[00:00:01]
HMM.[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE FOR THE MARCH 13TH, 2024 PLANNING, COMMISSION MEETING.I CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
LET'S STAND, SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND HAVE A 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 AND INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE LIBERTY UNION OF US ALL.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
IN FRONT OF YOU.YOU HAVE THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
MOTION'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.
CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MR. HARVILLE? YES.
HE PUT PROCE MR. LANGLEY? YES.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
FIRST THING ON OUR LIST TONIGHT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 14TH MINUTES.UH, EACH OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS HAS BEEN EMAILED A COPY OF THE MINUTES.
YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK OVER 'EM.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE THEM READ OR WOULD YOU LIKE I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? I'LL SECOND IT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LET'S GET THE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[6. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
THE AGENDA IS THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.THIS IS A PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH YOU, THE PUBLIC, WHO COME TONIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANYTHING THAT IS NOT A CASE IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROPOSED GUN RANGE OR THE SOLAR FACILITY, THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO DO IT, BUT IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR TAXATION OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO DO SO.
AT THIS TIME, DO I HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? MR. CHAIRMAN? I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME? ALRIGHT, I WILL ASK YOU FIRST WHEN YOU COME UP, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT.
DANIEL PAZAR, 2 0 8 8 1 REESE ROAD.
JUST A QUESTION I'VE CALLED A COUPLE PEOPLE ABOUT VDOT IS I SEE THAT THEY'RE REPLACING THAT ONE SECTION OF WASHOUT.
UM, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE ROUTES AND EVERYTHING.
WHEN YOU ASK DIRECTIONS IN THIS COUNTY, NOBODY SAYS GO DOWN THE ROAD.
DOES EVERYBODY EVER KNOW THE ROAD THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE HAD TO CUT BACK THROUGH HERE TO GET BACK OVER HARDWAY MILL, HARDAWAY MILL? IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON THAT? BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE STARTING THE BRIDGE PROJECT OVER HERE THAT'S CUTTING EVERYTHING UP AGAIN AND, AND IT'S LIKE I'M RUNNING OUTTA WAYS TO GET ON.
ALRIGHT,
UH, THIS IS JUST A TIME FOR YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR RIGHT CONCERNS AND WE'LL TAKE THAT IN AND HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET BACK WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SEEING NOBODY? I'M GONNA CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD, AND
[7.A. PINE CREEK ESTATES]
WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON TO SUBDIVISION PLAT REVIEW.MARK, OR IS IT YOU THAT'LL BE GIVING US THAT.
AS YOU INDICATED, WE HAVE, UH, TWO SUBDIVISION PLAT REVIEWS, UH, FOR YOU.
THIS AT THIS EVENING, AS YOU RECALL, UM, IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, CHAPTER 18
[00:05:01]
OF THE COUNTY CODE, UH, WHEN A SUBDIVISION, UH, A PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION IS PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY FOR REVIEW BY ALL THE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AGENCIES.IT ALSO IS SUBJECT TO, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A, A PLAT REVIEW.
UNDER THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE.
YOU ALL DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON IT, BUT WE DO HAVE TO PRESENT THE SUBDIVISION TO YOU ALL AND, UH, HAVE A REVIEW ON IT AND TAKE ANY COMMENTS, UH, RELATED TO THAT.
UH, WE ALSO, JUST FOR INFORMATION, WE DO PUT A SIGN OUT ON THE PROPERTY SO THE PUBLIC'S AWARE OF THAT.
WE, UH, THAT THIS PROPERTY IS UNDERGOING, UH, DIVISION, UH, INTO, INTO LOTS.
AND IT HAS THE, UH, PLANNING DEPARTMENT PHONE NUMBER ON IT AND, UH, FOR THEM TO CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, OR COMMENTS RELATED TO THE SUBDIVISION.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE FOR YOU, UH, THIS EVENING AS UH, SHOWN ON YOUR AGENDA IS PINE CREEK ESTATES.
AND, UH, AGAIN, UM, BOTH OF THESE, UH, SUBDIVISIONS ARE, UH, WHAT YOU ALL, UH, HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE IN OTHER PRESENTATIONS.
THESE ARE BY RIGHT DIVISIONS, MEANING THEY HAVE THE CORRECT ZONING ASSOCIATED WITH 'EM, AND THEY MEET ALL THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS FOR, UH, SUBDIVISION LOTS.
THIS ONE, UH, PROPERTIES ZONED A TWO AND IT IS ALLOWED TO BE DIVIDED, UH, BY RIGHT SUBJECT TO THE SLIDING SCALE, UM, THAT YOU ADOPTED BACK IN 2019, UM, WHEN WE MADE A COUPLE REVISIONS RELATED TO, UH, LOT FRONTAGE, ROAD FRONTAGE.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE PUT IN THE DENSITY REQUIREMENT, UH, THAT WE REFER TO AS THE SLIDING SCALE.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, THESE ARE LARGE LOTS, UM, IN THE A TWO ZONING DISTRICT, THEY MEET THE 400 FOOT, UM, FRONTAGE REQUIREMENT, UH, FOR THE NEW LOTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
WE DID BRING IT TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, VDOT, UM, DID NOT HAVE ANY COMMENTS THEY FELT LIKE WITH THE 400 FOOT ROAD FRONTAGE REQUIREMENT, UH, THAT WE HAVE, THAT EACH LOT COULD BE ACCESSED WITH INDIVIDUAL, UM, DRIVEWAYS TO EACH LOT.
AND WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, UH, FROM ANY OF THE, UH, REVIEWERS AT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
ALSO, IT MEETS ALL IN ADDITION TO THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LOTS.
UH, IT ALSO MEETS THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE MR. CHAIR ON.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE FIRST PLAN COMMISSION OR EVERYBODY GOOD HEARING? NOTHING WE CAN ADD WAIT.
