[00:00:01]
MIKE JONES.[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE FOR THE FEBRUARY 14TH ITY COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.I'LL ASK EVERYBODY IF YOU'LL STAND AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A SMALL MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ROLL CALL PLEASE.
WE HAVE A BIT OF A PROBLEM TONIGHT PEOPLE, AND I'M GONNA TRY MY BEST TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU THE BEST WAY I CAN.
TWO OF THE CASES TONIGHT WILL NOT BE, WE WILL HEAR ONE, WE WILL NOT HEAR THE OTHER, BUT WE WILL NOT VOTE ON EITHER.
AND ONE IS THE SOLAR PROJECT, WHICH WE WILL HEAR THE CASE.
WE WILL ALLOW YOU TO TALK, BUT IT'S GONNA BE RE HELD NEXT MONTH.
THE OTHER IS THE SHOOTING RANGE THAT WAS COMING BEFORE US TONIGHT.
IN BOTH INSTANCES, A ADJOINING LANDOWNER WAS NOT NOTIFIED PROPERLY.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO NOT HOLD THE TRUE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THOSE AND REDO IT THE NEXT MONTH AFTER THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE LEFT OUT ARE RE NOTIFIED.
DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT I JUST SAID? I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT IF YOU'RE HERE FOR SOLAR TO SPEAK YOUR PEACE.
BUT REMEMBER, WE WILL NOT VOTE TONIGHT.
IT WILL BE NEXT MONTH IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THE CASE THAT INVOLVES THE SHOOTING RANGE, WE WILL NOT TALK ABOUT THAT AT ALL TONIGHT.
BUT I TELL YOU, IF YOU ARE HERE, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE FOR THAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SPEAK UNDER CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO COME BACK NEXT MONTH WHEN THAT IS HELD AND GET TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALRIGHT? CAN I ASK A QUESTION? ARE YOU GONNA BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK ON THE SOLAR UH, PANEL PROJECT NEXT MONTH TOO? YES.
EVERYBODY ELSE CLEAR ON THAT? YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AGAIN NEXT MONTH ON THE SOLAR AND THE SHOOTING RANGE.
ALRIGHT? WHAT'S THE REASON FOR NO VOTE TONIGHT? YOU CAN'T, I HAVE TO COME BACK UP HERE AGAIN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO RE NOTIFY THE NEIGHBORS AND RE-PUT IT IN THE PAPER AND RE ADVERTISE BEFORE YOU CAN HAVE A PROPER HEARING BECAUSE SOMEBODY COULD COME BACK AND SAY, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AS AN ADJOINING LANDOWNER.
AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE PROPER NOTIFICATION.
IF YOU WERE AN ADJOINING LANDOWNER TO A CASE AGAINST YOU AND YOU WERE LEFT OUT AND DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETING BECAUSE YOU NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT, YOU WOULD BE MAD, WOULD YOU NOT? OKAY.
I I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD BE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WERE AGAINST IT.
SO WE HAVE TO GIVE EVERYBODY THEIR ABILITY TO SPEAK AND BE HERE TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES IN THESE CASES.
BELIEVE ME, NOBODY UP HERE WANTS TO BE HERE AND HEAR THIS TWICE.
WE'VE ALREADY HEARD THE SOLAR PROJECT THREE TIMES.
TONIGHT WILL BE FOUR AND NEXT MONTH WILL BE FIVE.
WE CAN ONLY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU GET TIRED OF HEARING IT AFTER A WHILE.
NO DISRESPECT TO THE SOLAR COMPANY, BUT WE'VE HEARD IT A LOT.
SO NOBODY'S ANY MORE DISAPPOINTED THAN WE ARE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED AND WE APOLOGIZE AND I WANNA MAKE THAT NOTED NOW THAT WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE, BUT YOU WILL BE ON RECORD TONIGHT.
SO WHEN YOU SAY WHATEVER YOU SAY, YOU ARE ON RECORD WHEN YOU SPEAK.
THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
ASK FOR AN APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA MINUS THE CASE.I BELIEVE IT'S C DASH 23 DASH SIX
[00:05:01]
TO BE OMITTED, BUT WE WILL RUN THROUGH CASE P 24 DASH ONE AND C 24 DASH ONE.GO AHEAD MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ADJUSTED AGENDA.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
CAN WE HAVE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. LANGLEY? YES.
SEVEN MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE FOR THE UH, AMENDED AGENDA? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 11TH MEETING.YOU WAS SENT THOSE IN THE EMAIL.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE ON THE JANUARY 11TH? REGULAR MEETING MINUTES.
HEARING NONE? CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE PLEASE? MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION.
WE APPROVE THE JANUARY MINUTES.
CAN WE HAVE THE ROLL CALL TO APPROVE THAT MR. TUCKER? YES.
SEVEN MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING A.
[6. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
ON TO THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.I MADE A COMMENT TO Y'ALL EARLIER.
IF YOU ARE HERE FOR CASE C DASH 23 DASH SIX AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR YOU TO DO SO.
BEFORE YOU ARE NOTE ARE ASKED TO COME UP, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS IS A TIME FOR THE CITIZENS TO MAKE COMMENTS ON ANY CASE THAT IS NOT IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT OR ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
IT IS NOT GONNA BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME.
SO IF YOU GET UP THERE AND YOU ASK US A QUESTION, WE'RE NOT GONNA ANSWER YOU.
IT IS A TIME FOR YOU TO PUT OUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO THE COUNTY.
UH, WE ARE GONNA BE AS RESPECTFUL TO YOU AS YOU ARE TO US.
SO I ASK THAT YOU SPEAK WITH DECORUM WHEN YOU SPEAK TO US AND PLEASE DO NOT USE PROFANITY.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMENT? ANGELA ORELL.
MS. RELL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE FOR THE RECORD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN GENERAL ABOUT MY CONCERNS REGARDING SOLAR ENERGY.
NOT SPECIFIC, JUST IN GENERAL.
I WOULD PROBABLY ASK THAT YOU DO THAT UNDER THE PO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHEN SOLAR COMES AROUND.
I HAD CHECKED PRIOR TO COMING, BUT I WILL WAIT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UNDER THIS CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD? I'M SORRY IF NOT, I'M SORRY.
I LIVE AT, UH, 14 8 10 BRICK ROAD IN CARSON.
UH, I, I CAME HERE TODAY TO, UH, SPEAK ON UH, THE REZONING AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THAT'S THAT LILY POND IS, UH, REQUESTING THE, UH, I ALRIGHT, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WAIT TILL WE GET TO THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD FOR THAT CASE.
THIS IS FOR ANYTHING NOT DEALING WITH SOLAR TONIGHT OR NOT DEALING WITH THE REZONING, UH, CASE P DASH 23 DASH NINE IF YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK ON THE GUN RANGE THAT WAS GONNA COME BEFORE US.
SO THIS IS FOR 23 POINT DASH NINE RIGHT NOW? NOT, WE ARE NOT EVEN THERE YET.
WE, WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED THE CASES.
THANK SIR, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU COME UP DURING THIS CASE.
ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING? NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, CITIZEN COMMENT, TIME IS CLOSED AND WE
[7.A. P-23-9]
WILL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WE WILL HEAR CASE P DASH 23 DASH NINE FIRST.MR. BASSETT, IF YOU COULD COME AND FILL US IN ON THAT IN THE PUBLIC IF YOU WOULD.
GIVE ME ONE SECOND, MR. CHAIR.
MR. BASSETT, IF YOU NEED ONE SECOND SIR.
[00:10:01]
THAT KIND OF DAY, SIR, I APOLOGIZE SIR, I'M TRYING TO GET THIS OFF MY SCREEN.OKAY, THIS IS 23 9, CORRECT? YES, IT IS P DASH 23 DASH NINE.
MR. PASTOR, MAY I BORROW YOUR EYES FOR A SECOND SIR? WHAT? THIS, THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE.
THERE FEW PLEASURES YOU ENJOY.
YOUR FIRST TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GOT THE EXPERIENCE.
ALRIGHT, ARE WE READY THEN? ALRIGHT, HERE WE GO.
APPRECIATE YOUR ALLOWING US TO GET THE SLIDES UP FOR THIS CASE.
AGAIN, THIS IS CASE P DASH 23 DASH NINE.
THE APPLICANT IS CLEMY HA UH, THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING TO REPRESENT THEIR APPLICATION IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
UM, JUST FOR THE CASE OVERVIEW, UH, THE REQUESTED REZONING IS TO REZONE THE SUBJECT PROPERTY YOU CAN SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED ON THE SLIDES.
UH, THIS IS 6 11 67 11 TRINITY CHURCH ROAD.
UH, TAX MAP PARCEL NUMBERS 16 DASH TWO DASH ONE TURN HARD TO HEAR.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 1.03 ACRES.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, AND AGAIN, THE APPLICANT'S HERE THIS EVENING AS WELL TO REPRESENT THE APPLICATION.
UM, LOOKING AT THE LAND USE AND ZONING ANALYSIS, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS PART OF A FIVE LOT SUBDIVISION THAT WAS CREATED IN
[00:15:01]
AUGUST OF 1975.THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE SECOND SLIDE WE HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
AGAIN, UH, IT'S THAT, UH, TOP PARCEL, UH, THAT YOU CAN SEE AS, AS PART OF THAT SUBDIVISION.
IT WASN'T A A NAMED SUBDIVISION AT THE TIME.
UH, IT WAS SUBDIVIDED IN 1975, BUT IT'S IT'S PARCEL ONE THERE.
UM, AT THE TIME IN THE A TWO ZONING DISTRICT IN 1975, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE COUNTY DID ALLOW ONE ACRE MINIMUM LOT SIZES IN THE A TWO ZONING DISTRICT.
UH, IF YOU HAD ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT LOT SIZE, OF COURSE CURRENTLY LOT SIZES ARE REQUIRED TO BE A MINIMUM OF THREE ACRES.
UM, ALL THE ADJOINING AND SURROUNDING PROPERTY IN THE GENERAL AREA.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS ALSO IS, IS ZONED A TWO AGRICULTURAL GENERAL, AND AS BACKGROUND INFO INFORMATION, STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE R TWO RESIDENTIAL GENERAL ZONING FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY WAS MAPPED INCORRECTLY WHEN THE TAX MAP PARCEL NUMBER FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, WHICH IS 16 DASH TWO DASH ONE, WAS USED TO IDENTIFY PROPERTY LOCATED ON A SEPARATE CASE BACK IN 1983.
THAT WAS A REZONING ON STERLING ROAD WAS REZONED FROM THE R TWO, UH, FROM THE A TWO, UH, ZONING CLASSIFICATION TO THE R TWO ZONING CLASSIFICATION.
SO WE BELIEVE, UH, AT THE TIME, UM, THE, UH, SUBJECT PROPERTY WAS INCORRECTLY REZONED AND MAPPED TO THE R TWO RESIDENTIAL GENERAL ZONING DISTRICT.
UM, AS, AS I MENTIONED, UM, WHEN THE SUBJECT PROPERTY ON STERLING ROAD WAS REZONED IN 1983, UM, WE BELIEVE STAFF, UM, THAT WAS IN PLACE AT THAT TIME USED INADVERTENTLY USED, UH, THE APPLICANT'S TAX MAP NUMBER, MR. MERTON AT THE TIME THAT 16 DASH TWO DASH ONE TAX MAP NUMBER AS THE TAX MAP NUMBER FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY TO BE REZONED ON STERLING ROAD.
SO AGAIN, WE FEEL LIKE, UM, IN 83 THE PROPERTY WAS INCORRECTLY MAPPED AND ZONED TO THE R TWO ZONING CLASSIFICATION.
UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROPERTY, UH, IT STILL ZONED A TO AGRICULTURAL GENERAL, BUT IN ORDER TO, UH, CORRECT, CORRECT THE MAPPING ERA, UM, WE FEEL LIKE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO GO THROUGH, UM, PUBLIC HEARING AND UM, ALSO PROPER PROCEDURES, UH, TO CORRECTLY, UH, REZONE THE PROPERTY AND WE BELIEVE MAPPED TO ITS ORIGINAL A TWO ZONING CLASSIFICATION.
