Frederick County planning commission finds NextEra’s Woodside Substation “in substantial accord” with comprehensive plan amid heavy public opposition

The Frederick County Planning Commission voted 8–3 on Oct. 1 to find NextEra Energy Transmission’s proposed Woodside Substation substantially in accord with the county’s comprehensive plan, clearing a key procedural hurdle under state law for the by-right utility project.

The decision came after a staff presentation, attorneys and engineers for NextEra explained the project’s technical function, commissioners asked detailed questions about setbacks, buffers and equipment, and more than two hours of public comment in which dozens of nearby residents urged the commission to oppose the site. The commission’s affirmative finding is limited to the 2232 review — whether the location, character and extent of the facility substantially conform to the county’s comprehensive plan — and does not authorize construction; site-plan review and other agency approvals will follow.

Why it mattered: NextEra says the Woodside Substation is part of PJM’s Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link, connecting an existing Dominion 500-kilovolt transmission line and providing an additional 500 kV source to the local 138 kV network to improve regional reliability. Company representatives told the commission the site is zoned RA (rural area) and that substations are a by-right use in that zone; staff noted the county’s Northeast Land Use Plan (NELIP) designates the parcel and nearby properties for industrial or mixed office/industrial uses in the long-range map adopted in 2023.

What NextEra told the commission: Caitlin McCormick, senior director at NextEra Energy Transmission Virginia, said the Woodside Substation “will serve as a critical connection point — essentially an on-off ramp on the electricity highway that strengthens the electric grid and enhances reliability for homes and businesses in Frederick County and in the broader region.” The company presented a conceptual site plan showing a 50–75-foot landscape buffer on the west and south property lines and said preliminary studies found no wetlands or archaeological sites on the parcel.

What residents said: Neighbors testified that the planned facility — including associated transmission infrastructure discussed in separate proceedings — would harm quality of life and property values. Jennifer Smith, who said her property backs the proposed site, told commissioners the project is “not for us” and warned of noise, light and visual impacts. Kurt Krieger of Hands Off the Valley documented concerns about inadequate buffers and asked for stronger, coniferous screening and survivability guarantees for plantings. Several speakers argued the substation mainly serves data-center load in Loudoun County and that Frederick County would bear the local impacts without commensurate benefits.

Key technical and legal points discussed: Commissioners questioned whether the 40-foot eastern setback in one applicant exhibit complied with a 50-foot ordinance requirement and whether tall structures and tower setbacks might trigger board waivers. NextEra said it anticipates working through the site-plan process with staff and agency reviewers, and that some setback or waiver questions would be resolved later. Rob Beeman, NextEra’s land-use attorney, cited Virginia Code §15.2-2232 as the statutory standard governing the commission’s review and emphasized that the parcel is identified in the NELIP for industrial use.

The vote and next steps: A motion to find the application in substantial accord passed on a roll call: Whitaker — no; DeHaven — no; (K)ern — yes; Thomas — yes; Margaret — yes; Sneddon — yes; Balthorff — yes; McKay — yes; Brombeck — yes; Bridal — no; Chair — yes (motion passed 8–3). The finding will be transmitted to the Board of Supervisors; staff and applicants said future site-plan reviews and other regulatory processes (including separate public hearings for transmission lines) will address design details and mitigation measures.

What remains unresolved: Residents sought firmer commitments on landscaping design, lighting limits, noise mitigation, potential impacts to septic/drain fields and the extent of future transmission line construction tied to the substation. Commissioners stressed the narrow legal scope of the 2232 determination; several said those broader issues remain relevant to future site-plan proceedings and to other agencies such as VDOT and PJM. NextEra supplied a project contact and an email (marl@nexteraenergy.com) for follow-up.

The commission adjourned after announcing future meeting dates and a reminder that public hearings on related transmission line projects will be scheduled separately.