[7.B. FORT EMORY ESTATES SEC 2]
ALRIGHT, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE FORT EMORY ESTATES IF YOU WANT TO.UH, THE NEXT IS FORT EMERY ESTATES SECTION TWO.
UM, YOU ALL, I THINK YOU ALL ARE AWARE, UM, THIS IS THE NORTHEASTERN SECTION OF THE COUNTY SQUIRREL LEVEL ROAD ROAD WHERE BACK IN THE, WHEN THE COUNTY CREATED ZONING DISTRICTS BACK IN 1964, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, UM, THE COUNTY REZONED ALL OF THAT AREA.
IT'S KIND OF A FUNNEL SHAPED AREA.
AS I SAID, SQUIRREL LEVEL ROAD, VAUGHN ROAD, UM, COMING DOWN FROM THE PETERSBURG CITY LIMITS.
UM, THEY ZONED ALL THAT AREA R ONE RESIDENTIAL LIMITED, WHICH REQUIRES, UM, UH, ONE AND A HALF ACRE MINIMUM LOT SIZES.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TWO ACRE MINIMUM LOT SIZE SIZES, WHICH THIS PLAT OF COURSE SHOWS THAT REFLECTS THAT.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF NOTES VDOT DID HAVE.
UM, WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, THEY DID HAVE, UM, A COUPLE ITEMS, UH, RELATED TO THE PRELIMINARY PLAT THAT THEY WANTED, UH, TO BE ADDRESSED.
UH, MAINLY UNDER ON WHEN THE SUBDIVISIONS UNDER DEVELOPMENT, UM, BEING CONSTRUCTED EACH LOT, UM, THEY ASKED, THEY HAD CONCERNS WITH THE, UH, DITCH DRIVEWAY CULVERTS.
UM, SO WHEN THE PROPERTY'S DEVELOPED, UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE
[00:10:01]
TO ENSURE THAT THE, THE DITCH WORK THERE IS ADEQUATE.THEY'RE NOT JUST GONNA BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL DRIVEWAY CULVERTS, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE DITCHES ALONG SQUIRREL LEVEL ROAD, MAKE SURE THOSE ARE ADEQUATE, UH, FOR THE STORM WATER RUNOFF AND, UM, MAKE SURE THOSE CULVERT SIZES ARE CORRECT AS WELL.
UM, ALSO YOU CAN SEE RELATED TO THAT, UM, ON THE LOTS, UH, THEY DO HAVE SHARED DRIVEWAYS FOR ALL THE LOTS, UM, ON SQUIRREL LEVEL ROAD TO MINIMIZE THOSE, UH, THE NUMBER OF, UM, DRIVEWAY ENTRANCES COMING ONTO SQUIRREL LEVEL ROAD.
SO THOSE ARE REFLECTED ON THE PRELIMINARY PLAT AS WELL.
AND THEN ON, UM, FORT EMERY, UM, ALSO THEY HAVE SHARED DRIVEWAY ACCESSES AND VDOT ALSO, UM, IN THEIR COMMENTS, I BELIEVE IT WAS LOT SEVEN AND EIGHT, UM, WHERE THERE'S A 60 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY GOING INTO THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, THOSE TWO LOTS ARE GONNA HAVE TO USE THAT, UH, 60 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY TO ACCESS LOTS.
THOSE ARE THE LOTS ON FORT EMORY, UH, ROAD.
SO NINE WHAT? EIGHT AND NINE? I'M SORRY.
I CAN'T SEE THE LOT NUMBERS FROM HERE, BUT LOTS EIGHT AND NINE.
UM, BUT THAT WAS THE SECOND MAIN, UH, COMMENT THAT VDOT HAD RELATED, RELATED TO THAT.
UM, THOSE ARE THE MAIN COMMENTS THAT I WANTED TO REVIEW WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING RELATED TO THE, THE PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR FORT EMORY ESTATE SECTION TWO.
I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR COMMENTS MR. TUCKER.
YOU'VE MENTIONED THE DITCH LINE ON SQUIRREL LEVEL.
ON THIS, ON THIS PROPERTY, IS THAT GOING TO BE, UM, A CULVERT OR AN OPEN DITCH LINE? UM, PREDOMINANTLY OPEN DITCH LINE, UM, EXCEPT FOR WHERE THE DRIVEWAY CULVERTS, THOSE SHARED DRIVEWAY CULVERTS.
UM, BUT IF VDOT, UM, WHEN THEY DO FURTHER STUDY ON THOSE, IF VDOT WOULD REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, OF THOSE AREAS TO BE PIPED, UM, THEN THEY WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE TO DO THAT PER VDO REQUIREMENTS.
SO VDO DID ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT? YES.
ARE THESE TRUE SHARED DRIVEWAYS OR THE DRIVEWAY SIT SIDE BY SIDE, MR. GORDON? UM, UH, THAT'S REALLY UP TO BE WHAT THEY WANT.
WE, WE'VE HAD TO DO THEM BOTH WAYS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY WANT SOLID DRIVEWAY SOMETIMES AND THEN THEY CHANGE AND THEY WANT TO HAVE SPLIT DRIVEWAYS AND THEN FACT SOLID DRIVEWAY.
SO THAT KINDA KIND TO THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED ONE CONTINUOUS PIPE AND THEN THEY WANTED TWO SEPARATE PIPES AND THEN THEY WANTED ONE CONTINUOUS PIPE.
I'VE SEEN THEM BOTH WAYS AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND THEY SPLIT 'EM AT ONE TIME.
WELL, SO ON JUST FOR INSTANCE, ON RIDGE ROAD, I KNOW THAT THOSE DRIVEWAYS WERE DONE TO, UH, KEEP DRIVEWAYS SEPARATE, TO KEEP HAVING ALL IN THE SAME EASEMENT, BUT TO KEEP FROM HAVING ISSUES WITH NEIGHBORS, YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE ASPHALT DRIVEWAY AND ONE, ONE IN THE DRIVEWAY.