WE ALSO BELIEVE, UM, THAT THE A TWO AGRICULTURAL GENERAL ZONING CLASSIFICATION IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNTY'S LONG RANGE PLAN, UH, FOR THIS GENERAL AREA OF THE COUNTY.
UM, LOOKING AT IMPACTS, UH, WE BELIEVE, UH, THERE WILL BE NO NEW IMPACTS RELATED TO, UH, REZONING OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE DWELLING IS ON THE PROPERTY, UM, LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY, UM, ALREADY, UM, THERE'LL BE NO TRANS NEW TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS AS WELL, UH, TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
AND AS A RESULT, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST TO REZONE THE SUBJECT PROPERTY GIVEN THAT THE REQUESTED ZONING CLASSIFICATION A TWO AGRICULTURAL GENERAL IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING ZONING PATTERN AND SURROUNDING LAND USES AND THAT THE PROPOSED USE CONFORMS TO THE UNDERLYING IS RECOMMENDED IN THE RURAL CONSERVATION AREA IN THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN FOR THIS GENERAL AREA.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. BASSETT AT THIS TIME FROM ANY PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS? NO.
AT THIS TIME I WILL ASK THE APPLICANT IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY SOMETHING.
BUT I NEED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP AND SAY YOUR PIECE.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
I RESIDE AT 67 11 TRINITY CHURCH ROAD.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THE REASON THAT WE MOVED DOWN HERE AND MOVED DOWN HERE WITH MY FIANCE AND HER KIDS WAS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
[00:20:01]
THE AGRICULTURAL AREA AND, SORRY, ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT DOES AFFORD US TO BE ABLE TO DO WOULD REALLY LIKE TO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING WHAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED.UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I'D LIKE TO ASK IF MY GIRLFRIEND, FIANCE TO COME UP AND SAY A COUPLE WORDS QUICKLY, PLEASE.
UM, POLITELY IF I MAY SPEAK WITH AFTER THE OTHER PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, I FOR THAT, PLEASE.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO REBUT ANYTHING IF SOMEBODY COMES UP.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS.
I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS IS A TIME THAT IF ANYBODY'S HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP AT THIS TIME AND SPEAK.
I ASK AGAIN THAT YOU USE DECORUM WHEN YOU ADDRESS US AND TRY NOT TO USE PROFANITY.
WE WILL GIVE AN AVERAGE OF THREE MINUTES PER PERSON IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME UP.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? MR. HUNTER BONNER BOWMAN? I'M SORRY HUNTER BOWMAN, IF YOU COME UP, IF YOU COULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.
UM, THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS, YOU'D HAVE TO BE REZONING IT TO AGRICULTURE.
YOU THE, THE THREE ACRE REQUIREMENT.
UM, NOW THE, THERE WAS COUNTY MADE AN ERROR BACK IN 1983.
THE ERROR, IF THERE WAS ANYBODY THAT SUFFERED DAMAGES DUE TO THE ERROR THAT THE COUNTY MADE BACK 40 YEARS AGO, IT WAS DAMAGES TO A DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNER AND FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING TO, TO BREAK THE CODE ON THE THREE ACRE MINIMAL, I FEEL IS WRONG.
I SHOULDN'T, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE GRANDFATHERED IN.
UM, THE PROPERTY HAS SWITCHED HANDS FOUR TIMES SINCE THEN.
EACH TIME IT'S BEEN SOLD AS RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, UM, THAT'S LEGALLY STANDING THAT HE BOUGHT IT AS RESIDENTIAL AND I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD STAY RESIDENTIAL.
UH, 'CAUSE YOU, YOU CAN'T CHANGE IT BACK WITHOUT BREAKING THE LAW.
UM, I PUT IN, UM, I WROTE SOMETHING FOR ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I HOPE THAT Y'ALL WILL LOOK OVER IT.
I ALSO HAVE, UH, SIGNATURES OF 17 PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE, UH, SURROUNDING AREA, INCLUDING EVERYBODY THAT BORDERS THEIR PROPERTY AND ADJACENT PROPERTIES, UM, THAT ARE OPPOSING THIS.
UM, AND EVERYTHING IS IS THERE FOR Y'ALL TO, TO LOOK OVER AND REVIEW AND THERE'S NO SENSE IN ME WASTING MORE THAN PEOPLE'S TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. CHAIR.
THERE'S NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS CASE AT THIS TIME? DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE COPIES BY CHANCE? I JUST, WE JUST GAVE, WHAT I GAVE YOU IS WHAT THE, ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA SEND THAT DOWN TO Y'ALL TO SHARE AND TAKE THAT BUTCH.
ALRIGHT, IF THERE'S NOBODY ELSE TO SPEAK, I WILL CLOSE.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, DURING THIS PERIOD I'LL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AMY STRONG, 67 11 TRINITY CHURCH ROAD IN CHURCH ROAD, VIRGINIA, 2 3 8, 3 3.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, AS FAR AS GOING WITH THE ZONING, UM, TO THE NORTH OF US UP TO THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY BORDER, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE, THERE ARE TWO PROPERTY FOR 6.4 MILES TO THE SOUTH AND THAT'S ALL THE WAY TO THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY BORDER.
TO THE SOUTH, IT'S EIGHT MILES TO THE WEST.
IT IS 14 MILES BEFORE YOU HIT ANOTHER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE COUNTY LINE.
I'M PROBABLY SURE I COULD HAVE WENT A LOT FURTHER.
AND TO THE EAST IT'S 7.77 MILES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF, UM, SUTHERLAND SPORTING GOODS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOODS BEHIND OUR HOUSE, I KNOW THEY TOOK THE SCREEN DOWN, BUT WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE THERE THAT ARE STILL ZONED A TWO.
LIKE I SAID, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE FAR LESS THAN AN ACRE AND EVEN MORE AS YOU GO OUT IN EACH DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, TRUST ME, SOME OF THESE GUYS CAN TELL YOU I HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY THE BIGGEST THING
[00:25:01]
THAT I REALLY HAVE TO SAY IS THAT IT JUST, I DON'T THINK THAT SOMEBODY WHO HAS AN ISSUE WITH US ON A PERSONAL LEVEL SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFECT WHAT MY KIDS ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE FOR PETS OR ANIMALS.THIS LITTLE ONE RIGHT HERE, SHE, SHE HAS HER PET CHICKENS, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY I'M NOT ALLOWED TO EAT.
UM, BUT THIS WOULD TAKE AWAY HER RIGHT TO HAVE THOSE AS WELL AS HER DUCKS, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE NAMED AS WELL AND I'M NOT ALLOWED TO EAT.
UM, THEY'RE A PART OF OUR FAMILY NOW AND A PART OF THE REASON WHY WE CHOSE IN WOODY COUNTY AND ONE OF THE PARTS OF WHY WE WANTED TO MOVE HERE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S FAIR FOR ONE PERSON WHO JUST DOESN'T LIKE ME AND ME IN PARTICULAR, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, TO BE ABLE TO GO AROUND AND GET A BUNCH OF SIGNATURES FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANNA SHOW UP THAT I'VE PROBABLY NEVER MET TO SAY THAT THEY CAN RESTRICT OUR LAND USE AND TO TRY TO TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS OF MY FAMILY.
THIS TIME I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC.
UM, I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO SEE WHAT HE HAS WRITTEN ABOUT US THAT HE GAVE TO YOU.
UH, I WOULD SAY AFTER THIS WE CAN GIVE YOU A COPY OF THAT IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY, BUT I MEAN, AS FAR AS BEFOREHAND FOR WHATEVER HE'S WRITTEN FOR ME TO, UM, ARGUE AGAINST IT OR WHATEVER, WOULD IT BE SOMETHING I COULD DO BEFORE A VOTE AS HELD? I, BECAUSE I MEAN, AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE, HE COULD HAVE JUST MADE, HE MADE UP ANYTHING.
I, I WILL ADDRESS THAT IN JUST A SECOND IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UH, I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF I SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T ADDRESS THIS AT THIS TIME, BUT THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEIGHBOR.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T LOOK AT THAT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE CASES, WE LOOK AT PURELY THE MERITS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS SITUATION, UH, FAR AS A ZONING ASPECT IS CONCERNED.
AND WE WILL VOTE ON IT BECAUSE OF THAT.
THAT WAY WE DON'T LOOK AT SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING BAD TO SOMEBODY OR SOMEBODY DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU GOT CHICKENS.
I DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT IT BASED ON ITS MERIT OF ZONING.
ALRIGHT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I DON'T.
I WILL SAY THAT OUR PLAN DEPARTMENT HAS DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND WHAT THEY HAVE OFFERED IS, UH, THEIR OPINION ON WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
I LISTEN TO THAT, THAT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ALL I REALLY NEED TO HEAR AT THIS POINT.
HEARING NOTHING, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
BE RESOLVED IN AN ORDER TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 DASH 2 2 8 6 A SEVEN.
IT IS STATED THAT THE PUBLIC PURPOSE FOR WHICH THIS RESOLUTION IS INITIATED IS TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE, GENERAL WELFARE, AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
I MOVE THAT REZONING P 23 DASH NINE BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SECOND, BEEN PROPERLY MADE, UH, MOTION HAS BEEN PROPERLY MADE AND SECONDED TO MOVE THIS ON TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR APPROVAL.
CAN I GET THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. HAYES? YES.
VOTING IP DASH 23 DASH NINE HAS BEEN APPROVED TO GO FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THAT WILL BE HELD NEXT MONTH ON WHAT DATE? 19TH.
[7.B. C-23-6]
CASE C DASH 23 DASH SIX IS NOT GONNA BE HEARD TONIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO[7.C. P-24-1]
CASE P DASH 24 DASH ONE, THE APPLICANT LILY POND SOLAR, LLC.MR. BASSETT, IF YOU COULD GET YOU THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
UH, MR. GURLEY, ARE YOU ABLE TO PULL UP? YES, SIR.
MY PRESENTATION AS WELL AS THE APPLICANT'S JUST I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS,
[00:30:23]
SIR, I'M READY.MINE'S THE SAME AS WHAT WE HAD UP BEFORE.
WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I'M JUST GONNA REMIND Y'ALL WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MARK BASSETT, YOU'LL HEAR FROM HIM AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
IF YOU COME TO THIS MEETING, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT, THEY PROMISED TO BE BRIEF THIS EVENING IN THEIR PRESENTATION SINCE THEY WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THEIR PRESENTATION AGAIN NEXT MONTH AND WE WILL HEAR Y'ALL NOW.
I'M GONNA PREFACE THAT BY SAYING WE WILL NOT BE MOVING ON TO THE, UH, HEARING FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BECAUSE YOU WILL ALL HAVE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO SPEAK UNDER THE REZONING CASE.
MR. MR. CHAIR, I MAY ASK THE APPLICANT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JUST COMBINE THOSE TWO WHAT HE SAID? OKAY.
LEMME SEE NOW IT'S NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING.
IS THAT COMBINING THE TWO? YES.
SO THE PUBLIC SHOULD SPEAK, YOU'LL BE SPEAKING TOWARDS BOTH OF THEM.
YEAH, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND THE REZONING REQUEST.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMENT, IF IT'S ON CONDITIONAL USE, YOU ARE FREE TO SAY SOMETHING IF IT'S ON THE ZONING AND YOU'RE STILL FREE TO SAY SOMETHING, EITHER ONE.
THIS IS IT OVER HERE, BUT IT'S MINE FOR CHRISTMAS.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR, APPRECIATE YOUR WAITING WHILE WE GOT THE SLIDES FOR THIS CASE LOADED.
AS YOU INDICATED, THIS IS THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THE MEETING FOR CASE P DASH 24 DASH ONE, LILY POND SOLAR, LLC, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR LILY POND, LLC.
ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION, IT WAS DOMINICA SINK AND I KNOW THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES ARE HERE THIS EVENING, UH, TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTED, THIS IS JUST THE, UM, GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE PARCELS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED THIS EVENING FOR REZONING FROM A TWO AGRICULTURAL GENERAL TO SED.
THAT'S OUR UTILITY SCALE SOLAR ENERGY DISTRICT.
