Board schedules rezoning hearings; staff reports solar-site compliance and Peacock Hill Dairy DEQ work

The Richmond County Board set public hearings for two rezoning applications and received multiple planning updates on solar projects and a local dairy’s permit compliance.

Planning staff told the board the Planning Commission recommended approval (with conditions) of two rezoning requests: one from Hafezula Wapha to combine two parcels for a relocated car dealership, and a second from Cecil John Sills Jr. to rezone roughly 1.74 acres on Farnham Creek Road from agricultural to residential for a two‑family rental unit. The board moved to schedule public hearings on July 10 at 7 p.m. to continue the review.

Staff also announced the Excellent Homes rezoning for Solaris Point was withdrawn May 19 and will not proceed. On renewable‑energy projects, staff reported that Booker's Mill is moving toward closeout while addressing DEQ corrective actions, Moon Corner is working on plan modifications and returned to compliance, and Cerulean’s reinspections showed corrective items were effective. Dominion Energy had issued a stop‑work directive on one site but crews resumed work; Dominion is now performing twice‑weekly inspections and county and DEQ reviews continue.

On a separate environmental permitting matter, staff updated the board on Peacock Hill Dairy, a county cheese‑house operator working to resolve deficiencies tied to Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit No. 04024. County staff said they had assisted with land‑disturbing and building permits during construction and that the dairy has engaged a third party to meet reporting requirements and return to compliance with DEQ.

Planning staff recommended carrying the consolidated model erosion and sediment control ordinance through the required public‑hearing process and asked the board to allow a legal review of the county’s mobile‑home ordinance (dated 1989) in light of changes to state law (Virginia Code §15.2‑987).