Planning staff update: solar inspections, Peacock Hill Dairy DEQ consent order and county water‑supply planning

Planning/Building & Zoning (S4) briefed the board on permitting, inspections and water‑supply planning at the July meeting.

For June the office reported $2,007.80 in fees collected, $2,047,730 in construction costs, eight zoning permits and five land‑disturbance permits. S4 said solar inspection photo reports and narratives were included in the meeting binder and that several projects (Booker’s Mill, Moon Corner, Cerulean South 1 & 2 and DG Revolution) were advancing with land‑disturbance permits filed.

S4 said she had requested and received the DEQ final determination and consent order for Peacock Hill Dairy; the order includes a small civil fine of $640 and requires the dairy to prepare an operations & maintenance manual and an employee training manual to document testing and inspection procedures.

On water, S4 said the Northern Neck Planning District Commission is coordinating a county water‑supply plan funded in part by an $8,000 grant; S4 read a workbook of public water sources in Richmond County (including Farnam Manor wells, Bell Acres and Bunker Hill) and asked board members and staff to identify any missing systems. Board members urged long‑term planning for reservoir or alternate supply sites as groundwater sources decline and regional demand (including data centers) increases.

Next steps: packet materials (solar inspection reports, DEQ consent order) are available for public review; planning staff will update the water‑supply workbook and coordinate with the Planning Commission and DEQ on the county list of public systems.