Charlotte County planning commission recommends conditional approval for 167-MW Courthouse Solar project amid traffic and environmental concerns

The Charlotte County Planning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 27 to recommend the Board of Supervisors approve Courthouse Solar LLC’s conditional use permit for a proposed 167 megawatt AC solar facility on about 1,354 acres, attaching detailed conditions to address wetlands, traffic, wildlife and decommissioning.

Denise Nelson, a third‑party reviewer with The Berkley Group, presented the staff report and a set of recommended conditions that were revised during the hearing in response to public comments and an amendment proposed by the project developer. The conditions require a 600‑foot wetlands corridor around Roanoke Creek measured between fence lines, limits on heavy‑truck deliveries during school pickup and drop‑off, third‑party review of erosion and sediment controls, an agreed vegetation and screening plan with pollinator plantings where feasible, endangered‑species coordination, and decommissioning security in line with Virginia law.

The commission’s recommendation followed a presentation by NOVI Energy representatives and a public comment period in which nearby residents and landowners expressed both support and concern. Lynn Royster, owner of the Shady Oaks mobile home park, said the proposed sidewalk and bike‑lane solutions were infeasible for the narrow road and cited safety worries for the park’s 19 families. Several adjacent landowners and citizens asked the commission to delay action for additional environmental and traffic studies; others, including property owners whose land would be included in the project, said solar represented the best use of that acreage and would generate local tax revenues.

NOVI and its counsel offered mitigation measures during the hearing. Preston Lloyd, NOVI’s legal counsel, proposed adding language to the construction management conditions limiting ‘‘deliveries by three‑axle or larger trucks’’ to weekdays and prohibiting such deliveries ‘‘during a one‑hour period surrounding school pickup and drop‑off on school days,’’ and suggesting flagging and speed restrictions as additional options. NOVI representatives also said battery storage is not part of the current application and would require a separate permit if pursued.

Commissioners debated decommissioning assurances and terms for letters of credit. The recommended conditions require a Decommissioning Plan and a cost estimate prepared by a Virginia‑licensed professional engineer; security for the full decommissioning cost must be posted before a building permit is issued and updated every five years. The conditions also permit the County to use security funds to decommission the site if the owner or property owners fail to do so within required timelines.

Eugene Wells moved to recommend approval ‘‘with the conditions proposed by staff, revised to incorporate the additional condition proposed by NOVI during the public hearing.’’ Cornell Goldman seconded. The amended motion passed with all members present voting yes. Commissioners noted that final wording and traffic measures for Shady Oaks Road would be evaluated further by the Board of Supervisors and county staff.

Next steps: the Board of Supervisors will review the application and the commission’s recommended conditions; Nelson estimated that, given required state and regional reviews, the full process will take at least five months. The commission adjourned after approving the recommendation.