SO YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE JOINT DRIVEWAY AND THIS GUY WANTS ASPHALT AND HE WANTS THIS GUY TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY TO KEEP FROM HAVING A HEADACHE DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THAT'S WHY THE SPLIT DRIVEWAYS GETTING DONE.
SO, OKAY, YOU'LL SEE ON THE PLAT THAT AS MR. GORDON INDICATED, THEY DO HAVE THE JOINT EASEMENT THERE.
WELL, I SEE THAT SO IN BETWEEN, RIGHT.
AND I FIGURED THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS FOR, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF VDO WAS GONNA HOLD HIM TO THAT OR IF THEY WERE GONNA TELL 'EM THEY DIDN'T WANT THAT OR THEY, I DON'T THINK THEY SAID ANYTHING IN THE YEAH, AT THIS POINT THAT'S NOT V THAT ISSUE.
AT THIS POINT WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAVEN'T ADDRESSED THAT SPECIFICALLY CALLED BEFORE.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY
DO YOU WANT TO STAY UP THERE AND GO INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING? UH, MR. ROBINSON'S GONNA HANDLE THE NEXT CASE.
I'LL BE BACK FOR THE LILY POND SOLAR.
[8.A. CASE C-23-6]
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND WE'RE ON KC DASH 23 DASH SIX.[00:15:03]
ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, MY NAME IS BRAD ROBINSON WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I'M GONNA GIVE A STAFF PRESENTATION FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION C UH, 23 6 FOR WHICH THE APPLICANT IS MARK LANGOWSKI AND HUNTER INGRAM.
THE APPLICANTS ARE REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ESTABLISH A FIREARMS TRAINING RANGE ON PROPERTY THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNTY'S RECORDS AS TAX PARCEL 84 DASH THREE DASH FIVE.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF REESE ROAD, WHICH IS ROUTE 6 64, APPROXIMATELY, UH, 0.98 MILES EAST OF OLD STAGE ROAD.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED A TWO, WHICH IS OUR AGRICULTURAL GENERAL DISTRICT, WHICH ALLOWS FOR AN OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITY USE AT AFTER REQUEST OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, AS THE DWE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN INDICATES THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE RURAL CONSERVATION AREA, WHICH IS INTENDED TO LIMIT NEW GROWTH AND ENCOURAGE THE CONTINUATION OF EXISTING AGRICULTURAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES.
SO AS MENTIONED, THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON NORTH, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF REESE ROAD.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY FORESTED AND IS SURROUNDED BY PARCELS THAT ARE OF LIKE SIZE OR LARGER SIZE.
THESE PARCELS ALSO CONTAIN RESIDENTIAL OR FOREST LAND USES THE SMALLEST PARCEL ALONG REESE ROAD BASED ON STAFF'S OBSERVATION IS 3.8 ACRES, WHEREAS ONE OF THE ADJOINING PARCELS TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS OVER 3000 ACRES OR 3,100 ACRES.
WHILE THE GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE AREA IS AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL.
REESE ROAD IS A GRAVEL DEAD END ROAD THAT PRIMARILY SERVES 12 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES OVER 1.19 MILES.
THE CLOSEST HOMES TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY ARE JUST OVER 600 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE AND JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THEIR PROPERTY LINE, NOT THE SITE OF THE ACTUAL FIREARMS TRAINING RANGE.
ALL ADJOINING PROPERTIES ARE ALSO ZONED A TWO.
SO AS MENTIONED, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO ESTABLISH A FIREARMS TRAINING RANGE, WHICH IS CLASSIFIED IN OUR ORDINANCE AS AN OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITY.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO OPERATE THE RANGE IN TWO PHASES.
PHASE ONE WOULD USE AN AREA OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS ALREADY CLEARED AND WAS BEING USED BY A PREVIOUS PROPERTY OWNER AS A PERSONAL OR PRIVATE RANGE.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING TO USE THIS AREA AS A 40 YARD RANGE FOR FIREARMS CLASSES THAT WOULD FOCUS ON WEAPONS SAFETY, SAFE HANDLING, WEAPONS PROFICIENCY, AND SITUATIONAL TRAINING.
THE CLASSES ARE PROPOSED TO TAKE PLACE, UH, ON THURSDAYS THROUGH SUNDAYS AND WOULD LAST BETWEEN ONE AND THREE HOURS.
UH, THE HOURS ON THURSDAYS WOULD BE FROM 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM SATURDAY HOURS WOULD BE FROM 10:00 AM TO 6:00 PM AND SUNDAY WOULD BE FROM 3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM.
UH, THE AREA THAT CONTAINS THE 40 YARD RANGE IS APPROXIMATELY 15,000 SQUARE FEET AND IS SURROUNDED BY WOODS ON ALL SIDES ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT.
UM, THE PREVIOUS OWNER, UM, HAS AN EXISTING BERM AT THE, UH, AT THE RANGE THAT IS APPROXIMATELY NINE FOOT HIGH BY 60 FOOT WIDE.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO ESTABLISH AN ADDITIONAL 12 FOOT BERM AROUND THE RANGE.
THE BERMS WOULD HELP ACT AS A BACKSTOP FOR THE TARGET SHOOTING DURING THE FIREARMS CLASSES.
ALSO WITHIN THE 40 YARD RANGE WOULD BE 10 LANES OF RETRACTABLE TARGETS AND 10 LANES OF STEEL TARGETS, WHICH WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 20 LANES.
BASED ON THIS, UH, THE CLASSES COULD ACCOMMODATE UP TO 20 SHOOTERS AT ONE TIME.
HOWEVER, THEY BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS INTENDING TO KEEP THE CLASS HIGH SMALLER THAN 20 SHOOTERS WHEN FOLLOWING THE EXISTING, UM, ROAD INTO THE PROPERTY FROM REESE ROAD.
