Buckingham County board adopts solar and battery-storage ordinance amendments, sets July 1, 2026 effective date

At a special meeting, the Buckingham County board moved to take proposed solar ordinance amendments from the table and voted to adopt changes to local regulations governing solar photovoltaic systems and battery energy storage.

Committee member (speaker '2') moved “that the proposed solar photovoltaic, photovoltaic, and battery energy storage ordinance amendments” be taken from the table for consideration, and later moved that “the board adopt the proposed solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage ordinance amendments as drafted with alternate b in section 5.13(g), effective 07/01/2026, and direct staff to publish notice of adoption and to implement the amendment on that date.” Chair (speaker '1') seconded both motions. The board recorded the adoption votes as “5 yes.”

The board also approved, on the same motions, companion amendments to the county comprehensive plan and directed staff to incorporate those amendments into the 2025–2030 comprehensive plan of record, with an effective date of July 1, 2026; that vote was likewise recorded as “5 yes.”

Separately, the board voted to enter a closed executive session for consultation with legal counsel and staff briefings concerning actual or probable litigation, citing Code of Virginia §2.2-3711(A)(7) as the statutory authority for the closed meeting. After the executive session the board returned to regular session and a motion to certify that only those matters authorized for discussion were considered passed (the transcript records the vote in that certification as “6 years,” a likely transcription of “6 yes,” while earlier adoption votes were recorded as “5 yes”).

Votes at a glance - Approve agenda: motion moved and seconded; recorded as 5 yes. - Take solar ordinance amendments from the table: motion moved by Committee member (speaker '2'), seconded by Chair (speaker '1'); recorded as 5 yes. - Adopt solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage ordinance amendments (with "alternate b" in section 5.13(g)): motion moved by Committee member (speaker '2'), seconded by Chair (speaker '1'); recorded as 5 yes. Ordinance number: not specified. - Adopt companion comprehensive plan amendments (to be incorporated into the 2025–2030 comprehensive plan): motion moved by Committee member (speaker '2'), seconded by Chair (speaker '1'); recorded as 5 yes. - Enter executive session under Code of Virginia §2.2-3711(A)(7): motion moved and seconded; board recessed to closed session (vote outcome recorded in meeting dialogue). - Return from executive session and certify compliance with statutory purpose: motion moved by Committee member (speaker '2'), seconded by Chair (speaker '1'); recorded in transcript as "6 yes" for the certification.

The board directed staff to publish notice of adoption and implement the ordinance amendments on July 1, 2026. The transcript does not specify ordinance or resolution numbers, nor does it record individual roll-call votes by member name. The meeting adjourned after certification and routine closing remarks.