UH, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 19 PARCELS AND APPROXIMATELY 1,891 ACRES IN SIZE.
AND AGAIN, UH, THIS IS AN 80 MEGAWATT, UH, SOLAR PROJECT ON, UM, THAT 1,891 ACRES.
UM, AS YOU HAD INDICATED, UM, THIS IS RELATIVELY THE SAME APPLICATION, UH, THAT YOU ALL HEARD AT YOUR MARCH 2ND, 2023 MEETING.
[00:35:01]
UM, AT THAT TIME, UM, JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, UM, THE APPLICANT DID NOTE, UM, THAT, UM, A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEIR UH, 2021 PROJECT, UH, PROPOSED TO UTILIZE APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES OF ACT ACTIVE CROP PRODUCTION LAND.AND THE REVISED SITE PLAN SHOWS A REDUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND UTILIZED AS CROP LAND TO APPROXIMATELY 40 ACRES.
UH, IN ADDITION, THE APPLICANT, UH, HAS INDICATED THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING, UH, WITH LOCAL FARMERS AND AGRICULTURAL REPRESENTATIVES TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL PATHWAYS THROUGH WHICH WE CAN SUPPORT THE CONTINUUM AGRICULTURAL PROSPERITY IN THE COUNTY.
UM, ALSO INDICATED IN THE APPLICATION THE PROPOSED SETBACKS.
UM, THEY REALLY ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY PROPOSED IN THE 2023 APPLICATION.
SETBACKS ARE 150 FEET FROM ALL PROPERTY BOUNDARIES AND ROADS.
UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HALIFAX ROAD, THERE IS A 250 FOOT SETBACK, UH, FOR THE PORTION OF THE PROJECT, UM, THAT'S LOCATED ALONG HALIFAX ROAD.
UM, AN ADDITIONAL PROJECT REVISION INCLUDES ESTABLISHING A CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 69 ACRES OF THE HISTORIC BATTLEFIELD AREAS.
THAT'S THE REAMS ONE AND REAMS TWO BATTLEFIELD AREAS.
UH, THE CONSERVATION AREA, EASEMENT AREA IS TO REMAIN UNDISTURBED AND CURRENT VEGETATION ARE TO BE MAINTAINED WITH THESE AREAS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE FENCE SOLAR PROJECT AREA.
UM, ALSO, UH, RELATED TO THAT TOPIC, UM, WITH THE APPLICATION, HOPEFULLY YOU ALL FOUND, UH, THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST, UH, LETTER DATED DECEMBER 19TH, 2023.
AND, UM, JUST LIKE TO READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH, UM, THE APPLICANT INTERJECTS HAS AGREED TO AVOID BUILDING ANY OF THE STRUCTURES OF ITS SOLAR FACILITY ON THE CORE AREA OF THE REAM STATION BATTLEFIELD.
AND FURTHER TO PLACE A PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON 61.4 SENSITIVE ACRES TO CREATE AN APPROPRIATE BUFFER, MOST SIGNIFICANTLY INTERJECTS WILL DONATE 27.45 ACRES OUTRIGHT TO THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE ITS PERMANENT PROTECTION.
THIS PARCEL IS ENTIRELY WITHIN THE CORE AREA OF THE BATTLEFIELD AND IS, AND IS ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTIES THAT THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST ALREADY OWNS AT THE SITE, ENABLING THE TRUST TO BETTER INTERPRET THE BATTLE OF REAM STATION.
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE HAVE FOUND INTERJECTS TO BE A TRUE PARTNER AND WE SUPPORT YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT AGAIN, THAT THAT WAS A, UH, REVISION FROM THEIR LETTER FROM THE, UH, PREVIOUS APPLICATION THAT WAS HEARD BACK IN MARCH, 2023.
UM, JUST TO NOTE, THE PROPERTIES IN THE IMMEDIATE AIR AREA SURROUNDING THE SUBJECT, LAND PARCELS, UH, THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN, UM, INCLUDE AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTED LAND, LOW DENSITY, SINGLE FAMILY AND INSTITUTIONAL LAND.
A CHURCH IS LOCATED ON PERKINS ROAD AND RESIDENTIAL LAND USES RESIDENTIAL LAND USE MAKES UP 1.2% OF THE PROJECT SITE.
AGRICULTURAL LAND MAKES UP 8.6% OF THE PROJECT SITE.
UH, THAT WOULD BE, UH, CROP LAND PLANTED PINES MAKE UP 13.6% OF THE PROJECT SITE.
MIXED PINE AND UPLAND FOREST MAKE UP 42.1% OF THE PROJECT SITE AND WETLANDS MAKE UP 18.7 OF THE PRO PERCENT OF THE PROJECT SITE.
OF COURSE, ALL THE PROPERTIES WITHIN THE, UH, SUBJECT AREA AND THE SURROUNDING AREA ARE ALL ZONED A TO AGRICULTURAL.
UM, JUST TO NOTE, A VAST MAJORITY OF THE SITE, UH, DRAINS SOUTH AND WEST INTO WAN CREEK AND ULTIMATELY INTO THE NOTTAWAY RIVER BASIN.
[00:40:02]
UM, LOOKING AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, AS YOU ALL ARE WELL AWARE, UH, THE COUNTY ADOPTED OUR NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023.SO WE DID UPDATE OUR, UH, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, CITATIONS WITHIN OUR STAFF REPORT, UH, THAT ARE, WE FEEL ARE RELEVANT TO THE, TO THIS SUBJECT APPLICATION.
UM, THAT BEING PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND.
UH, WITHIN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, WE HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED THE LARGE PARCEL LAND AREAS CONTAINING THE BEST AGRICULTURAL SOILS, HIGH HISTORIC YIELDS AND HIGH PROBABILITY OF CONTINUING AND AGRICULTURAL USE.
UM, ENCOURAGE THE LOCATION AND CONTINUATION OF AGRICULTURAL RELATED INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES, WHICH SUPPORT THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY AND MAKE REGULATIONS SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO PERMIT SITE LOCATIONS WHERE DEVELOPMENT OCCURS IN IDENTIFIED PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND AREAS THAT MINIMIZE INTERFERENCE WITH AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS THAT USE MARGINALLY PRODUCTIVE LAND AND THAT CAUSE A MINIMAL LOSS OF PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL ACREAGE.
UM, ALSO WE HAVE CITATIONS, UH, INCLUDING, UH, SENSITIVE LAND AND HABITATS AVOID DEVELOPMENT IN STEEP SLOPE AREAS.
UM, TO NOTE THE, THE PROJECT SITE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT SITE, UH, IS RELATIVELY FLAT LAND.
IT'S ALL BELOW, UH, 5%, UH, SLOPE.
UH, LIMIT THE FRAGMENTATION OF HIGH VALUE FORESTRY AND HABITAT RESOURCES AND ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT MAINTAINS AN INTERCONNECTED NETWORK BETWEEN THESE RESOURCES.
UM, AGAIN, IN THE APPLICATION, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE APPLICANT HAS LOCATED, UM, CORRIDORS FOR, UH, WILDLIFE CORRIDORS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT SITE.
UM, PRESERVE AREAS OF HIGH CULTURAL AGRICULTURAL SUITABILITY FROM CONVERSION TO NON-AGRICULTURAL USES.
UM, I JUST PREVIOUSLY NOTED ABOUT CROP LAND, UH, WHERE THEY'RE, UH, TRYING TO PRESERVE CROP LAND, UH, AND THEY D THEY HAVE IT DOWN TO, UH, 40 ACRES DISTURBED, AND AGAIN, THEY'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER ACCORDING TO THEIR APPLICATION.
UM, AARON LIGHT MAINTAINED VEGETATED BUFFERS ALONG MAJOR ROAD CORRIDORS, BOTH TO ENHANCE AESTHETIC, AESTHETIC BEAUTY AND TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
AGAIN, WE, UM, DISCUSSED THE SETBACKS, UH, AROUND THE EXTERIOR OF THE SITE, 150 FOOT SETBACK AND ALONG HALIFAX ROAD, A 250 FOOT SETBACK.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT MINIMIZES ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT APPROPRIATE MITIGATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IS CLEARLY DEFINED AND CONSIDERED DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS.
AGAIN, IN YOUR APPLICATION, UM, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE STUDIES THAT WERE SUBMITTED AS, AS PART OF THE APPLICANT'S, UH, INFORMATION RELATED TO, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT.
CHAPTER SEVEN, LAND USE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING, RELEVANT SPECIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS, BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION AND PLANNING GUIDELINES, UH, CONSERVATION LAND, DIM WITTY COUNTY'S CONSERVATION LANDS ARE AN ASSET AND UNIQUE TYPE OF LAND USE.
HISTORIC CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS, FORT BARFOOT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS SUCH AS FLOODPLAINS AND CRITICAL HABITATS, ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF CONSERVATION LANDS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
CONTINUED PRESERVATION OF THESE LANDS IS VITAL TO LIMIT ADVERSE IMPACTS OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECT THE COUNTY'S RICH HISTORY AND CHARACTER FUTURE LAND USE FRAMEWORK.
ONE OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE FUTURE LAND USE FRAMEWORK IS TO PROTECT THE COUNTY'S RURAL CHARACTER AND SENSITIVE, NATURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES, RURAL CONSERVATION AREAS.
THE PRIORITY FOR THE RURAL CONSERVATION AREA IS PRESERVING THE EXISTING LANDSCAPE AND PROMOTING AGRICULTURAL AGRITOURISM AND FORESTRY AS THE PREDOMINANT USES.
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY USES MAY BE APPROPRIATE IN THE RURAL CONSERVATION AREAS WITH DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL.
THE PURPOSE OF RURAL CONSERVATION AREAS IS TO PRESERVE EXISTING FARM LAND, FOREST LAND, AND NATURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES.
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES DISCOURAGED DEVELOPMENT OF PRIME FARMLAND, PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND PROMOTE CIVIL WAR AND OTHER
[00:45:01]
HISTORIC RESOURCE RESOURCES PRESERVE EXISTING FLOODPLAINS CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL HABITATS AND STEEP SLOPES.SITE RENEWABLE ENERGY USES IN A MANNER THAT HAS MINIMAL IMPACT TO SCENIC VIEW, SHEDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
UM, LOOKING AT ALL THE, UM, IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT, UM, AS YOU CAN WITH ALL YOUR ATTACHMENTS, YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE APPLICANT DID INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY IMPACT ANALYSIS, NATURAL RESOURCES SURVEY, PRELIMINARY PRELIMINARY JURISDICTIONAL DETERMINATION.
THAT'S MAINLY WITH YOUR, UM, FLOOD PLAIN RESOURCES, UH, WETLANDS, THAT TYPE OF THING.
CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEY, LANDSCAPING PLAN, AND VISUAL IMPACTS, BUFFER AND 3D MODELS.
THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, THE FAA STUDY AND PROPOSED CONDITIONS FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST AND THE FISCAL IMPACT REPORT, A DE DECOMMISSIONING PLAN, AND THE LIMITED ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY REVIEW.
THAT'S THE NEPA REVIEW FOR THE PROJECT SITE.
AND THE PROPOSED, UH, PROJECT, UM, JUST FOR INFORMATION WOULD BE REQUIRED IF THE PROJECT, UH, MOVES FORWARD TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL PERMITS FROM THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
UH, THE FISCAL IMPACT, JUST TO NOTE, UM, THAT HAS, UH, NOT CHANGED.
UH, THE PROJECT, UH, SCALE IS THE SAME, APPROXIMATELY 500 ACRES UNDER PANEL, AN 80 MEG MEGAWATT PROJECT.
UM, CURRENTLY THE PROPERTY TAX, UM, GENERATED BY THE PROPERTY THAT'S MADE PART OF THE APPLICATION, UH, IS $6,760 IN ANNUAL REAL ESTATE TAX AND PROJECTED REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE OVER THE 45 YEAR PROJECT LIFESPAN IS $304,186.
WITH THE NEW USE PROPOSED USE THE SOLAR FACILITY, UH, ANNUAL REAL ESTATE TAX GENERATED FROM THE REASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPERTIES ESTIMATED TO BE $224,083 PER YEAR OVER THE 45 YEAR PROJECT LIFETIME.