THE RANGE IS OVER 2300 FEET FROM REESE ROAD.
[00:20:01]
HOWEVER, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT HOW THE PROPERTY IS ORIENTED, IT'S, IT'S SORT OF CURVES AWAY FROM REESE ROAD.SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A MORE DIRECT MEASUREMENT, THE RANGE IS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO RE ROAD THAN 2300 FEET.
BASED ON STAFF MEASUREMENTS, IT'S ABOUT 1300 FEET AND THE CO CLOSEST DWELLING TO THE RANGE WOULD BE JUST OVER 900 FEET.
PHASE TWO WOULD INVOLVE ADDITION OF A LONG DISTANCE RANGE ON THE PROPERTY.
THAT WOULD BE UP TO 300 METERS THAT, UH, AND FEET THAT IS 984 FEET AND IT WOULD BE LOCATED WEST OF THE 40 YARD RANGE.
THE LONG DISTANCE RANGE WOULD HAVE AN ELEVATED FIRING POINT AND A BACKSTOP TO PREVENT STRAY ROUNDS FROM TRAVELING BEYOND THE BACKSTOP.
UNLIKE THE 40 YARD RANGE, THE LONG DISTANCE RANGE WOULD BE OPEN ONLY TO PAYING MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS BY APPOINTMENTS ONLY ON THURSDAYS THROUGH SATURDAYS WITH ONLY ONE SHOOTER ALLOWED AT A TIME.
THE HOURS ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS WOULD BE FROM 12 NOON UNTIL 7:00 PM AND SATURDAYS FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL 7:00 PM THE APPLICANT HAS ALSO STATED THAT THE LONG DISTANCE RANGE WOULD NOT BE OPEN WHILE FIREARMS CLASSES ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE 40 YARD RANGE.
THE RANGE IS PROPOSED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS.
SO WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR THAT IT WOULDN'T BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAY, TUESDAYS, BUT JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE APPLICANT HAS INDICATED THAT THE HOURS FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE FROM 10:00 AM TO 7:00 PM BUT COULD ALSO BE EXTENDED TO 8:00 PM ONCE A QUARTER.
ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION, THE APPLICANT HAS INDICATED THAT, UH, AUTOMATIC FIREARMS ARMOR PIERCING OR INCENDIARY AMMUNITION AT ANY ROUND THAT IS POINT 50, CALIBER BMG AND UP WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM THE RANGE BASED ON THEIR STAFF, HAS INCLUDED A CONDITION IN THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDES THIS RESTRICTION.
IN ADDITION TO THE TWO RANGES, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO PROPOSING AN OFFICE BUILDING WITH A PARKING AREA AND A PORTABLE RESTROOM, WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN PHASE TWO OPENS.
THE OFFICE WILL BE LOCATED AT, LOCATED AT THE 40 YARDS RANGE.
IN AN EXISTING BUILDING THAT APPEARS TO BE UNDER 200 SQUARE FEET, THE RANGE COULD STAFF UP TO FIVE EMPLOYEES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS BEING WITHIN A RURAL CONSERVATION AREA, WHICH IS DESCRIBED AS BEING AREAS DEFINED BY TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE, OPEN SPACE, FOREST LAND, AND LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
ACCORDING TO THE PLAN, RURAL CONSERVATION AREAS MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR LIMITED NEW SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED, RESIDENTIAL AND MANUFACTURED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER, THE PRIORITY FOR THESE AREAS SHOULD BE PRESERVING THE EXISTING LANDSCAPE AND PROMOTING AGRICULTURE AGRITOURISM AND FORESTRY AS THE PREDOMINANT USES.
TO SUMMARIZE THE IMPACTS OF THIS REQUEST ON THE COUNTY SERVICES AND FACILITIES, THERE WOULD BE NO IMPACT TO PUBLIC UTILITIES OR SCHOOLS.
THERE WOULD BE NO IMPACT, UH, EXCUSE ME, THERE WOULD BE NO IMPACT TO PUBLIC UTILITIES OR SCHOOLS.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO UTILIZE A PORTABLE RESTROOM.
AS FOR TRANSPORTATION, THE PROPERTY HAS AN EXISTING ENTRANCE ONTO REESE ROAD, WHICH IS ROUTE 6 64 AND IS A GRAVEL ROAD WITH A FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF A LOCAL AND STATUTORY SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MILES PER HOUR.
VDO T'S LATEST TRAFFIC COUNT FOR REESE ROAD WAS 45 VEHICLES PER DAY.
SHOULD THIS REQUEST TO BE APPROVED, A LOW VOLUME COMMERCIAL ENTRANCE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SERVE THE PROPOSED USE.
VDOT HAS INDICATED, UH, THEY DO NOT HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
SO IT'S SET FORTH IN THE, SO IN ORDINANCE SECTION 22 DASH 22.
ANY PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER, WHICH ALLOW A USE WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT SHALL NOT PROHIBIT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM DENYING AN APPLICATION FOR A PARTICULAR PERMIT.
UPON FINDING AFTER PUBLIC HEARING THAT THE ISSUANCE OF SUCH PERMIT WOULD NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE INTENT, PURPOSE, AND DESIGN OF THIS CHAPTER AND OR SECTION 22 DASH
[00:25:01]
TWO OF THE COUNTY CODE PLANNING STAFF HAS REVIEWED THIS REQUEST AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.BUT THAT'S ONLY IF THE PROPOSED USE OPERATES SUBJECT TO THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
UM, IN THIS STAFF REPORT, WHICH I WILL GO THROUGH IN A MOMENT, WHILE WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL, STAFF DOES FEEL THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED FROM THE APPLICANT WITH REGARDS TO THE FOLLOWING AREAS, UM, ONE BEING NOISE IMPACTS TO THE ADJOINING PROPERTIES AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
UM, CLARIFICATION ON THE MATERIAL COMPACTION AND THICKNESS OF THE BURN WALLS, PARTICULARLY AT THE, UM, LONG DISTANCE RANGE, UH, PROCEDURES THAT WOULD BE IN PLACE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR MEDICAL SITUATION, NOTING THAT THE UH, RANGES ARE LOCATED 2300 FEET OFF OF REESE ROAD, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE ACCESS BY EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
UM, THE BASED ON COUNTY'S MAPPING, IT'S, UM, PROPOSED LOCATION DOES NOT APPEAR, CAN ACCOMMODATE A 300 METER RANGE.
