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Board tables county solar ordinance after residents point to prior policy and setback concerns
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to table a proposed zoning ordinance and Comprehensive Plan amendments intended to codify state solar siting rules after residents and supervisors flagged conflicts with an existing county solar policy and a reduction in residential setbacks from 500 feet to 150–200 feet.
Cheryl T. "Nicci" Edmondston, the county zoning administrator, summarized proposed zoning ordinance changes intended to implement recent state legislation (SB 347, SB 443 and HB 711) and corresponding Comprehensive Plan amendments. The changes would add standards for utility‑scale solar and battery energy storage projects.
Donnie Dorrier reminded the board that Buckingham had adopted an in‑depth, roughly 30‑page solar policy over the previous two years and warned the proposed ordinance would supersede that policy. He called attention to a specific standards change in the draft ordinance that would shorten setbacks between a solar facility and a dwelling from 500 feet in the policy to 150–200 feet in the new ordinance.
Supervisors responded by voting unanimously to table the ordinance to permit more study and to reconcile the proposed codification with the existing county policy.
Why it matters: Solar siting and battery storage are active statewide issues; local ordinance language (setbacks, decommissioning and findings) determines where projects can be permitted and under what conditions. Residents and supervisors requested more time to ensure any ordinance does not weaken previously adopted protections.
Next steps: Staff and board members will review the draft ordinance against the existing county solar policy and return with recommendations; no zoning changes were adopted at the June 8 meeting.
Ending: The board’s vote to table preserves the status quo and signals further local work is required before codifying state‑level solar siting rule changes.