THAT WOULD BE, UH, REAL ESTATE TAX GENERATED, UH, A LITTLE OVER $10 MILLION FOR THE PROJECT.
UM, THE PROJECT IS SUBJECT TO MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX.
UH, THE M AND T TAX, UH, FOR THE PROJECT LIFE OF THE PROJECT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION, AGAIN, OVER THE 45 YEAR PROJECT LIFESPAN.
UM, LOOKING AT THE REVENUE SHARE OPTION, UH, FOR THE PROJECT, UH, THAT THE COUNTY IS ABLE TO, UH, AGREE TO WITH THE APPLICANT, UM, $1,400 WOULD BE PRODUCED PER MEGAWATT.
UM, AND YOU HAVE AN ANNUAL ESCALATOR OF 10% EVERY FIVE YEARS, BEGINNING IN 2026 CREATES REVENUES OF APPROXIMATELY $8.2 MILLION OVER 45 YEARS.
UM, LOOKING AT THE OVERALL, UH, TAX CONTRIBUTION OF THE PROJECT, UM, WOULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 14 MILLION TO $18 MILLION OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT.
AGAIN, THAT'S A 45 YEAR USEFUL LIFE.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, RELATED TO THE SITING AGREEMENT THAT THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE PROJECT, UM, I'M SORRY, ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION, UH, GENERATED, UH, RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION, UH, RELATED ACTIVITY FOR THE PROJECT WOULD BE, UM, $6.5 MILLION, UM, IN DIRECT, INDIRECT AND INDUCED INCREMENTAL ACTIVITY TO THE ECONOMY OF DITTY COUNTY.
UM, I DID NOTE THE CITING AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE PART OF APPLICATION, THE APPLICATION, UH, AND THIS WAS, UM, PART OF THE APPLICATION BACK IN 2023.
THE APPLICANT IS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE A $3.6 MILLION, UH, ONE TIME CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO THE COUNTY AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
JUST WANTED TO NOTE, UH, TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IN THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, THERE IS EXTENSIVE
[00:50:01]
LANGUAGE, UH, CONDITION LANGUAGE ABOUT, UH, THAT A CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD BE PUT INTO PLACE AS PART OF THE PROJECT.THAT WOULD INCLUDE A PLAN TO SHOW PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION ACCESS ROUTES TO THE DEVELOPMENT SITE FROM THE STATE, PRIMARY ROUTES, A PRE-CONSTRUCTION ASSESSMENT OF THE CONDITION OF THE SECONDARY ROADWAYS TO BE USED AS A HAUL ROUTE TO THE FACILITY WITH A COMMITMENT FROM THE APPLICANT TO PREPARE ANY DAMAGE CAUSED DURING CONSTRUCTION AND TO RESTORE THE ROADWAYS TO PRE-CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS.
AND FINALLY, A PLAN TO IDENTIFY ONSITE AREAS SUITABLE FOR PARKING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND AREAS AND AREAS EXIST ON SITE TO ALLOW TRUCKS TO BE UNLOADED AND TURN AROUND WITHOUT HAVING TO BACK ONTO STATE MAINTAINED ROADWAYS.
ADDITIONALLY, VDOT ANTICIPATES AS PART OF THE PROJECT THAT MULTIPLE LOW VOLUME COMMERCIAL ENTRANCES ARE REQUIRED TO SERVE THE PROPOSED SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY AND THE LOW VOLUME COMMERCIAL ENTRANCE HAS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT STOPPING SITE DISTANCE BASED ON THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IS AVAILABLE AT THE PROPOSED ENTRANCE LOCATION.
ALL FUTURE TRANSPORTATION RELATED IMPROVEMENTS FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCES AND COMMERCIAL ENTRANCES WILL HAVE TO MEET VDOT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS AS PART OF VDO T'S PERMITTING PROCESS.
UM, IN CLOSING, JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ULTIMATELY MUST WEIGH THE IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT AGAINST THE BENEFITS OF THE REZONING REQUEST AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD CONSIDER IF THE REZONING REQUEST IS COMPATIBLE AND NOT A SUBSTANTIAL DETRIMENT WITH THE SURROUNDING ZONING PATTERN AND SURROUNDING PROPERTY AND THAT IT CONFORMS TO THE UNDERLYING USES OUTLINED IN THE RURAL CONSERVATION AREA IN THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN FOR THIS GENERAL AREA OF THE COUNTY.
MR. CHAIR, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? DID, DID YOU WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS TOWARDS THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OTHER THAN WHAT YOU HAD STATED WITH VDOT? I MEAN, SINCE WE ARE COMBINING THEM, I GUESS.
I MEAN, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO OUTLINE, UH, AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE CONDITIONS.
UH, WHEN YOU ALL HEARD THE PROPOSAL, UH, BACK IN MARCH OF 2023.
UM, YOU DID HEAR THE, AS YOU INDICATED, THE CONDITIONAL PERMIT REQUEST AS PART OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
UM, AND WE DID HAVE CONDITIONS LISTED AT THAT TIME, UH, SINCE THAT MARCH, 2023, UH, MEETING.
UH, THE APPLICATION DID GO TO THE BOARD, UH, FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION IN MAY OF 2023 AND BEFORE THAT MEETING, AND AS WELL AS AFTER THAT MEETING, UM, STAFF WORKED WITH THE APPLICANT AS WELL AS THE APPLICANT'S, UH, ATTORNEY ON, UM, REVISING THE CONDITIONS.
SO THERE HAS BEEN, UH, SUBSTANTIAL UPDATES TO THE CONDITIONS AS PART OF THE, UH, THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS AS PART OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, AND WE OF COURSE MADE THOSE, UH, AS PART OF YOUR, UH, STAFF REPORT FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN THE APPLICATION.
UH, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE, UM, THAT WE DID MAKE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE CONDITION CONDITIONS SINCE THE, UH, MARCH, 2023, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERATION OF THE PROJECT.
UM, JUST TO NOTE, UM, WE DO, UH, AS PART OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UM, WE DO CONSIDER STUDIES AND PLANS.
UM, I JUST DISCUSSED THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PLAN.
THERE WOULD BE A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PLAN, A CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN, TRAFFIC MITIGATION PLAN, AND ROAD REPAIR PLAN, UM, AS PART OF THE PROJECT IF THE PROJECT IS APPROVED.
ALSO, UH, WE DISCUSSED THE LANDSCAPING PLAN, UM, AND TO NOTE, UH, $20,000 LANDSCAPING BOND, UH, WOULD BE POSTED FOR 10 YEARS TO ENSURE MAINTENANCE OF THE VEGETATIVE BUFFER, UM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, WITH THE LANDSCAPE PLAN AS SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
UM, JUST WANTED TO NOTE ALSO, UM, REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE COUNTY
[00:55:01]
FOR THIRD PARTY REVIEWS INSPECTIONS, UM, DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT, UH, THE APPLICANT, UM, DID PROVIDE IN THE CONDITIONS, UH, PROVIDE THE COUNTY UP TO $50,000 PER YEAR FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROVISION AND OR EMPLOYMENT OF OUTSIDE EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS NECESSARY TO REVIEW SPECIFIC TECHNICAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE PROJECT OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY'S EXPERTISE, OR FOR WHICH THE COUNTY HAS INADEQUATE, INADEQUATE FULL-TIME STAFF IN THE COUNTY.THIS PROVISION SHALL COMMENCE UPON SUBMISSION OF A FINAL SITE PLAN FOR APPROVAL BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF COMMERCIAL OPERATION FOR THE PROJECT.
AND AT WHICH POINT THIS CONDITION SHALL BE DEEMED SATISFIED AND THE OBLIGATION WILL TERMINATE ALSO.
UM, JUST WANTED TO NOTE, UH, THAT THE APPLICANT, UM, WOULD, UH, HIRE STAFF TO HELP INSPECT THE SITE UP TO 10 HOURS PER WEEK.
UM, THIS IS RELATED TO, UM, INSPECTIONS, SPECIFICALLY THE EROSION SEDIMENT CONTROL INSPECTIONS, UH, WHILE THE PROJECT'S BEING DEVELOPED.
ALSO, THE APPLICANT AGREED TO REIMBURSE THE COUNTY FOR UP TO THE ACTUAL COSTS OF EMPLOYEE TIME FOR INSPECTION AND OTHER PERMIT COMPLIANCE DUTIES FOR THE PROJECT NOT TO EXCEED 40 HOURS IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR DURING THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT TO OFFSET THE COSTS TO THE COUNTY, UH, FOR INSPECTIONS AND OTHER PERMIT COMPLIANCE DUTIES.
DURING THIS TIME, THE COUNTY SHALL SUBMIT TO APPLICANT INVOICES FOR SUCH COSTS, NOT LESS THAN QUARTERLY, AND SUCH INVOICES SHALL BE PAID WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT.
UM, GROUNDWATER MONITORING, UM, IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE CONDITIONS, UM, ESTABLISHING, UH, TO ESTABLISH THE CURRENT GROUNDWATER QUALITY AND LEVELS OF SPECIFIC ELEMENT CONTAMINANTS.
GROUNDWATER MONITORING SHALL TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO AND UPON COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.
AND AFTER ESTABLISHING THE BASELINE WATER QUALITY REPORT PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION, GROUNDWATER MONITORING SHALL TAKE PLACE EVERY MONTH FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION OF THE PROJECT AND THEN ONCE FOR EACH YEAR OF OPERATION OF THE PROJECT.
AND UPON COMPLETION OF DECOMMISSIONING WITH EACH REPORT PROVIDED TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, UM, ALSO THE APPLICANT, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH WATER QUALITY, THE APPLICANT WILL TAKE MEASURES NECESSARY TO REMEDIATE THE CONTAMINATION.
UM, ALSO TO NOTE, UM, OFFSET OF IMPACT TO AGRICULTURAL USE.
AREAS WITHIN THE SUBJECT PROJECT SITE HAVE BEEN USED AS CROP LAND, UM, WITHIN THREE YEARS PRIOR TO CUP APPROVAL ARE REMOVED FROM SUCH USE UPON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT WILL BE OFFSET BY PLACING ONE IN ONE HALF THE AMOUNT OF AREA OF THE PROJECT PARCELS NOT CURRENTLY IN CROP LAND INTO SUCH USE OR IN PREPARATION FOR SUCH USE PRIOR TO COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF THE PROJECT.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE EXTENSIVE CONDITIONS RELATED TO DECOMMISSIONING OF THE PROJECT
AND TO NOTE, UM, JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE A PROJECT LIAISON, UH, THAT'S MADE PART OF THE CONDITIONS THE APPLICANT WILL DESIGNATE AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC LIAISON WILL PUB PUBLICIZE A TOLL-FREE PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS FOR COMMUNICATION WITH THE LIAISON DURING CONSTRUCTION AND WILL POST SUCH INFORMATION ON A TEMPORARY SIGN AT EACH, AT EACH MAJOR ACCESS POINT TO THE SOLAR FACILITIES.
THE APPLICANT SHALL AT A MINIMUM PUBLIC THIS INFORMATION ON THE OPERATOR'S WEBSITE AND PROVIDE THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR WITH THE SAME INFORMATION FOR PUBLICATION ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA.
[01:00:01]
POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN CITIZEN AND CONSTRUCTION CREWS.THE LIAISON SHALL BE AVAILABLE BY PHONE AND EMAIL DURING ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION HOURS AND SHALL RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE SOLAR FACILITIES OR THE PROJECT WITHIN 72 HOURS.
THE LIAISON ROLE SHALL COMMENCE AT THE INITIAL PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING AND THE LIA LIAISON SHALL PREPARE A MONTHLY REPORT DETAILING ANY COMPLAINTS, COMPLAINT, DATE, RESOLUTION, AND RESOLUTION DATE OF ANY INQUIRIES.
