The applicant requests special use permit approval on one parcel to develop a 30 MW solar energy facility on a 245 acre and Agricultural 3 (A-3) zoned property identified as Tax Map 28-A-58. The property is located in western Spotsylvania County approximately 650 feet south of the intersection of W. Catharpin Road and Post Oak Road. The property is located outside of the Primary Development Boundary. The property is identified for Rural Residential development on the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan.
The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on February 26, 2019 and closed the hearing. The Board continued consideration of the case to March 12, 2019 and requested that staff prepare a table listing concerns raised during the public hearing process with sPower's proposal to address the concerns, staff or County consultant comment, and recommended conditions. On March 12th, the Board reviewed several of the concerns but, due to the late hour, continued the item to March 19th.
On March 19th, the Board concluded review of the concerns and directed staff to update the Planning Commission conditions with recommended legal edits and to include a requirement to use E-Verify in the hiring of employees, to add a perimeter road requirement for FREM use, and to convert the landscape buffer to all evergreen trees and ensure maintenance of the planted buffer in perpetuity. Section E, as related to the landscape buffers, has received significant edits. The conditions maintain the spirit of the Planning Commission landscape buffer conditions, but have been edited to ensure enforceability and remove any ambiguity as to the landscape buffer type, composition, and width. The red-line conditions document is attached and it is the base document for use by the Board in considering any additional amendments. The full set of conditions, including the exhibits, is found in the Resolution of Approval.