Board approves 3 MW Burkes Junction solar project with conditions, excludes planning‑commission waiver

The Nottoway County Board of Supervisors approved a special‑exception application to site a 3‑megawatt solar facility at Burkes Junction, subject to staff recommendations and the developer's voluntary project conditions, while excluding a waiver requirement requested by the planning commission.

Esther Rekleman, senior project developer for Hexagon (speaker 22), described the site as roughly 30 acres and said the developer had performed door‑to‑door outreach and hosted a community meeting. She told the board the application requests reduced setbacks—"400 feet setbacks from habitable dwellings and 150 feet setbacks from adjacent property lines"—and proposed vegetative buffers and stormwater controls to minimize visual and environmental impacts.

Board members debated whether waivers from adjacent owners should be required; planning had recommended a waiver condition and the planning commission had earlier voted 7–1 in favor of the project with that condition. After discussion, Supervisor Ingram moved to approve the Burkes Junction project excluding the waiver requirement; the motion passed on the floor and the applicant was informed the project received the board's approval.

The developer and staff emphasized the site is visually screened by topography and rail lines and that the project should not preclude existing public utilities from providing customer service. The board instructed staff to finalize conditions and to address waiver language in an upcoming work session that will consider clarifying county solar ordinance language.