3.C) An ordinance to amend Chapter 25. Zoning. Division A. In General. Article VI.D. Solar Energy Systems. Section 25-70.4. Uses permitted by Special Use Permit by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Prohibiting small scale solar systems within Urban Service Areas and Community Development Areas is counter-productive because these areas have the best infrastructure to support development of solar projects, which we desperately need more of, and they take development pressure off of equally needed agricultural land.
The current Comprehensive Plan also supports use of Urban Service Areas and Community Development Areas for industrial development, which should include low impact solar projects.
The blanket 2 mile rule simply makes no sense because terrain can shield adjacent solar projects that may be able to take advantage of infrastructure located in the vicinity.. Every project should be taken on a case by case basis.
Restricting the economic opportunities of landowners provided by low impact, clean solar development would also seem to be counter to the County's expressed support of economic opportunity for it's citizens.
Viewshed concerns also seem misplaced in an area blighted with poultry houses everywhere.
The Shenandoah Valley, and Augusta County in particular, are very fortunate that almost all the electricity we consume is generated away from the Valley, so we don't have to deal with powerplants that are creating piles of hazardous waste products. The least we can do is support the development of clean energy projects that are needed very badly if we have any hope of avoiding a true climate calamity.
A balanced approach to use and development of land within the County Comprehensive Plan Urban Service areas should be applied which is currently stated and implied in the general goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. I believe clean energy solar projects can and should be considered part of that balanced development approach. This ordinance should be rejected because it does not reflect a balanced land use and does not, "ensure that the overall long-term common good of the community is kept in balance with the freedom and rights of the individual land owner." (Comprehensive Goals and Objectives, Sect. J- Land Use and Development, Goal #4).
[My family currently owns agricultural land within the Stuarts Draft-Mt.Vernon Urban Service boundary. We have approached and spoken with county officials and supervisors over the past several years regarding our desire to cooperate with the county's vision and our own desires for use of our lands for solar energy production. I believe we have been clear that we value a balanced approach and we have sought to be collaborative as much as possible. So again, we ask you to reject this ordinance because it is directly counter to a balanced approach.]
Distance from other solar farms should not be an establish setpoint. The solar companies and power companies want the farms near power substations or 3 phase interconnection points. These should be determined on an as needed basis because of established or future planned electrical connections.
Small solar farm size should remain at 50 acres. The requirements of setback and stormwater would reduce acreage for solar panels.
Large and small scale solar installations can be landscaped and have ag uses to enhance their visual impact, we cannot do this with Amazon warehouse type buildings. Can the county create a "loss of utility fee tax" applied to solar installations to make up for lost utility revenue?. Why would our pro business community restrict a pro business investment by a county tax payer because it is located in an urban service area? If it is concern for loss of tax revenue or utility fee, make a provision to add a tax or utility fee for a solar project to equate for commercial use.
Small-scale solar should not be prohibited in an Urban Service Area. Small-scale solar provides the mixture and diversity of residential and commercial activity called for by the Comp. Plan and much needed in an USA. Small-scale solar projects MUST be located in Urban Service Areas because that is where the greatest consumer demand is, in the Urban Service Areas and because small-scale solar facilities MUST be located near power substations and all but one of the Dominion Power power substations are located in Urban Service Areas.(Large-scale solar projects do not need to be located near power substations as they can create their own substations within the project). Small-scale solar must also be located adjacent to or close to other small-scale solar facilities because the available land near power substations is limited.
Prohibiting small scale solar systems within Urban Service Areas and Community Development Areas is counter-productive because these areas have the best infrastructure to support development of solar projects, which we desperately need more of, and they take development pressure off of equally needed agricultural land.
The current Comprehensive Plan also supports use of Urban Service Areas and Community Development Areas for industrial development, which should include low impact solar projects.
The blanket 2 mile rule simply makes no sense because terrain can shield adjacent solar projects that may be able to take advantage of infrastructure located in the vicinity.. Every project should be taken on a case by case basis.
Restricting the economic opportunities of landowners provided by low impact, clean solar development would also seem to be counter to the County's expressed support of economic opportunity for it's citizens.
Viewshed concerns also seem misplaced in an area blighted with poultry houses everywhere.
The Shenandoah Valley, and Augusta County in particular, are very fortunate that almost all the electricity we consume is generated away from the Valley, so we don't have to deal with powerplants that are creating piles of hazardous waste products. The least we can do is support the development of clean energy projects that are needed very badly if we have any hope of avoiding a true climate calamity.
A balanced approach to use and development of land within the County Comprehensive Plan Urban Service areas should be applied which is currently stated and implied in the general goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. I believe clean energy solar projects can and should be considered part of that balanced development approach. This ordinance should be rejected because it does not reflect a balanced land use and does not, "ensure that the overall long-term common good of the community is kept in balance with the freedom and rights of the individual land owner." (Comprehensive Goals and Objectives, Sect. J- Land Use and Development, Goal #4).
[My family currently owns agricultural land within the Stuarts Draft-Mt.Vernon Urban Service boundary. We have approached and spoken with county officials and supervisors over the past several years regarding our desire to cooperate with the county's vision and our own desires for use of our lands for solar energy production. I believe we have been clear that we value a balanced approach and we have sought to be collaborative as much as possible. So again, we ask you to reject this ordinance because it is directly counter to a balanced approach.]
Distance from other solar farms should not be an establish setpoint. The solar companies and power companies want the farms near power substations or 3 phase interconnection points. These should be determined on an as needed basis because of established or future planned electrical connections.
Small solar farm size should remain at 50 acres. The requirements of setback and stormwater would reduce acreage for solar panels.
Large and small scale solar installations can be landscaped and have ag uses to enhance their visual impact, we cannot do this with Amazon warehouse type buildings. Can the county create a "loss of utility fee tax" applied to solar installations to make up for lost utility revenue?. Why would our pro business community restrict a pro business investment by a county tax payer because it is located in an urban service area? If it is concern for loss of tax revenue or utility fee, make a provision to add a tax or utility fee for a solar project to equate for commercial use.
Small-scale solar should not be prohibited in an Urban Service Area. Small-scale solar provides the mixture and diversity of residential and commercial activity called for by the Comp. Plan and much needed in an USA. Small-scale solar projects MUST be located in Urban Service Areas because that is where the greatest consumer demand is, in the Urban Service Areas and because small-scale solar facilities MUST be located near power substations and all but one of the Dominion Power power substations are located in Urban Service Areas.(Large-scale solar projects do not need to be located near power substations as they can create their own substations within the project). Small-scale solar must also be located adjacent to or close to other small-scale solar facilities because the available land near power substations is limited.