THE LATE LIAISON SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE REPORT TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR ON THE FIRST BUSINESS DAY OF EACH MONTH THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD AND FOR ADDITIONAL SIX MONTHS FOLLOWING THE ISSUANCE OF THE FINAL OCCUPANCY PERMIT OR EQUIVALENT FROM THE COUNTY FOR THE SOLAR FACILITIES PROJECT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF A HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT, UH, WE BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT IN THE CONDITIONS AND UPDATED, UH, SINCE YOU LAST HEARD THE REQUEST AT YOUR MARCH, 2023 MEETING.
I THINK WE'LL HOLD ANY QUESTIONS WE HAVE TILL NEXT MONTH DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THERE ARE ANY.
SINCE WE'RE ALL WIDE AWAKE FROM THAT DISSERTATION, WE ARE NOW LISTENING TO THE APPLICANT, SO PLEASE COME FORWARD.
STATE YOUR NAME, AND MIN YOU'RE READY.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
MY THINK YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH MY COLLEAGUE DOMINICA SINK.
UH, SHE UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT BE HERE THIS EVENING, SO I'M FILLING IN FOR HER.
AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT PINEY RIVER OR LILY POND SOLAR.
UM, JUST WAITING FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL SAY WHILE WE'RE WAITING, UH, THE ONE THING THAT I ENJOY MORE THAN BREVITY IN A PRESENTATION IS INTERACTION.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY TO BE RESPECTFUL OF ALL YOUR TIME.
UH, PLEASE, IF YOU WANT, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE POINTS THAT I'M GLOSSING OVER, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN.
IT, IT'LL BE MORE ENTERTAINING THAT WAY.
MAY I HAVE YOU COME BACK TO YOUR LAPTOP FOR ME? THANK YOU.
I DON'T SO FAR, SO FAR SO GOOD.
IT WAS UP HERE EARLIER, BUT I DUNNO, I JUST LOST IT HERE.
[01:05:03]
SO MUCH FOR, YEAH.WELL, WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE NOW.
I THOUGHT I WAS GOING GRAB A MIC START SWITCH ON.
[7.D. C-24-1]
UH, ALRIGHT, HERE WE GO.AS I SAID, UH, PREVIOUSLY, YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT.
I'M GOING TO BREEZE THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.
SOME CHANGES, UH, FROM LAST TIME, UH, IN KIND OF THE WHO WE ARE AS A COMPANY.
RENEWABLES, UH, WE'RE OVER 90 EMPLOYEES AT THIS MOMENT WITH, UH, 637 MEGAWATTS OF COMMERCIAL IN COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS.
UH, 15 OPERATIONAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING 14 RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
HERE'S A MAP THAT SHOWS YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, OUR FOOTPRINT IN VIRGINIA.
AS, UH, MR. BASSETT MENTIONED, IT'S A 80 MEGAWATT FACILITY THAT IS THE EQUIVALENT THAT WOULD POWER 18,178 HOMES.
SOME KEY FEATURES OF SOLAR PROJECTS, UH, NO POLLUTION, NO NOISE, NO TRAFFIC AFTER A NINE TO 12 MONTHS CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.
AS WAS MENTIONED, IT'S A ROUGHLY 500 ACRES WITH 500 ACRES.
ALSO HIGHLIGHTED FOR SETBACKS, VEGETATIVE BUFFERS, POLLINATOR PLANTS, AND WETLAND PROTECTION.
SO SOME IMPROVEMENTS FROM LAST TIME ARE THE KEY FEATURES TO HIGHLIGHT FROM THE LAST TIME AND THIS TIME.
UH, ENHANCED SETBACKS FOR VISUAL SCREENING NET ZERO IMPACT ON DINWITTY CROPLAND AND AN ENDORSEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT.
SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS VERY QUICKLY OTHER THAN TO MENTION, UH, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE NET ZERO IMPACT ON CROPLAND, UH, INCLUSION IN THIS APPLICATION.
IT'S ROUGHLY 30 ACRES OF ACTIVE CROPLAND, UH, WHICH REPRESENTS ROUGHLY 80% REDUCTION FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.
AND WE ARE PLANNING ON OFFSETTING THAT TO A 1.5, UH, 1.5 TIMES THE 30 ACRES.
SO ROUGHLY 45 ACRES IN THAT AREA.
YOU SEE THE LITTLE, UH, BLACK CIRCLE COMING OFF OF THE SITE, WHICH AGRICULTURAL AREA ALONG BRICK ROAD.
AND THAT WOULD ACCU THE, YOU KNOW, SOME DISCUSSION ON AGRICULTURE IN DINWITTY COUNTY.
AS Y'ALL KNOW, 3, 320 4,000 TOTAL ACRES IN DINWITTY COUNTY ACCORDING TO THE USDA FARM CENSUS, UH, 92,800 USED FOR FARMING.
UH, THIS 30 ACRES OF CROPLAND THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED REPRESENTS 0.3% IMPACT ON ACTIVE FARMLAND AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
WE WILL OFFSET THAT TO THE TUNE OF 1.5 FOR, FOR EACH ACRE SETBACKS AND VEGETATIONS.
I THINK THEY WERE COVERED EXTENSIVELY, BUT I WILL JUST MENTION, UH, THESE ARE, IT'S A VOLUNTARY, VOLUNTARY INCREASE OF THE SETBACK FROM 75 TO 150 FEET AT MINIMUM, UH, WITH A COMMITMENT TO, UH, PRESERVING AS MUCH EXISTING MATURE VEGETATION AS POSSIBLE AROUND THE EXTERIOR.
UM, THIS IS A, AND I TOLD YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, WE WILL SEND THIS VIDEO, UH, FOLLOWING THE MEETING, HAVING TROUBLE PLAYING IT, BUT IT SHOWS ESSENTIALLY HOW EFFECTIVELY EVEN A 50 FOOT BUFFER OF MATURE EXISTING TREE COVER CAN, CAN SHIELD A SOLAR FACILITY.
AND THEN THIS IS, UH, JUST SOME PICTURES OF THE, THE, THE SITE AS IT AS IT STANDS TODAY.
UH, THE PROPOSED PANEL AREA IS 1500 FEET FROM REAMS DRIVE AND YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, MATURE EXISTING, UH, VEGETATION THAT WOULD BE PRESERVED.
[01:10:01]
IS LACK, SOME AREAS ARE LACKING IN EXISTING VEGETATION.SO THIS IS A SIMULATION OF WHAT KIND OF AN EXISTING VIEW AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE ACHIEVED WITH ADDING ADDITIONAL SCREENING.
SO THE ONE BIG CHANGE BETWEEN THE LAST PROPOSAL AND THIS PROPOSAL IS THE INCLUSION OF SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
UH, THIS, THIS MAP SHOWS, UH, THE, THE HIGHLIGHTED BLUE AREA IS, UH, CONSERVATION FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT.
THE HIGHLIGHTED ORANGE AREA WOULD BE, UH, THE AREA THAT WOULD GO TO THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST TO HELP WITH THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE BATTLEFIELD ON THAT SITE.
UH, DECOMMISSIONING, AS MR. BASSETT SAID, THERE'S AN EXTENSIVE DECOMMISSIONING SECTION IN THE, UH, CONDITIONS AND THE CITING AGREEMENT.
SO, ROUGH OVERVIEW SURETY BOND IS PUT IN PLACE THAT ENSURES, UH, THE SAME THING THAT WE INSURE TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS WE'RE INURING TO THE COUNTY.
THIS SITE WILL BE AT, AT THE POINT OF DECOMMISSIONING, EVERYTHING ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND WILL BE REMOVED AND IT'LL BE PUT BACK INTO THE STATE THAT IT IS PRESENT IN PRESENT CONDITIONS.
AND THIS ALLOWS FOR ANY FUTURE USES THAT, THAT THE LANDOWNERS WOULD DESIRE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OFTEN COMES UP IS, UH, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PANELS.
WE WILL BE EMAILING TO YOU, UH, GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF THE FIRST SOLAR RECYCLING PRO PROCESS.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH, UH, FIRST SOLAR WITH AN AMERICAN MA, AMERICAN MANUFACTURER OF SOLAR PANELS.
THE SOLAR PANELS WE USE ARE BACKED UP BY NOT ONLY 25 PLUS YEARS IN THE FIELD WITH, WITH NO INCIDENTS, BUT ALSO RESEARCHERS IN 10 COUNTRIES.
OVER 50 RESEARCHERS HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE TESTS ON THE PANELS WE USE, INCLUDING RIGHT HERE IN VIRGINIA.
VIRGINIA TECH'S, UH, CENTER FOR COAL AND ENERGY RESEARCH DID AN EXTENSIVE STUDY ON THE FIRST SOLAR PANELS AND FOUND THAT THEY ARE NOT HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT OR SURROUNDING AREAS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT IS ALSO NOTEWORTHY THAT OVER 250000001ST SOLAR PANELS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED WORLDWIDE.
SO THE FISCAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED EARLIER, THIS IS JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
THIS IS THE PROJECT ON A FOUR, THE FOUR, THE FULL 45 YEAR PICTURE.
IN THE CURRENT LAND USE THAT THESE ACRES WOULD GENERATE $304,000 FOR THE COUNTY OF DENWITTY OVER 45 YEARS.
WITH THIS PROJECT IN PLACE, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE 72 TIMES THAT OR $22,197,903.
THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO ROUGHLY I BELIEVE A 17 CENT ONE-TIME TAX INCREASE IN DENWITTY COUNTY.
UH, ON AN ANNUAL OR YEAR ONE OF THIS PROJECT, UH, IT WOULD CREATE THE CURRENT LAND USE.
$6,760 IS THE REVENUE GENERATION YEAR ONE OF THIS PROJECT, IT WOULD GENERATE THREE MILLION THREE MILLION NINE HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THREE $3.
UH, THAT WOULD BE AN UPFRONT PAYMENT IN 2025 OF $3.6 MILLION.
AND I'M, I APOLOGIZE, THAT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 15 CENTS REAL ESTATE ON YOUR REAL ESTATE TAX RATE IF IT WOULD BE A ONE TIME PAYMENT.
UM, ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS, UH, WE HIRE, WE MAKE A PRIORITY OF HIRING LOCAL, SO CIVIL ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TESTING.
UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY IN CONVERSATIONS WITH LOCAL, UH, NURSERY AND LANDSCAPING SERVICE SO THAT WE WOULD BE EMPLOYING LOCALS TO DO THAT PORTION OF THE OPERATION ROAD AGGREGATE AND SPECIALIZED INSPECTIONS AS WELL.
WE MAKE A PRIORITY OF HIRING AS CLOSE TO THE PROJECT SITE AS WE CAN.
SO IT HAS THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT ON, ON THE HOST LOCALITY.
ON THE AVERAGE, UH, OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THE PROJECT, THE AVERAGE ANNUAL PAYMENT WOULD BE $408,192.
SO THAT IS ROUGHLY THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE AND A HALF TO 2 CENTS ON YOUR REAL ESTATE TAX RATE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT TAX, UH, GENERATION FROM THAT SITE OF $6,760.
SO SUMMARY, UH, THIS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTED TO THIS PROJECT.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO OUR LANDOWNERS AND WE'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMENTS OF BOTH THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, AND WE'VE DEMONSTRATE DEMONSTRATED THAT THROUGH MAKING CONSISTENT CHANGES TO THE PROJECT AND, AND COMING BACK WITH AN ENHANCED APPLICATION.
[01:15:01]
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.I HOPE THAT WAS BRIEF ENOUGH AND PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? NOT, NOT.
SINCE THIS ISN'T GONNA BE A PUBLIC HEARING, THIS IS JUST GONNA BE A COMMENT PERIOD FOR Y'ALL.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU, AGAIN, ADDRESS THIS WITH DECORUM.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU'RE AGAINST THIS.
JUST TRY TO BE PLEASANTLY AGAINST THIS AS OPPOSED TO ANGRY AGAINST.
UH, AGAIN, YOU'LL GET TO SAY YOUR PIECE AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
UH, MS. RELL AND GENTLEMAN, RIGHT HERE IN THE FRONT.
DID Y'ALL SIGN UP UNDER THIS TO SPEAK? IF YOU DIDN'T, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO GET Y'ALL IN.
WE WILL NOW GO THROUGH THE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO WISH TO SPEAK AND LIKE I SAID, TRY TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO ABOUT THREE MINUTES.