I WOULD NOTE THAT, UH, THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND A SURVEY IN, UH, COUNTY'S RECORDS THAT CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS, UH, THE PROPERTY LINE ALONG THE LONG DISTANCE RANGE IS 992 FEET.
UH, THE DIRECTION OF FIRE FOR THE LONG DISTANCE RANGE APPEARS TO BE ORIENTED TOWARDS THE ADJOINING PROPERTY.
MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED AS TO THE BACKSTOP THAT WOULD BE USED.
UH, THE PROPOSED HOURS OF OPERATION.
THE STAFF REPORT STATES THAT IT WOULD UTILIZE ALL SEVEN DAYS OF THE WEEK.
I NEED TO CORRECT THAT THE STATE THAT IT WOULD UTILIZE ALL DAYS OF THE WEEK, EXCEPT WEDNESDAYS, THE COUNTY MAY WANT TO LIMIT THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSED HOURS AND OR DAYS TO ENSURE THAT THE AREA RESIDENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THE AREA.
UH, FOR THAT REASON, STAFF HAS REMOVED THE SUNDAY HOURS AND LIMITED THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING TO END AT 7:00 PM INSTEAD OF 8:00 PM AND WHAT I JUST MENTIONED IS REFLECTED IN THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
THE PROPOSED HOURS OF OPERATION DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR CHANGES IN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BETWEEN SEASONS.
STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE HOURS END EARLIER DURING THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS TO PREVENT NOISE OR POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES AFTER DARK.
SO WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, I WILL COVER THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
17 CONDITIONS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
I WILL NOTE THAT YOU DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THESE CONDITIONS AS YOU SEE FIT AND YOU CAN ADD ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS.
UH, THE FIRST CONDITION, FIREARMS TRAINING RANGE, INCLUDING BOTH CLASSES AND PRIVATE RANGE, SHALL OPERATE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY BETWEEN 10:00 AM AND 7:00 PM ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT USE OF THE FACILITY THAT'S PERMITTED ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS BETWEEN 10:10 AM AND 7:00 PM AND AGAIN, JUST NOTE THAT THIS CONDITION DOES NOT ADDRESS, UH, CHANGES IN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.
NUMBER TWO, NO RIFLES EXCEEDING CALIBER POINT 50 SHALL BE PERMITTED EXCLUSIVE OF BLACK POWDER RIFLES, WHICH SHALL BE PERMITTED IN HIGHER CALIBER.
NO FIREARMS SHALL BE ALLOWED, WHICH TO HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS ILLEGAL BY STATE OR FEDERAL STATUTE.
UH, THE FIREARMS AND SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL BE PROMINENTLY POSTED ON THE SITE.
AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS SHALL BE ENFORCED BY THE FACILITY STAFF CONDITION FOUR.
A MINIMUM OF ONE RANGE SAFETY OFFICER SHALL, SHALL BE ON DUTY A MINIMUM OF ONE RANGE.
SAFETY OFFICER SHALL BE ON DUTY DURING THE OPERATING HOURS.
AND, AND PRIOR TO ANY SHOOTING EVENTS, THE OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO WALK THE RANGE TO ASSURE THAT NO PERSON IS IN THE DIRECT FIRE ZONE CONDITION.
FIVE, NO PERSON SHALL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER OR LEAVE THE PREMISES WITH A LOADED FIREARM.
THE FIREARMS SHALL ONLY BE LOADED ON THE FIRING RANGE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE RANGE SAFETY OFFICER CONDITION SIX, NO PERSON SHOULD BE ALLOWED.
THAT APPEARS TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR, AND OR ALCOHOL.
NOR SHOULD ALCOHOL OR DRUGS BE CARRIED INTO THE FACILITY CONDITION.
SEVEN INDIVIDUALS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE WOULD BE ALLOWED, PROVIDED THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OR THEY ARE UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION.
AND A SIGNED RELEASE BY THE PARENT IS PROVIDED.
[00:30:01]
EIGHT.ADEQUATE SANITARY SEWER AND POTABLE WATER FACILITIES SHALL BE PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND OR BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS.
ANY SITE LIGHTING THAT WOULD BE INSTALLED WOULD HAVE TO BE DIRECTED DOWNWARD AND INWARD TO THE SITE TO PREVENT, TO PRESERVE THE NIGHT SKY AND PREVENT ANY, UM, CAST OF LIGHTING ONTO THE ADJOINING PROPERTIES.
CONDITION 10 PROHIBITS CAMPING AND OVERNIGHT LODGING ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, CONDITION 11 PREVENTS HUNTING DURING OPERATING HOURS.
CONDITION 12 REQUIRES A MINIMUM 50 FOOT BUFFER, UH, ALONG THE TOP PERIMETER OF THE 26.81 ACRE PROPERTY THAT BUFFERS TO BE PERMANENTLY MAINTAINED WHERE CLEAN OR VEGETATION NOR SHOOTING ACTIVITIES WOULD BE ALLOWED.
CONDITION 13 REQUIRES, UM, POSTING OF SIGNAGE, UM, THAT IDENTIFY THE FIRING RANGE.
UM, ADDRESSES THE SIZE AND THE COLORS THAT SIGNAGE SHOULD USE, AND IT GIVES, UM, STAFF THE ABILITY TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE AT THEIR DISCRETION.
