Nottoway supervisors approve two small solar projects after mixed public response

The Nottoway County Board of Supervisors on July 16 approved special exceptions for two small, distribution‑scale solar projects proposed by CEP Solar, voting 4–1 to permit Little Mountain Solar and 3–2 to permit a nearby Sunnyside project.

CEP Solar’s senior project manager, Paul Cousins, told the board the Little Mountain plan would site roughly 10 acres of panels within a 15‑acre fence line, interconnect at the local distribution grid (no substation), include a decommissioning bond updated every five years, and avoid battery storage. ‘‘We’ve proposed setbacks of more than 500 feet from nearby residences and extensive vegetative buffers so the project will not be seen or heard from adjacent homes or roads,’’ Cousins said. He also said CEP would offer a one‑time $35,000 contribution to the county at site‑plan approval for each of the two projects.

Supporters described the projects as modest community‑scale installations that could bring long‑term tax revenue. Skyler Zunk, CEO of clean‑energy nonprofit Energy Right, said the additions ‘‘matter on a statewide scale’’ and could help lower electricity costs by producing power locally. Several local groups, including the Virginia Association for Workers for the Blind and area volunteer fire departments, submitted letters of support that were read into the record.

Opponents raised concerns about stormwater runoff, impacts to Mallory Creek and other local streams, truck access on narrow roads (Old Plank Road), and property‑value effects. A landowner who said he lives adjacent to the Sunnyside site told the board he had been offered an option payment for his acreage and that he worried about the project’s visibility and long‑term effects. Board members pressed developers and engineers about VDOT sight‑distance requirements and wetland/stormwater mitigation measures; the county noted that VDOT required a recorded site‑distance easement for one access and the FAA/aviation authority must issue a no‑hazard determination for the site within one mile of a small airport.

Engineering staff from Kimley‑Horn explained preliminary entrance design and stormwater approaches, and said they were coordinating with VDOT and the Department of Environmental Quality on mitigation. Kimley‑Horn’s engineer Ellen Tussing said preliminary site plans show options for an entrance that meet sight‑distance and vegetative buffer goals and that the design will be refined during permitting.

The board attached conditions to approvals, including VDOT sight‑distance easements and traffic management plans, and required agency clearances where applicable. Supervisors who voted in favor said the projects had strong community outreach and technical mitigation; those opposed cited neighbor concerns and site‑access limitations. Cousins said construction is expected to begin in late 2027 if permitting proceeds and that typical construction for a project this size is about nine months.

The Little Mountain special exception passed 4–1; Sunnyside passed 3–2 with VDOT/FAA and traffic conditions noted in staff reports. Both approvals were accompanied by the voluntary county contribution CEP offered and by commitments to wetland and stormwater mitigation in follow‑on permitting.

What happens next: the projects must clear state and federal permit reviews (DEQ, Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service where applicable), finalize VDOT access approvals and recorded easements, and complete site‑plan technical conditions before construction permits are issued.