I PROMISE WE WON'T USE A CLOCK TO START OFF, BUT IF THIS GETS LABORIOUS AND THEY TEND TO DRONE ON, UH, WE PROBABLY PUT A CLOCK UP.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITHOUT AND TRY TO GO THAT ROUTE IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND.
FIRST APPLICANT, I MEAN, FIRST PERSON, MS. FAYE DONAHUE.
AND, UH, REMEMBER PLEASE ONCE AGAIN, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE MIC TONIGHT.
HI, HOW ARE YOU? FINE, THANK YOU.
I LIVE AT 26 5 10 REAMS DRIVE.
I'M ADJACENT TO THAT GREEN, SOME OF THOSE GREEN OUTLINES UP THERE.
I AM FOR SOLAR TECHNOLOGY, BUT THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE IN THE WRONG TYPE OF SOLAR TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEING PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT.
CA AND TELLURIDE SHOULD NOT BE USED BY OUR COUNTY.
AND IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT ALL THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, MOST OF THEM HAVE ORDINANCES AGAINST THIS TYPE OF PANEL.
AND WHY I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS IS THAT IN MARCH OF 2022, THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ROLLED OUT SEVERAL MAJOR CHANGES TO HOW THEY ASSESSED STORM WATER RUNOFF FOR SOLAR FARMS. AND I, I'M REALLY CURIOUS, AS I DIDN'T SEE NOW, I HAVE A STACK OF THE NEW DOCUMENTATION WAS NOT AFFORDED, UH, AN OUTLINE OF WHAT CHANGED OR NOT, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'VE RECALCULATED THEIR SOLAR PANELS AS IMPERVIOUS SURFACES FOR RUN STORM RUNOFF.
AND THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THEIR APPLICATION.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I HEARD MENTIONED JUST TONIGHT WAS THEY WANT TO HELP US MAINTAIN A RURAL CHARACTER OF DENWITTY.
WELL, TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO VOTE NO FOR THIS TO GO FORWARD.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE ARE ALL ON WELL WATER.
AND IF THIS IS TOXIC PANELS GOING UP AND THEY HAVEN'T ATTRIBUTED STORM RUNOFF FOR THESE AREAS OF THEIR PANELS, THEN YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING POISONED IN OUR OWN WELLS AROUND THIS SURROUNDING AREA.
AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING FOR DEWITT COUNTY.
AND LASTLY, I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR ABOUT THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST SUPPORT BECAUSE IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, THEY ARE NOT IN SUPPORT.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE ON IS THEY TOUT 63 HISTORICAL AREAS AS BEING IMPACTED ACRES AS BEING IMPACTED.
IT'S MORE LIKE 746, AND THAT'S COMING STRAIGHT FROM AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
THAT DIFFERENCE SHOULD RAISE A RED FLAG TO THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT IN THE TOXIC NATURE OF THEIR PANELS IS DETRIMENTAL TO DEWITTE COUNTY.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, THIS AREA AND YOU LOOK AT BATTLEFIELDS AND, AND I'LL QUOTE THIS FROM ANOTHER PERSON WITHIN AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST, IT SAYS IN GENERAL, YOU ALMOST ALWAYS NEED TO ASSUME THAT THERE ARE UNMARKED GRAVES ON CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS.
THERE WERE VAST CEMETERIES BECAUSE OF HOW FIELD BURIALS WERE DONE AT THAT TIME.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHEN THEY START DRIVING THEIR SPIKES EIGHT FEET INTO THE GROUND TO HOLD THESE 500 ACRES OF SOLAR PANELS, DON'T YOU THINK THEY'RE GONNA HIT SOME GRAVE SITES WHERE AMERICANS DIED ON OUR SOIL? WHEN DID DEM WITTY BECOME THAT COUNTY THAT'S NOT GONNA HONOR THEIR DEAD? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.
THANK YOU MS. MR. CHRIS RIZZO.
CHRIS RIZZO 2 4 3 0 1 DRIVER ROAD.
AS A RESIDENT OF DIMITY COUNTY, I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE COUNTY ADDING NEW RESOURCES OF REVENUE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF
[01:20:01]
DIM WITTY.WITHOUT RAISING TAXES ON RESIDENTS, DIMITY COUNTY FIRE AND EMS ARE IN DIRE NEED OF NEW, NEW RESOURCES TO IMPROVE RESPONSE TIMES.
IN ADDITION, BOTH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM NEED FUNDS TO COMPETE IN THE CURRENT JOB MARKET.
AG NEW BUSINESS IS THE BEST WAY TO ADD REVENUE TO THE COUNTY WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
I THINK THIS PROJECT DOES THAT IN TWO WAYS.
FIRST, IT GENERATES THE MONEY THAT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT BOTH UPFRONT AND OVER 45 YEARS.
AND SECOND, IT WOULD BE A BIG FACTOR IN ATTRACTING ANY LARGE BUSINESS TO DECIDE TO COME TO DIMITY COUNTY IN THE FUTURE.
THIS FACTOR SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.
OUR THREE BIGGEST COMPANIES HAVE POLICIES AS WELL AS MOST MAJOR COMPANIES HAVE POLICIES THAT PROMOTE BOTH A CLEAN ENERGY COMPONENT AND A DIVERSE SOURCE OF ENERGY.
WE'RE CURRENTLY AT A DISADVANTAGE IN THIS BECAUSE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS ALREADY HAVE A CLEAN ENERGY COMPONENT THAT WE DO NOT.
WHEN VER UH, THE GOVERNOR YOUNGIN SIGNED THE VIRGINIA CLEAN ECONOMY ACT.
HIS GOAL WAS NOT TO ELIMINATE TRADITIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY, BUT TO DIVERSIFY WHAT WE HAVE.
HE ALSO ENCOURAGED RURAL COUNTIES TO EMBRACE CLEAN ENERGY BECAUSE HE KNOWS IT WILL ATTRACT MORE BIG BUSINESS TO VIRGINIA.
THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION AND THE ALLIANCE FOR XDO VALLEY HAVE SET UP GUIDELINES FOR UTILITY SCALE SOLAR EEX MEETS ALL OF THEM.
IN ADDITION, THEY'RE OFFERING A FARMLAND OFFSET AND THEY FOCUS ON USING US MADE PRODUCTS INSTEAD OF THE ONES FROM CHINA THAT OTHER COMPANIES USE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, THE RURAL CHARACTER OF DIM WITTY, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I MOVED HERE.
I LOVE THE RURAL CHARACTER OF DIM WITTY, BUT THIS PROJECT ONLY INVOLVES TWO ONE HUNDREDTHS OF 1% OF DIM WITTY FARMLAND.
SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT A LOSS THERE.
UM, AND TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CA IN THE SOLAR PANELS, I WOULD HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE READ THE ENTIRE REPORT FROM VIRGINIA TECH DISPELLING THOSE CONCERNS.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THIS HEARING.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE TIME TO READ IT.
THIS REPORT IS NOT FROM SOME GROUP OF PEOPLE PROMOTING SOLAR.
IT'S FROM THE VIRGINIA CENTER FOR COAL AND ENERGY RESEARCH AT VIRGINIA TECH.
THE REPORT ACTUALLY SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO LEACHING OF CADIUM INTO THE SOIL.
IT ALSO SHOWS THAT THERE ARE NO DANGERS OF LEAKING CADIUM DURING A FIRE AND NO SIGNIFICANT SOIL EFFECT AFTER NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS HURRICANES.
THE SAME STUDY ALSO NOTED THAT AGRICULTURAL USE OF FERTILIZER HAS BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE CADIUM BY 10 TO 15% IN SOIL.
BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD BAN AGRICULTURAL FERTILIZER.
THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN INCREASED DEMAND ON THE POWER GRID WHEN COMBINED WITH THE NEED TO DIVERSIFY OUR POWER SOURCES.
AND THE DEMAND TO HAVE CLEAN ENERGY THAT COMPANIES WANT THEY'RE SEEKING WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO MOVE.
SOLAR IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE TO COME TO DIM WITTY COUNTY, BUT WE WON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY THAT EEX HAS GIVEN US NOW IF WE PASS THIS UP.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER ALL OF THE FACTS AND APPROVE THIS PROJECT TO GIVE DIM WITTY COUNTY THE MONEY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT IT NEEDS.
I'M GONNA SPEAK, UM, JUST IN GENERAL, UM, REGARDING MY CONCERNS ABOUT SOLAR.
I WILL SPEAK WITH SPECIFICITY REGARDING LILY AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THE SOLAR INDUSTRY IS IMMATURE AND FLUID REGARDING CAPACITY UTILIZATION.
IT IS VARIABLE ENERGY AND NOT OPERATIONAL.
73% OF THE TIME, TOO MUCH VARIABLE RESOURCES AND NOT ENOUGH BASE ENERGY CAN BE DISASTROUS.
THE ADDITION BY ITSELF IS NOT A BAD THING, BUT IT ONLY OPERATES 26% OF THE TIME, APPROXIMATELY 6.4 TO SEVEN HOURS A DAY.
WINTER SOLAR FROM FIVE TO 9:00 PM PROVIDES NOTHING.
TWO THIRDS OF PEAK ENERGY USAGE IS AFTER 5:00 PM WHO IS BENEFITING? THE GOAL FOR THE US IS 14 IPRS INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLANTS FOR THE MAJOR UTILITIES FOR THE, FOR STATES THAT COVER 35% OF THE US POPULATION.
FOR THE 15 YEAR PLAN, THE AVERAGE UTILITY IS REDUCING.
ITS ON DEMAND POWER OVER A 15 YEAR PERIOD BY 31%.
AND THIS INCLUDES DOMINION, VIRGINIA BASED ON SOLAR, WIND, AND BATTERY STORAGE THAT OPERATE PART-TIME DISPLACING REDUCTION AND DISPATCH ENER DISPATCHABLE ENERGY, DISPLACING BASELOAD, CONTINUOUS DUTY COAL PLANTS AND NUCLEAR PLANTS WILL CAUSE INCREASING BROWNOUTS AND SHORTAGES IN THE FUTURE.
A UTILITY SCALE SOLAR FARM COSTS FIVE TIMES WHAT A CONVENTIONAL COMBINED CYCLE GAS
[01:25:01]
FIRED POWER PLANT COST BUILD FIVE TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE PER KILOWATT PER HOUR, LET ALONE THE TREMENDOUS FOOTPRINT.WHAT IS THE CAPITAL PLAN OR, YOU KNOW, WE WILL PAY FOR THIS SHIFT WITH INCREASE IN ELECTRICAL BASE RATES.
WE ARE GOING TO BE PAYING FOR THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
WE WILL HAVE INCONSISTENT ENERGY AT HIGHER COST.
SO SOLAR WILL NOT POWER, BY THE WAY, COMPUTING LARGE COMPUTING SYSTEMS AND IN OR IN LARGE INDUSTRY, DESTROYING TREES THAT ARE CARBON CONSUMERS AND O2 PRODUCERS AND FARMLAND FOR 26% RETURN IS IRRESPONSIBLE.
AND, UM, THAT IS MY STATEMENT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
I LIVE AT 1 5 6 2 8 BRICK ROAD ON THE MAP THAT THEY HAD SHOWED UP.
THE CENTER GREEN AREA, THE LOWER LITTLE ANGLE TAKEN OUT, THAT'S WHERE MY PROPERTY IS.
THIS WOULD BE ABUTTING MY FARM.
I'VE GOT ABOUT 120 ACRE FARM THERE.
WE MOVED THERE 11 YEARS AGO ON MY PROPERTY.
WE HAVE BAYER, WE HAVE DEER, WE HAVE FOX, WE HAVE COYOTES, WE HAVE TURKEYS, WE HAVE QUAIL.
IT IS A PLACE OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY.
I HAVE MANY PEOPLE COME TO MY PLACE AND SAY, WOW, THIS IS SOMETHING, WHY DO YOU EVER WANNA LEAVE? I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD PUT TO MY PROPERTY, TO EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COUNTY.
CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER RUNOFF.
CONCERNED ABOUT 2300 SOLAR PANELS IN THAT AREA.