CONDITION 14 REQUIRES THAT THE CONDITION USE PERMIT BE REVIEWED BY THE DEN.
WE COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, UH, CONDITION 15 REQUIRES THAT THE APPLICANT GIVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ITS AGENTS OR DULY CONSTITUTED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO GO UPON THE PROPERTY AT ANY TIME FOR PURPOSE OF DETERMINING COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE THIS ARTICLE AND THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UH, CONDITION 16 REQUIRES THAT THE RANGE BE DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDELINES SPECIFIED IN THE NRA RANGE SOURCE BOOK, A GUIDE TO PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION LATEST EDITION AND COPIES WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING OFFICE.
AND THE LAST CONDITION NUMBER 17 REQUIRES THAT PLANS SPECIFICATIONS AND OTHER FACILITY INFORMATION SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY BY THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION RANGE DEPARTMENT FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT.
THE COUNTY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT, REJECT, OR AMEND ANY OR ALL COMMENTS PROVIDED BY THE NRA RANGE DEPARTMENT.
SO WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, THAT WOULD CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT STAFF DID RECEIVE SOME, UM, LETTERS FROM AREA CITIZENS.
UM, IN THIS ORDER WE DID RECEIVE CORRESPONDENCE FROM WILLIAM AND CAROL PUCKETT, DANIEL AND WANDA PK SAREK, LISA AND STEVE BUNCH, AND PASTOR JEAN BALANCE.
AND THESE, UH, THIS CITIZEN CORRESPONDENCE IS AVAILABLE, UH, WITH THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, I CAN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS OR ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THE APPLICANT, MR. MARKOWSKI IS PRESENT AS WELL.
MR. CHUCK? I HAVE TWO, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, WELL, I HAVE PLENTY MORE THAN THAT, BUT LET ME JUST ASK TOO QUESTION.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DOES DENVER COUNTY'S FINEST? WHERE ARE THEY, WHERE ARE THEY FIRING NOW? WHERE ARE THEY LEARNING TO FIRE NOW? I MEANING, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT I'M ASKING IS, IS THERE A FIRING RANGE THAT THEY USE NOW? DENWOOD COUNTY FINEST? YES.
IT'S, IT'S OVER AT THE LANDFILL OFF WHEELERS POND ROAD.
THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE YOU QUALIFY? YES, SIR.
UM, NEXT QUESTION, UH, TO YOU, UH, BRAD, AS DOES THE COUNTY HAVE IN ITS POSSESSION AT THIS TIME, UH, GUIDELINES FROM THE NRA REGARDING THE SHOOTING RANGES? NO.
YOU DON'T? NO, WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO RESEARCH THAT, BUT THAT APPEARS TO BE MATERIAL WE WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE.
YOU MENTIONED THOSE FOLKS HAVE WROTE IN, I MEAN, CAN YOU JUST QUICKLY SUMMARIZE WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS, THE
[00:35:01]
COMMENTS WERE? THE, UM, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? YEAH.YOU HAVE WHAT I COUNTED OF FOUR, FOUR LETTERS THERE MM-HMM
I MEAN, JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE, YOU, WERE THEY FOR AGAINST, FOR SOME OF THE REASONS, YOU KNOW, UH, I WOULD SAY ONE LETTER WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE LETTER RECEIVED FROM PASTOR JEAN BALLANCE WAS IN SUPPORT, UM, BASICALLY SPEAKING OF HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE APPLICANT AND BEING HIS PASTOR.
THE OTHER LETTERS, UM, HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THIS, UH, PROPOSAL.
WERE THEY, UH, ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS OR NEARBY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? NEARBY ALONG THEIR, IF THEY DON'T IMMEDIATELY JOIN THEIR PROPERTY, THEY LIVE ON LA ROAD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BRAD? I GOT COMMENT.
I KNOW THAT IF WE'RE VOTING ON THIS AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF PHASE TWO, ALL THAT GOES TOGETHER.
RIGHT? IF THIS PASSES TO, UH, I, I DON'T LIKE THAT.
AND YOU SAID THE COUNTY GOVERNS THEM ONCE A YEAR.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY GOVERNMENT, THAT'S ONLY THE CONDITION WOULD ALLOW THE COUNTY TO REVIEW THE CONDITION, USE PERMIT ONCE A YEAR.
WELL, WHO WOULD MONITOR THEM DURING THE, THE REST OF THE YEAR? I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WOULD THEN, WOULD HE BE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING FOLLOWING ALL THE RULES OR, I WOULD SAY YES.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO OPERATE SUBJECT TO THE APPROVED CONDITIONS.
WHO'S MONITORING THAT THOUGH? THE, THE COUNTY WOULD MONITOR AND ENFORCE THE CONDITIONS.
AND DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE COMPLIANCE OFFICER IS GOING TO BE CHECKING THAT OFTEN OR IS IT GOING TO BE ONLY IF THERE'S A COMPLAINT? RIGHT NOW WE ARE PRIMARILY COMPLAINT DRIVEN.
ANOTHER QUESTION, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
WILL THIS INVOLVE ANY PARAMILITARY TRAINING? I'M GONNA DEFER THAT TO THE APPLICANT.
WELL, I'M ASKING YOU TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO, BUT I'M GONNA DEFER THAT TO THE APPLICANT.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL ASK THE APPLICANT TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME AND STATE THEIR CASE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO.
IF YOU, WHEN YOU COME UP, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
UH, MARK LANGOWSKI, 2 7 6 1 9 PERKINS ROAD.
UM, I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THE CONCERNS ARE WITH THE SAFETY AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH IT.
UM, BUT IF WE CAN, I'M JUST GONNA RUN THROUGH SOME OF THESE SLIDES REAL QUICK AND THEN I'M GONNA ADDRESS A LOT OF THE SAFETY QUESTIONS AND THE CONCERNS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE.
UM, ON PHASE ONE, WHICH IS JUST FOR CLASSES THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE GONNA CONDUCT.
