Planning Commission votes to review telecommunication tower, solar and campground zoning rules

The Charlotte County Planning Commission voted unanimously Sept. 18 to begin a review of several sections of the county zoning ordinance, including telecommunication tower siting and co-location rules, solar regulation provisions and campground and recreational vehicle standards.

P.K. Pettus of Keysville raised public concerns about a recently approved Verizon tower on the Weston property, saying the Board of Supervisors “was not responsive to adjacent landowners’ concerns about the location of the Verizon tower on the Weston property” and urged the Commission and Board to consider alternative sites.

Monica Elder, Deputy County Administrator, presented staff’s list of ordinance sections that staff recommends for review, saying the goals are to address state-code compliance, clarify conflicts with local ordinances and consider affordable housing needs. Elder read the sections to be reviewed, which include floodplain rules, accessory-structure and accessory-dwelling size limits, an inventory and propagation-map requirement for telecommunication sites, co-location rules for county equipment on towers, definitions and rules for small rural home businesses, campgrounds and RV/camper regulations.

Elder told commissioners that the county’s current tower setback requirement is 400 feet from roads and adjacent properties, a regulation that she said had eliminated alternative sites suggested by adjacent landowners. “The current setback requirements for towers was 400’ from roads and adjacent properties,” Elder said.

Commissioner Andrew Carwile moved to open a formal review of the zoning ordinance items recommended by staff; Commissioner David Watkins seconded the motion and the motion carried with all members present voting yes. The Commission’s vote does not itself change ordinance text; it directs staff to research potential amendments and report back with options and recommended language.

During discussion commissioners examined ways to encourage co-location to expand carrier presence. Elder noted that, while local regulations can require space for co‑location, tower owners control lease terms. Commissioner Carwile said many towers are owned by third‑party tower companies and described a technical tradeoff with next‑generation cellular technology: “often the towers are owned by tower companies like SBA, Crown Castle, or American Tower rather than the carriers,” and he explained that higher‑capacity services such as 5G can reduce per‑tower coverage area, which affects siting decisions.

Hazel Bowman Smith, the Board of Supervisors’ non‑voting representative, told commissioners the Board did not intend to refer solar zoning to the Planning Commission before the end of the year. Staff also reported that CPV County Line had withdrawn its amendment application, provided updates on approved solar projects and pending solar applications, and said the Board had approved C’s Auto Sales’ conditional use permit application.

Commissioners spent time discussing whether members have a responsibility to report observations about project sites versus the county’s regular inspection and permitting processes; staff noted that some site details may be outside the county’s jurisdiction or require third‑party consultants. Andrew Carwile asked Sara Crawford, Town Manager for Charlotte Court House, to follow up in her Certified Planning Commission Program class, and Crawford said she would inquire further.

The Commission did not adopt specific ordinance language at the meeting. Next steps are for staff to compile research and draft possible ordinance amendments, to include community input and to seek direction from the Board of Supervisors before any formal ordinance changes are drafted or advanced.

The meeting adjourned after routine closing motions.