EVERYTHING I LOOK AT FLARES, RISK, RISK, RISK.
TO ME, I WANNA CONSERVE MY COUNTRY WAY OF LIFE.
AND I THINK MOST OF THE RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTY WISH TO DO SO.
ALSO, I THINK THE COUNTY HAS TO DECIDE IF THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE THIS RISK AND LOSE THAT AND DECIDE IF IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.
AND IF IT'S ONLY 15 CENTS MORE THAT IT WOULD BE ADDING TO THE REAL ESTATE TAX, I WOULD GLADLY PAY THAT AND KEEP THIS PROJECT OUT OF THIS COUNTY.
PETE BOISE? WHAT'S THAT NAME? PETE.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SEE A W IN THERE.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME, PETE.
SO 9 3 55 PLYMOUTH PLACE, MECHANICSVILLE, VIRGINIA.
I CAME HERE ABOUT THE GUN RANGE PROPOSAL.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE VALUE OF LAND PRICES.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.
YES, THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED DURING OUR CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
WELL, MY NAME WAS AT THE BEGINNING.
I ASKED IF ANYBODY ELSE HAD ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND I WILL NOTE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE AGAINST IT, BUT THAT WILL BE HEARD AGAIN NEXT MONTH AS WELL.
OKAY? SO YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK, BUT I WISH YOU WOULD'VE DONE IT UNDER CITIZEN COMMENT.
I I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE RULES.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, AND I'M HERE TO, UH, UH, OPPOSE THE, UH, LILY POND, UH, APPLICATION.
COULD I GET YOUR ADDRESS REAL QUICK? YES, OF COURSE.
UH, MY ADDRESS IS 14 8 10 BRICK ROAD.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M SITUATED RIGHT BETWEEN THE TWO PARCELS IN THE SOUTH, UH,
[01:30:01]
FOR THE PROJECT.UM, SO THE FACT THAT I I I ARISE HERE, UH, IN OPPOSITION MIGHT SURPRISE YOU TO THINK THAT I ACTUALLY APPRECIATE LILY POND'S, UH, EFFORTS TO, UH, TRY TO, UH, MITIGATE CERTAIN THINGS.
UM, WE, WE DISCUSSED A LOT OF THAT TONIGHT.
UM, IN FACT, I ACTUALLY GOT AN ESTIMATE FROM MY OWN HOUSE, MY OWN PROPERTY, UH, LAST YEAR FOR SOLAR, UM,
IT, IT WOULD'VE INCREASED THE, UH, COST OF MY HOUSE BY ABOUT 25%
IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE, UH, ECONOMIC SENSE FOR ME.
BUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, OF COURSE IS TO, UH, MAINTAIN VIRGINIA LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO, TO ZONING AS WELL AS OBVIOUSLY, UH, DENWITTY COUNTY, UH, ZONING REGULATIONS AND, AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, BUT I, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY HAD, UH, A COUPLE OF THEM ALREADY THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN TO THE BOARD.
THE SUPERVISORS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED.
AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW LONG
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER, UH, THE GREATER CONTEXT HERE.
UM, SO WHY ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT SOLAR IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST UNITED STATES OR DIMWIT COUNTY OR VIRGINIA, BUT WHY ARE WE DOING IT? WELL, I THINK THE, THE BASIC IDEA IS, UH, THERE'S THIS IDEA THAT OUR PLANET IS SUFFERING FROM HUMAN IMPOSED GLOBAL WARMING.
AND I THINK, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF THINGS, UH, DISCUSSED, UH, OVER THE YEARS, UH, ABOUT THIS IDEA OF GLOBAL WARMING.
AND I WOULD JUST TRY TO POINT OUT A A COUPLE OF QUICK ITEMS TO, TO KIND OF PUT THIS WHOLE THING INTO CONTEXT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE, THE DATA THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED HAS BEEN SKEWED, UH, THAT SUPPORTS, UH, GLOBAL WARMING.
UM, THERE, UH, SEEMS TO BE MORE, UH, FOCUS ON CONTROLLING PEOPLE AND, AND, UH, AND, AND CONTROLLING, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND, AND, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SO FORTH.
UH, THAT, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE FOCUS, UM, OF THE WHOLE GLOBAL WARMING AGENDA.
UH, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT THE, THE ATMOSPHERE CONTAINS ON NORMALLY AND HAS FOR AS FAR AS WE KNOW, 0.04% CARBON DIOXIDE.
UH, SO THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE ON THAT, UH, BY U USING RENEWABLE ENERGY, SOLAR PANELS OR, OR WIND OR, OR BIOMASS OR, OR WHATEVER, UH, IS, IS DIFFICULT TO FATHOM.
SO I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT THE WHOLE PREMISE FOR THIS IS, IS NOT, UH, NECESSARILY, UM, THERE, OKAY? BUT I WANT YOU TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DECISION IS GOING TO AFFECT THE NEXT THREE GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE HERE IN DENWITTY COUNTY.
NOT JUST THE FOLKS ON THIS BOARD, BUT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN SERVING ON THIS BOARD AND THE, AND THE CITIZENS OF DENWITTY COUNTY.
AND I THINK WE OWE IT TO OUR DESCENDANTS TO GET IT RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, I'M ASKING YOU, IS TO LOOK AT THAT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, OTHER ISSUES HERE.
UM, THE, UH, LILY POND'S APPLICATION, UH, MENTIONS, UH, A DISPOSAL AND, AND THEY, THEY HAVE A $16 MILLION, UH, BOND, UH, GUARANTEED FORD DISPOSAL.
UM, WELL, THEY MENTIONED THAT FIRST SOLAR IS THE, UH, THE, THE PLACE THAT THEY INTEND TO USE.
WHAT, WHAT, UH, PEOPLE MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND IS THAT FIRST SOLAR IS THE AMERICA'S ONLY RECYCLING FACILITY.
AND THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT THESE ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON SOLAR PANELS HAVING A LIFESPAN, POSSIBLY 30 YEARS IS THE GENERAL ESTIMATE.
UM, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT JUST IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE, UM, EFFICIENCY OF SOLAR PANELS HAS GONE FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, 15 TO 17%, UH, TO THE, THE, THE, THE WORLD'S RECORD RIGHT NOW, UH, IS 25% JUST ACHIEVED VERY RECENTLY.
[01:35:01]
MOST COMMERCIAL, UH, SOLAR PANELS ARE GONNA BE IN THE, IN THE, UH, 20% RANGE OR, OR, OR LOWER.THE, THE POINT BEING IS THAT A LOT OF THESE SOLAR PANELS ARE GONNA BE, UH, SWAPPED OUT.
UH, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PUT ONE SOLAR PANEL IN THAT'S GONNA STAY THERE FOR 45 YEARS.
THESE SOLAR PANELS ARE GONNA BE, UH, UH, REPLACED DURING THE PROJECT.
THEY HAVE TO BE, UM, IF NO OTHER REASON THAT IT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE BECAUSE NEWER AND BETTER ONES ARE, ARE AVAILABLE.
THE OLD ONES, UH, MAY, UH, NOT LAST 30 YEARS THAT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION.
SO WHERE HAVE ALL THESE SOLAR PANELS GONNA GO? UH, WELL, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE GOING TO, FIRST SOLAR PROBLEM IS, IS THAT THE SHEER VOLUME THAT IS EXPECTED, UH, IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, UH, OF SOLAR PANELS BEING UP FOR, UM, UP FOR RECYCLING IS FAR OUT OUTSTRIPS OUR CURRENT ABILITY IN AMERICA TO RECYCLE THEM.
IT COSTS $30 A PANEL TO RECYCLE, AND IT, IT COSTS ABOUT ONE TO $2 TO DUMP 'EM IN A LANDFILL.
AND WE HAVE TO BE STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR LAND AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT, THAT PROBLEM.
UM, BUT YOU'VE HEARD TALK PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND, AND, AND, AND THE VISUAL IMPACT AND THE, THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, TO TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, UH, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I FEEL THE SAME WAY.
UH, I MOVED HERE A FEW YEARS AGO, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE, UH, DEITY COUNTY, UH, HAD A, UH, A BEAUTIFUL RURAL CHARACTER THAT I TREASURED, UH, HERE IN VIRGINIA.
AND SO I MOVED FROM, UH, TO HERE, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO ENJOY THAT.
AND NOW, UH, I HAVE TWO MAJOR SOLAR PANEL FARMS, UH, WITHIN ROUGHLY, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, A QUARTER OF A MILE OF MY HOUSE ON BOTH SIDES.
UH, I, I, I SIMPLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE MONIES THAT HAVE BEEN PROMISED FOR MITIGATION OF THINGS LIKE, UH, UH, UH, SETBACKS AND, AND, AND, AND AND VEGETATION, UH, IS GONNA BE ADEQUATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, I THINK THE VEGETATION ONE WAS $20,000.
THAT'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH MONEY.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE, UH, TYPES OF THINGS TO CONSIDER THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT LILY PAWN HAS, HAS OFFERED, YOU KNOW, MITIGATION, UH, THINGS.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THAT THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO REMOVE THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ACRES AND ACRES OF, OF SOLAR PANELS IN A, IN A RURAL COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE TO BE, UH, VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT.
I DON'T, I'M NOT AGAINST SOLAR, AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE, I WAS LOOKING AT PUTTING SOLAR ON MY OWN HOUSE ON BRICK ROAD.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
THE ISSUE IS WHERE I WAS GONNA PUT THE SOLAR PANELS ON MY ROOF.
UH, BUT THIS CHANGES THE, THIS INDUSTRIAL SCALE OF SOLAR PANELS, UH, IS THE, THE, IS GOING TO, TO, UH, CHANGE THE, THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTY FOR THREE GENERATIONS.
AND, AND SO WE MEET, WE NEED TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL AND MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, WE DO THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT SOLAR, UH, MAY BE A, UH, UH, A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR ENERGY IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN VIRGINIA.
BUT, UH, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT IT HAS TO BE LOCATED IN THE, IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES.
UH, WE, WE WOULDN'T PUT A, UH, UM, A WINDMILL ON THE, ON THE, THE FRONT LAWN OF THE, THE VIRGINIA CAPITOL, UH, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
UH, AND PUTTING, UH, ACRES AND ACRES OF, OF SOLAR PANELS HERE IN, IN RURAL, IN WITTY COUNTY, UH, WOULD, WOULD BE THE, UH, EQUIVALENT OF, OF THAT.
AND, AND I, I JUST DON'T WANT US TO, TO, UH, UH, HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
SO BASICALLY THE LAST THING I WANNA POINT OUT HERE IS, IS, IS THE, UH, COMPARISON OF SOLAR TO ANY OTHER SOURCES.
SO, UH, BESIDES THE LOCATION, WHERE SHOULD WE PUT A SOLAR FARM OR ANY OTHER, IS THE IDEA THAT SOLAR AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY REQUIRES, UH, MUCH, MUCH MORE LAND PER KILOWATT HOUR, THIS GENERATE THAN MOST ANY OTHER SOURCE OTHER THAN MAYBE, UH, UM, UH, WINDMILLS.
BUT, BUT ANY OTHER, UH, GENERAL, UH, UH, CONVENTIONAL SOURCE
[01:40:01]
HAS MUCH LESS A FRACTION OF THE LAND USE PER KILOWATT HOUR.SO LAND, UH, MANAGEMENT IS, IS A BIG CONCERN.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO, TO USE THAT MUCH LAND TO GENERATE LESS KILOWATTS THAN WE WOULD OTHER WAYS? UM, I THINK THAT'S A BIG THING.
I ASK YOU TO WRAP IT UP, IF YOU WOULD.
WELL, AS IT TURNS OUT, THAT IS MY, UH, MY, MY, UH, LAST POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE.
AND, AND JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES HERE AND, UM, WE, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE, YOU KNOW, OF LILY POND TO, UH, DIVERSIFY OUR ENERGY.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT, AND THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO DO IT.
THANK YOU CLIFTON ORTON, GENTLEMEN.
I LIVE AT 26 5 0 9 REAMS DRIVE.
UH, WE'VE LIVED HERE ALL ALIVE.
