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Buckingham County Board of Supervisors adopts solar ordinance amendments and companion plan changes
Summary
The Buckingham County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted Solar Photovoltaic and Battery Energy Storage Ordinance Amendments and companion amendments to the 2025'2030 Comprehensive Plan at a June 22, 2026 special meeting, setting the changes to take effect July 1, 2026 and directing staff to publish and implement them.
The Buckingham County Board of Supervisors on June 22, 2026, unanimously adopted amendments to the county's zoning ordinance governing solar photovoltaic systems and battery energy storage and approved companion amendments to the 2025'2030 Comprehensive Plan, making both changes effective July 1, 2026 and directing county staff to publish notice and implement the amendments on that date.
Supervisor Paul W. Garrett 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 July 1, 2026 and direct staff to publish notice of adoption and to implement the amendments on that date." Supervisor Carter S. Allen seconded the motion, and the board carried it unanimously.
The ordinance amendments were taken from the table for consideration earlier in the special meeting after a motion by Garrett and a second by Allen. In tandem with the zoning changes, the board also adopted, by resolution, the companion Comprehensive Plan amendments and directed staff to incorporate them into the county's 2025'2030 Comprehensive Plan of record; Supervisor Garrett moved the resolution, Supervisor Allen seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously.
The meeting record shows the stated purpose of the special called meeting was to codify solar policy standards in the zoning ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan. The adopted zoning amendment text includes a reference to Alternate B in Section 5.13(G); the board set the ordinance and plan amendments to become effective July 1, 2026.
Following the ordinance and plan votes, the board entered an executive closed session for consultation with legal counsel and staff briefings related to actual or probable litigation, citing statute .
The board then returned to open session, certified that only matters properly belonging to the closed session were considered, and recorded that no action was taken as a result of the executive session. Chairman Joe N. Chambers, Jr. declared the meeting adjourned.
Details recorded in the official meeting minutes show the board membership present at the start of the meeting and note that Supervisor L. Cameron Gilliam was absent and that Supervisor Harry W. Bryant, Jr. arrived late. County staff present included County Administrator Karl R. Carter, Zoning Administrator Cheryl T. "Nicci" Edmondston, and County Attorney E.M. Wright, Jr. The meeting took place at the Peter Francisco Auditorium in the Buckingham County Administration Complex.
