Staff recommends approval of SUP18-0001 with the attached conditions. Staff strongly believes that the conditions are necessary for the project to meet the 8 Special Use Standards of Review and be consistent Comprehensive Plan in an on-balance review. Staff does have reservations about the size/scale of the facility and cautions that some conditions intended to mitigate impacts may change the project scope. For example, the applicant has requested 800 acres of land disturbance, which is double the conditioned 400 acres. Limiting the disturbed area may have the consequence of prolonging the construction time frame. The majority of health, safety, and welfare concerns with the project and the greatest potential for negative impacts on the community are during the construction phase. Once established, the solar energy facility should be a safe, clean, quiet neighbor. 

The applicant requests special use permit approval on multiple parcels to develop a 400 MW solar energy facility on Agricultural 3 (A-3) zoned properties together constituting a site of approximately 5,200 acres.  The properties consist of 11501 W. Catharpin Rd., 12910 Orange Plank Rd., 10900 Buckland Rd., 13301 W. Catharpin Rd., 13001 W. Catharpin Rd., and 22 additional unaddressed parcels.  The properties are located in western Spotsylvania County, south of Orange Plank Road, north of W. Catharpin Road, east of the Spotsylvania/Orange County line and west of Catharpin Rd.  The properties are  located outside of the Primary Development Boundary.  The properties are identified for Rural Residential or Agricultural and Forestal Land Use development on the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan. 

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on December 5, 2018 and it was closed. The Commission voted to continue the discussion on the special use to January 2, 2019.

Wanda Parrish, AICP, Planning Director

Patrick White, Planner III