WE, UM, MY DAD BOUGHT THE FARM IN 1948.
UH, WE APPROXIMATELY, UH, ALMOST A A MILE OF ROAD FRONTAGE GOING, UH, WATERING, UH, THE PROJECT THAT IS COMING UP, UH, I'M DEFINITELY AGAINST IT, UH, FOR MANY REASONS, UH, FOR THE GROUNDWATER POSSIBLY, UH, BEING POLLUTED FROM, UH, STORMS LIKE TORNADOES COULD COME THROUGH THERE AND RIP THE PANELS UP.
OF COURSE, IF, YOU KNOW, IF IT RIPS THE PANELS UP, IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE INTACT.
SO THAT MEANS IF THEY GO ACROSS MY TIMBERLAND OR MY FIELDS, UH, I'VE GOT THAT TO DEAL WITH, UH, IF IT ANY POLLUTANTS, GET IN THE GROUNDWATER.
ALL OF US HAVE GOT THAT TO DEAL WITH.
AND IF ANYBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT GROUNDWATER, YOU CAN'T JUST DIG A HOLE AND REPLACE THE DIRT.
IT'S GOING TO BE AN ONGOING THING, AND IT'S GOING TO BE COSTLY.
UH, WHICH BRINGS UP ANOTHER, UH, THING.
IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT DID HAPPEN, I HOPE IT NEVER DOES.
UH, WHO'S GONNA PAY FOR THAT? IF IT'S, UH, YOU SAY, OKAY, WELL WE GOT IT, A LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR IT.
UH, THEY CAN'T, HOW ARE YOU GONNA GO IN THERE AND DIG AND TAKE IT OUTTA THE GROUNDWATER? THAT'S GONNA BE A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY PUMPED INTO IT.
UH, LET'S SAY LI POND, AND I HOPE THEY DON'T, BUT LET'S SAY FINANCIALLY, UH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS AND THEY GO OUT AND LET'S SAY THEY TOOK BANKRUPTCY.
ALL THE MONEY THAT THE COUNTY'S SPEND, SAY, WE ARE GONNA GIVE YOU THIS MONEY, UH, THAT GOES OUT THE WINDOW.
I WOULD ASSUME, UH, ALL OF THESE ARE ISSUES.
UH, BUT I SPENT ALL MY LIFE FARMING, AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE LAND.
I WANTED MY GRANDCHILDREN TO HAVE A PLACE TO BUILD, BUT TO HAVE ALL OF THAT ON MY BACK DOOR AND BORDERING MY LAND, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS LIKE THAT, MY LAND'S NO GOOD ANYMORE.
WHO'S GONNA WANNA BUILD THERE? WHO'S GOING TO WANT TO BE THERE? BUT YET WE PAY TAXES EVERY YEAR SINCE 1948.
I MEAN, I WANT TO LIVE OUT MY LIFE THERE.
I WOULD LIKE MY GRANDCHILDREN TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE OUT THERE, BUT THAT WORRIES ME.
AND YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT BECAUSE WITH THE WEATHER OR WHATEVER, UH, THERE'S LIMITED CONTROL.
AND LIKE THEY SAID, 45 YEARS, THAT'S A LONG TIME, UH, TO HAVE THE CHILDREN, THE GRANDCHILDREN OR WHATEVER, TO DEAL WITH.
AND WE HAVE SOME FANTASTIC NEIGHBORS.
AND THEY, THEY HAVE THE, UH, SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THE WORRIED ABOUT GROUNDWATER AND THE CONDITIONS OUT THERE.
AND WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY JUST LIKE IT IS, AND JUST DON'T WANT IT TO BE CHANGED.
LESTER, LESTER, MY NAME'S BILL LESTER OR BILLY LESTER, AS SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW ME, UH, 1 4 9 0 2 BRICK ROAD.
UM, I DEBATED ABOUT WHETHER TO COME HERE OR NOT, BECAUSE I CAME HERE BACK IN MARCH OF 2023 AND LET YOU KNOW THAT I WAS OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT.
AND I LISTENED TO OVER A DOZEN OTHER PEOPLE, GIVE YOU THE SAME DEFINITION THAT THEY WERE OPPOSED TO IT.
YET THAT NIGHT, FIVE OF YOU VOTED,
[01:45:01]
AND THREE OF YOU VOTED TO TAKE IT UP TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.NOW, I I I, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU DID THAT, BUT TO ME, UH, YOU EITHER DIDN'T LISTEN TO US OR YOU WERE PRECONCEIVED WITH YOUR IDEAS OF WHAT YOU WERE GONNA DO ANYWAY.
SO WHAT WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS JUST SOME OF THE THINGS TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T JUST TELL YOU IN THIS BRIEF PRESENTATION.
18 MILLION SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THEY'RE GONNA MAKE OVER 160 MILLION SOME FOREIGN COMPANY.
IT'S GONNA MAKE 160 MILLION OFF OF THIS PROJECT.
THEY'RE GONNA GIVE DENWITTY 18 MILLION.
AND MY PROPERTY'S GONNA BE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF IT.
'CAUSE I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO DAVID.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOLAR PANELS ON BOTH SIDES OF US.
I DON'T WANT IT IN MY BACKYARD.
AND I'M SURE IF THIS, IF THIS WAS IN YOUR BACKYARD, YOU PROBABLY FEEL THE SAME WAY AS I DO.
BUT WITH THAT, WITHOUT THAT, LEMME JUST TELL YOU THAT IN 2022, HOPEFULLY YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS, THAT THEY WERE FINED OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BECAUSE THEY VIOLATED FOUR ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, STATE LAWS.
DID ANY OF YOU KNOW THAT? HAVE ANY OF YOU BEEN OVER TO PRINCE GEORGE ON REEVES ROAD AND SEE THAT PROJECT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER.
WELL, I TELL YOU, I WENT OVER THERE YESTERDAY FOR THE SECOND TIME, AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I'LL JUST WALK FROM THE FRONT GATE TO THE ROAD.
THAT'S NOT 150 FEET THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING HERE.
THERE'S A HOUSE THAT'S 40 YARDS FROM THE FENCE SURROUNDED BY SOLAR PANELS.
THIS GUY WILL, WILL NEVER RECOUP HIS VALUE INTO THAT HOME.
THE AVERAGE LOSS OF PROPERTY VALUE IS $25,000 FOR THOSE HOMES THAT ARE AROUND THESE SOLAR PANELS, THE PANELS THAT THEY'RE USING, I'M SURE THEY'VE DONE REPORTS.
THEY WILL SHOW YOU REPORTS THAT IT'S NOT TOXIC.
BUT I COULD SHOW YOU JUST AS MANY THAT ARE.
THE CADIUM DOES FORM A TOXICITY INTO THE WATER.
NOW, WHEN I LOOKED, WENT OVER TO PRINCE GEORGE, I LOOKED THROUGH THE FENCE AND THERE WAS PUDDLES AND PUDDLES AND PUDDLES OF WATER.
WHERE IS THAT WATER GOING AND WHO IS IT AFFECTING? I DON'T WANT IT TO BOTHER ME AND AFFECT MY PROPERTY OR AFFECT ME, ME AND MY FAMILY.
AND THE LAST THING, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS? I KNOW YOU'VE TAKEN IT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS A NUMBER OF TIMES.
THEY'VE ALREADY, THEY'VE ALREADY SAID NO TWICE, SO, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE HERE AGAIN AND WHY WE GOTTA COME BACK NEXT MONTH.
BUT I, YOU KNOW, I I I HOPEFULLY YOU'LL TALK THIS OVER FROM NOW TO NEXT MONTH AND YOU'LL COME UP WITH THE RIGHT ANSWER, BUT THE RIGHT ANSWER, WELL, THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES WAS NO, AMHERST COUNTY, FRANKLIN COUNTY, NEW KID COUNTY, PULASKI COUNTY, CAROLINE COUNTY, AND DENWOOD COUNTY.
AND IF I HAVE TO BEG YOU GUYS TO LISTEN TO US, I WILL.
PLEASE, PLEASE, MR. CHAIR, THERE IS NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? HEARING DONE? I'M GONNA CLOSE THE COMMENT PERIOD.
THE A THE APPLICANT IS TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION.
MR. CHAIR, COULD I HAVE JUST ANOTHER TO A BRIEF MOMENT? BRIEF YES.
TO REBUT ANY OF THIS? SO I, I WILL START WITH THE, THE NUMEROUS COMMENTS ABOUT THE PANELS THAT WE USE.
AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THEY'VE BEEN DEPLOYED FOR OVER 25 YEARS, NOT A SINGLE CASE OF CONTAMINATION.
AS A RESULT OF THEM, THEY ALSO PASSED THE FEDERAL T CLIP STANDARD, WHICH IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR, UH, DETERMINING WHETHER A, A, A SUBSTANCE CAN LEACH INTO GROUNDWATER.
[01:50:01]
BEEN PRODUCED THAT HAVE SHOWN ANYTHING CONTRARY TO THAT HAVE CREATED UNNATURAL SITUATIONS IN ORDER TO CREATE, UH, THE RES THE DESIRED RESULT.SO THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, TO DISPEL THE MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE PANELS WE USE.
THEY ARE OB OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE AN AMERICAN COMPANY THAT WE OPERATE WITH.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY HAVE A 0.3% ANNUAL DEGRADATION RATE, WHICH MEANS THAT 30 YEARS, THEY'RE ROUGHLY 80%, 30 TO 40 YEARS, THEY'RE ROUGHLY 80% CAPACITY.
SO THE LIFESPAN OF THESE PRO OF THESE PANELS CAN LAST UP TO THE LIFESPAN OF THIS PROJECT.
SO JUST WANTED TO DISPEL THAT, UH, POINT.
UH, ONE OTHER THING I WILL MENTION, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE, I GUESS TWO, TWO MORE THINGS I'LL MENTION.
UH, YES, THERE WERE ISSUES AT A COUPLE SITES WITH THE EQ, UM, FINES.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, THEY WERE DUE TO CONTRACTOR SEQUENCING ERROR.
WE TAKE FULLY FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
ALL, ALL ISSUES ON SITE HAVE BEEN, UH, REMEDIATED AND WE'RE IN FULL COMPLIANCE.
SO WE, WE ARE, WHILE IT WAS A CONTRACTOR SEQUENCING ERROR, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND WE HAVE STEPPED UP AND FIXED IT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE INVITED DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO VOLUNTARILY TOUR EVERY ONE OF OUR OPERATIONAL SITES AND CONSTRUCTION SITES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF THEIR REGULATIONS.
LAST POINT, DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE ARE NOT A FOREIGN COMPANY.
OUR, THE PARENT COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN ISRAEL.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE.
WE'RE PROUD OF THE OPERATIONS IN ISRAEL.
WE'RE PROUD OF OUR OPERATIONS IN POLAND.
AND WE'RE EVEN MORE PROUD OF THE OPERATION IN LARGE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS PART OF NOT ONLY CREATING CLEAN ENERGY, BUT CREATING ENERGY INDEPENDENCE FOR THE UNITED STATES.
I HOPE THAT WAS A BRIEF ENOUGH.
ALRIGHT, WE MOVE ON TO OLD BUSINESS.
IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AT THIS TIME? MR. CHAIR, JUST I WOULD REPEAT AGAIN THAT WE'RE GONNA, UH, NOT TAKE ACTION, YOUR HONOR, THIS WILL BE ON MARCH 13TH.
13TH, AND THAT WILL BE YOU, YOU NOTICE AND, AND COME BACK AND DO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALRIGHT, MR. BASS, IS THERE ANYTHING UNDER OLD BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF? NO.
MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NO OLD BUSINESS.
IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF? NO.
ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME?
[10. COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]
JUST THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING.LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMAILS, UH, AND YOUR PHONE CALLS.
YOU LETTING US KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THINGS.
I'D RATHER LET US KNOW NOW THAN NOT SHOW UP AT ALL.
SHOW FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
WE JUST, WE JUST LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
GOES TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
EITHER WAY IT'S GOING TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SO WE DON'T MAKE THE FINAL DETERMINATION.
ANY PLANNING DIRECTOR COMMENTS? NO.