Charlotte County approves CPV County Line Solar siting agreement and conditional-use permit

The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors voted March 13 to approve a siting agreement and a conditional-use permit for CPV County Line Solar, clearing regulatory steps for a proposed 150 MW AC facility near Madisonville.

CPV representative Marlin dos Santos told the board the project would create “over 200 jobs during construction” and involve roughly $300 million in infrastructure investment. He said CPV will post securities for pre-construction road improvements, road repairs, grading, erosion and sediment controls, stormwater management, land-cover and vegetative-buffer maintenance, security fencing and decommissioning. “CPV will be responsible for the project its entire lifespan,” dos Santos said.

Why it matters: CPV proposed a package of financial and siting commitments intended to limit visual and environmental impacts and to provide direct payments to the county. The terms described to the board included an initial county payment schedule and an ongoing revenue share the company said would increase over time.

Key terms and community protections described by CPV included: expanded setbacks (650 feet in some visible areas and a 710-foot setback along SR 47 per earlier materials), 100-foot-wide wildlife corridors, preservation measures for barns within the Madisonville Presbyterian Church viewshed, a preliminary vegetative buffer of native and deciduous trees along Crawley Road, avoidance of slopes over 15 percent, and consideration of sheep for vegetation maintenance. The applicant also committed to reimburse local fire and rescue for emergency-response expenses tied to incidents at the site.

Financial items presented to the board included an early-payment and revenue-share framework described in the presentation as: $300,000 a year for three years; $50,000 for years four and five; $3,750,000 payable within 45 days of commercial operation; and a $231,000-per-year revenue share that the company said would increase 10 percent every five years. These numbers were presented by the applicant during the hearing and are reflected in the proposed Siting Agreement.

Public reaction at the hearing was mixed but largely supportive. Dozens of residents and stakeholders spoke; supporters included Tony Reeves, Curtis Martin, several members of the Carwile family and representatives from local businesses who cited jobs and local payments. Opponents included Daniel Dixon and Kathy Liston, who registered concerns in the public-comment record. The board noted eight letters in support and one letter of opposition had been filed.

Board action and votes: Supervisor Hazel Bowman Smith moved to approve the Siting Agreement; Supervisor Derek Toombs seconded. The board recorded the motion as carried (the transcript records the action as "Motion Carried with 6 Aye, 1 No"). The board then considered the Conditional Use Permit. After CPV and consultant Linds Edwards addressed concerns including construction hours and a 100-foot buffer around a burial site, Supervisor Gary D. Walker moved to approve the permit; Supervisor Robert L. Shook Jr. seconded. The transcript records that the CUP motion carried with a 5–2 vote.

Procedural note: The Siting Agreement resolution authorizes the board chair or the county administrator, individually, to execute the agreement on the county's behalf.

Next steps: With both approvals on record, CPV and county staff will proceed per the terms of the Siting Agreement and permit conditions; the transcript does not record a commercial-operation date or additional implementation milestones.

Votes at a glance - Siting Agreement with CPV County Line Solar, LLC: motion by Supervisor Hazel Bowman Smith; second Derek Toombs; recorded outcome: Motion Carried (6 Aye, 1 No). - Conditional Use Permit for County Line Solar: motion by Supervisor Gary D. Walker; second Robert L. Shook Jr.; recorded outcome: Motion Carried (5 Aye, 2 No).

Speakers (first reference shown): Marlin dos Santos (CPV representative, SEG 003); Linds Edwards (Berkley Group consultant, SEG 007); Supervisor Hazel Bowman Smith (SEG 001); Supervisor Derek Toombs (SEG 001); Supervisor Gary D. Walker, chairman (SEG 001); Supervisor Robert L. Shook Jr. (SEG 001); public commenters Tony Reeves, Curtis Martin, Andy Carwile, Lona Klien, Shannon Fiemann, Shasa Carwile, Daniel Dixon, Nancy Carwile, Sandra Towne, Kathy Liston, Ryan Womack, Cornell Goldman and Austin Goldman (SEG 003–004).