Culpeper planners hear Maroon Solar presentation for 65 MW, 291‑acre fenced project; staff to prepare formal analysis

At its February meeting the Culpeper County Planning Commission heard a work‑session presentation from Maroon Solar, represented by developer StrataClean Energy, on a proposed utility‑scale solar project that would interconnect to an existing transmission line in the Stevensburg district.

Principal planner Chris Waring told the Commission the application lists several owners (Party Virginia Timber 2 LLC; Walton Farms LLC; Wanda S. Evans; Willie David Crenshaw Sr.), covers 1,427.79 acres of parcels on Raccoon Fords Road and defines a 291‑acre project area inside the fence line (280 acres of panel arrays, 6 acres of access roads and 5 acres for a substation/switch yard). The package includes a siting agreement and, staff said, a full staff analysis will be prepared ahead of the public hearing.

Frank Hopkins of StrataClean Energy said the project would generate about 65 megawatts of output, be constructed over 18–24 months, and include a substation located roughly 3,000 feet from the nearest residence with 100 feet of vegetation screening. "It would do $7,400,000 of direct county revenue over the life of the project," Hopkins said, adding $1,650,000 would be paid up front and that annual payments would average roughly $100,000 in early years and approach $200,000 later in the project’s 35‑year life.

Heather McAllister, permitting manager for Maroon Solar, said the proposal had been reduced from a prior 671‑acre fenced layout to the current 291‑acre fence line, increased setbacks (she cited the Algonquian Trail setback change) and reduced access points. The applicant provided a draft decommissioning plan and an estimated bond amount, which McAllister said the county would review and the applicant would update every three years.

Commissioners pressed the applicant on technical details. On stormwater, the applicant said compliance will combine on‑site permanent BMPs with conserved open space buffers and that the preliminary plan left open the option to purchase off‑site nutrient credits if needed; final design and any credit purchases would be determined during local review. On groundwater, the applicant said the ordinance requires notification and that the project includes upfront groundwater and soil sampling with ongoing reporting to the county and coordination with health and DEQ if contamination is detected.

On construction methods, Adam Thompson (Strata director of development) said the racking installation on local bedrock is expected to use pre‑drilling and setting rather than pile driving, reducing the likelihood of blasting. Commissioners also asked about visibility and the substation; the applicant said the substation is centrally located, set back from residences and will be screened.

Several commissioners and members of the public raised questions about long‑term financial assurances for decommissioning. Mr. Van and another commissioner urged stronger guarantees than surety bonds alone—such as letters of credit or deposits—because corporate surety obligations can be difficult to enforce decades after approval. The applicant and staff said a detailed surety estimate will be developed and reviewed with the county prior to final approvals.

A commissioner referenced a Piedmont Environmental Council letter citing roughly $47,000 in violations at a different solar site; Strata representatives responded that the posted order was a Dominion consent order involving multiple contractors and that many past noncompliance issues grew from older designs that did not treat the area under panels as impervious. The applicant said the current design follows updated DEQ criteria, treats panel areas with increased BMPs and uses phased construction to limit disturbance.

The presentation included several technical figures supplied by the applicant: a 291‑acre fenced project area within a 1,427.79‑acre parcel assemblage; 280 acres of panel arrays, about 202 acres allocated for stormwater BMPs, 843.79 acres to remain undisturbed, and a 65 MW output. The project team said it would not include battery storage under the proposed conditions.

Staff and the applicant emphasized this was an informational work session; no permit was approved. Staff will prepare a formal staff analysis and schedule a public hearing in a future meeting where the Commission and members of the public can review finalized technical reports and financial assurances.

The Commission took no final action on the CUP at the work session.