UM, I KNOW HE'S ALREADY WENT OVER SOME OF THEM.
WE'RE ONLY GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING ON SUNDAYS.
AND THEN, UM, SO THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY IS GONNA BE THE MAIN TIME FOR THE CLASSES.
AND LIKE, LIKE YOU SAID, THE CLASSES ONLY LAST FROM ONE TO THREE HOURS.
BUT I CAN DO MORE THAN ONE CLASS AT THIS TIME.
WHEN I, BEFORE I DID CLASSES, I DO WENT TO A LOCAL RANGE AND IT'S OUT OF BUSINESS NOW.
WE ONLY HAD, THE MOST I HAD IN THE CLASS WAS PROBABLY FOUR PEOPLE.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A SMALL CLASS.
THE MOST I WILL ALLOW IS, UH, 10, BUT I ONLY LET FOUR PEOPLE SHOOT AT A TIME.
THAT WAY I CAN KEEP CONTROL OF ALL THE FIREARMS. UM, THERE'LL ALWAYS BE AN INSTRUCTOR WITH THEM EVERY TIME THEY'RE SHOOTING OR HANDLING A FIREARM.
AND THEN WE'RE, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE PHASE ONE TO BE ALLOWED.
AS SOON AS WE GET, UH, APPROVAL FOR THIS.
THIS IS THE EXISTING RANGE THAT, UH, WE PURCHASED.
SO IT IS 40 YARDS AND IT'S A GOOD DISTANCE, BUT IT IS A GOOD BACKSTOP.
IT'S ALSO, UM, THE PREVIOUS OWNER PUT, UH, TIRES UNDERNEATH THE, UH, THE DIRT.
SO THAT WAY IT'LL STOP EVERYTHING THAT GOES THROUGH THERE.
AND THEN, UH, PHASE TWO, WHICH IS A PRIVATE RANGE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR EVERYBODY JUST TO SHOW UP.
IT'S BY INVITE ONLY AND THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SAFETY COURSE.
UM, EVERY MEMBER AND THEIR GUEST HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SAFETY COURSE.
[00:40:01]
FAMILIARIZATION CLASS.AND THEN, SO WE HAVE THAT, THE ONE RANGE IS GONNA BE THE 40 YARD RANGE AND THEN THE SINGLE LONG DISTANCE RANGE.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT GONNA EXCEED 300 METERS, WHICH, UM, LOOKING AT THE PLANS AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, WE'LL DROP IT BACK TO 200.
UM, AND THEN THE CLASSES FOR, OR THE, FOR WHEN WE'LL BE OPEN ON THAT WHEN WE CLOSE ON SUNDAY, LIKE YOU SAID, MONDAY, TUESDAY, LAW ENFORCEMENT ONLY BY APPOINTMENT.
AND THEN, UH, WEDNESDAY, CLOSE THURSDAY, 10 TO SEVEN.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, 10 TO SEVEN.
AND WE WILL ADJUST THE HOURS IN THE FALL AND THE WINTER BE BECAUSE OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS.
WE DON'T PLAN ON PUTTING ANY LIGHTING OUT THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE DONE BEFORE DUSK.
SO THAT WAY IT'S SAFE FOR EVERYBODY TO BE THERE.
AND THEN AGAIN, UM, THE BERMS ARE GONNA BE 12 FOOT AND WE'RE GONNA, WE WILL GO OFF OF THE NRA REGULATIONS FOR THAT.
UM, BUT THERE'LL BE A MINIMUM OF 12 FEET.
AND THEN, UH, AS FAR AS TRAFFIC, SO IT IS, IT IS MAINTAINED BY VDOT.
AND THEN WE'RE NOT EXPECTING A LARGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC TO GO UP AND DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, CLASSES, LIKE I SAID, CLASSES ARE SMALL, RELEVANTLY SMALL, AND BECAUSE THE RANGE IS ONLY BY APPOINTMENTS, WE CAN CONTROL HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE THERE.
WE WILL HAVE 20 LANES, BUT AT THE MOST, I'LL PROBABLY ONLY HAVE 10 PEOPLE SHOOTING AT ONE TIME.
SO, AS FAR AS THE SOUND GOES, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S SURROUNDED BY WOODS, SO THAT'S A NATURAL BUFFER RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN ONCE THAT'S BEFORE WE OPEN UP, WE'RE GONNA PUT BERMS AROUND IT.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
AND, UM, SO THE BERM ITSELF IS ALSO GONNA BE A SOUND BARRIER.
AND THEN WE'RE HOPING, UM, LET ME GO BACK.
WE'RE HOPING TO PUT A, UH, A SHOOTING POINT THAT'S COVERED UP AS WELL.
SO THAT WAY IT'S A, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL SOUND BUFFER AS FAR AS THE LONG RANGE.
IT'S GONNA BE 12 FOOT WIDE BY 12 FEET HIGH.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA BE SHOOTING FROM AN ELEVATED POINT, SO EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE GOING DOWNHILL.
AND, UM, SO THERE'S ONLY A SINGLE IMPACT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE CONSTRUCTED OF COMPACTIBLE DIRT WITH A WOODING BACK, UH, THE BACK STOP AS WELL.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPERTY HERE, THIS BACK, THE BACKSIDE OF IT, WHERE THE BLUE AREA IS, WHERE THE RANGE IS GONNA BE.
UM, AS FAR AS SHOOTING POINTS, THEY'RE ALWAYS SHOOTING AWAY FROM DWELLINGS AND IT'S JUST GOING TOWARDS THE TREES.
IF WE GO BACK TO ONE, THE, UM, LONG DISTANCE RANGE THAT'S OVER HERE, IT'S JUST, IT'S ALSO GOING TO A BACKSTOP OR, UH, BACK INTO THE TREES.
SO THERE'S NO DWELLING CLOSE TO THE RANGE ITSELF.
