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Charlotte County planning commission recommends tighter town setbacks for utility-scale solar
Summary
The commission recommended modifying a proposed zoning amendment to keep Keysville at a one-mile buffer and set a half-mile minimum for Phenix, Charlotte Court House and Drakes Branch, allowing the Courthouse Solar project to proceed through conditional-use review under those constraints.
The Charlotte County Planning Commission on June 23 recommended that the Board of Supervisors modify a proposed zoning amendment to restrict how close utility-scale solar projects may be to town boundaries. The commission voted unanimously to recommend language that would require projects be at least one mile from the Town of Keysville and at least one-half mile from the Towns of Phenix, Charlotte Court House and Drakes Branch.
Aditya Gangadharan of NOVI Energy requested that the commission consider the zoning amendment so the Courthouse Solar project could advance to the county's conditional-use permit review. Commissioners discussed comments submitted by the towns. Commissioner Andrew Carwile proposed specific language to address town concerns by authorizing the Board of Supervisors to approve no project closer than the stated distances. Carwile made the motion to add the language to section 10-23-4 and Kenny Howard seconded; the motion carried with all members present voting yes.
George Sandridge, the Keysville representative who participated by call, said he supported retaining Keysville's one-mile boundary while agreeing to allow the half-mile buffer for the other towns. Staff reported that the Board of Supervisors had already approved certain related zoning amendments (retreats, nonconforming lots and maximum density for utility-scale solar) and that several conditional-use permit applications were expected in the near term.
The commission's recommendation sends the proposed amendment and the record of town comments to the Board of Supervisors for final action. The record shows the county intends to preserve town buffer distances while allowing the Courthouse Solar project to move into the conditional-use process under those constraints.
