Board approves Dominion Energy rezoning and site plan for Carlton’s Corner substation after residents’ concerns
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Summary
The King and Queen County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved three Dominion Energy applications to build a permanent substation at the Carlton’s Corner Road site, while board members warned the utility to meet mitigation commitments and residents urged caution about siting near homes.
The King and Queen County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Sept. 9 to approve three Dominion Energy applications — rezoning RZ24‑01, conditional use permit CUP24‑01 (with edited conditions), and site plan SP24‑01 as amended by the applicant — to construct a permanent substation at the site of an existing temporary facility on Carlton’s Corner Road.
Chairman J.L. Simpkins said the applications came to the board on a recommendation from the county Planning Commission and that the board could accept, amend or deny parts of the proposal; the board accepted the Planning Commission’s recommendation with edits to conditions on the CUP and approved the site plan changes offered by Dominion. The vote was recorded 4–0 with Supervisor S.C. Alsop absent.
Board members acknowledged months of public concern and a series of follow‑up meetings between county officials, residents and Dominion Energy. Supervisor M.R. Berry said board members had worked to address citizen issues but stressed unease about siting near homes, noting that “good solutions have been made, but the best would be for it not to be there.” Ms. C.R. Billups and Ms. M.H. Norman similarly emphasized support for reliable electric service while urging Dominion to honor mitigation commitments; Ms. Norman noted a personal proximity to the project site and said residents’ welfare should be prioritized.
The approvals include conditions intended to address visibility, landscaping, and other site design elements as amended during applicant negotiations; the record before the board shows the approvals were tied to those conditions. The board did not specify additional enforcement mechanisms beyond the approved conditions, but supervisors said they would press for compliance if commitments were not kept.
The county did not reference state or local statutes as part of the decision in the public record. The board’s action follows prior Planning Commission hearings and public comment periods on the proposal. No appeals or further procedural steps were announced at the meeting.
The board adjourned the item with the approvals and moved on to subsequent agenda business.