SO, UM, WHENEVER I TALKED ABOUT, I KNOW HE HAD SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT IT.
UM, SO THE NOISE IMPACT, SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THE, THE BURN THAT'S AROUND THE OUTSIDE.
WE GOT THE NATURAL TREES, AND THEN WE WANT TO BUILD UP A, UH, SHOOTING POINT THAT'S COVERED.
SO IT'S ALSO GONNA BE A SOUND BUFFER.
UM, THE BURN WALLS, OF COURSE, THE MATERIAL'S GONNA BE COMPACTIBLE DIRT, LIKE CLAY SAND AND SLATE BECAUSE IT, IT COMPACTS, IT, IT STOPS THE ROUNDS FROM GOING ANYWHERE.
UM, THE THICKNESS OF IT, IT'S GONNA BE 12 FEET HIGH AND A MINIMUM OF 20 TO 30 FEET WIDE AT THE BASE.
SO IT'S GONNA BE PRETTY THICK.
AND AS FAR AS THE, UH, EMERGENCIES, ANYBODY THAT'S STAFFED WITH US IS GONNA BE TRAINED IN, UH, BASIC FIRST AID CPR AND ALSO STOP THE BLEED.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE AN IFAC AND INDIVIDUAL FIRST AID KIT WITH TOURNIQUETS ON, ON SITE.
AND THE RANGE OFFICER'S ALSO GONNA HAVE ONE ON HIS PERSON.
UM, AT ANY TIME WE MIGHT HAVE SOME, UH, AN INCIDENT THERE.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY GOES DOWN TO THE ROAD FRONT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COME DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, TALKED ABOUT THE LONG RANGE ALREADY.
THE HOURS OF OPERATIONS, UM, WILL BE ADJUSTED DURING DAYLIGHT SAVINGS.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR MY PRESENTATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO.
WHAT ABOUT THE PARAMILITARY TRAINING? WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY, SIR.
AS FAR AS PARAMILITARY TRAINING, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT, UM, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS DONE IN OUR, OUR COUNTY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
THAT WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND GOTTEN THEIR BUY-IN? HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANY OF 'EM? I'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF THEM.
I'VE TRIED TO, UH, REACH OUT TO SOME OTHER ONES.
UM, SOME DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO ME AND, UM, I DID SPEAK TO ANOTHER GENTLEMAN, THEN WHEN
[00:45:01]
I DID, I, I SPOKE TO TWO GENTLEMEN AND WHEN I DID TALK TO THEM, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PUBLIC RANGE.
AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE A PUBLIC RANGE 'CAUSE I DON'T, WE JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO COME IN AND SHOOT.
I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT IT.
UM, I'M NOT ABOUT, I'M, THE MAIN THING I WANT TO DO IS, IS GET A PLACE FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN SHOOT SAFELY AND KNOW HOW TO USE A PER A, A PERSONAL FIREARM.
IT'S RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, CRIME RATE IS UP AND I JUST HATE FOR SOMEBODY TO GO OUT TO THE STORE, BUY A GUN, AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT.
I WANT TO TEACH 'EM HOW TO USE IT PROPERLY.
BUT IT, UH, YOU DO HAVE NEIGHBORS.
I UNDERSTAND YOU SAID, UH, ONLY 10 PEOPLE AT A TIME FIRING.
DOES, IS THAT WRITTEN IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS? NO, SIR.
I WAS WANTING SOMEBODY TO SHOW ME THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT WRITTEN WITHOUT THAT.
THAT'S JUST REALLY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN A WHOLE LOT.
NO, I'M SURE YOU'RE A GOOD MAN.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M NOT QUESTIONING YOUR INTEGRITY BY NO MEANS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE US, UH, YOU KNOW, A LEG STAND ON.
BUT, UH, AND YOU, WHAT QUALIFIES SOMEBODY TO BE A RANGE SAFETY OFFICER? WELL, THE NRA GIVES THE RANGE SAFETY OFFICER COURSE WHERE YOU CAN BE CERTIFIED IN IT.
I TOOK A CLASS AT, UH, FLETC FEDERAL FIREARMS OR FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER IN, UH, GLENCO, GEORGIA.
SO I'M, I'M ALSO A, A FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR FOR THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS AND ALSO NRE INSTRUCTOR.
SO, AND IN ORDER TO BECOME A FIREARM SAFETY OFFICER, I WOULD EXPECT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO AT LEAST THE NRA CLASS.
I I, I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T, UH, I GUESS THIS IS A SELF-POLICING VENUE THAT BASICALLY, RIGHT? NO, SIR.
THIS IS, IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S GEARED TOWARDS THE PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE TO SHOOT SAFELY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD OPEN IT LIKE MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS, OPEN IT UP FOR LOCAL FIREARMS. SO FIRE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO COME IN AND DO WHATEVER SHOOTING OR QUALIFICATIONS OR TRAINING THEY NEED TO DO.
IN YOUR, IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED, UM, PRIVATE MEMBERSHIP MM-HMM
BUT I DON'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE IN YOUR WRITINGS ABOUT A PRIVATE MEMBERSHIP.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? PRIVATE MEMBERSHIP.
THEY'D HAVE TO PAY A, A YEARLY DUE AND ALSO RANGE FEES.
BUT THEY HAVE TO THAT TO, TO BECOME A MEMBER OF IT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ONE OF MY CLASSES AND THEN I'D HAVE TO SEE YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHOOT AND THEN IT'S ONLY BY INVITE AFTER THAT.
SO IT'S ONLY LIKE IF THERE'S A MEMBER, YOU CAN ONLY, YOU CAN ONLY, YOU CAN ONLY BECOME A MEMBER BY INVITE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES, SIR.
IF YOU'RE A MEMBER ALREADY, IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO BECOME A MEMBER, THEN THEY CAN COME AND THEN I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO SHOOT AND THAT THEY CAN USE IT PROPERLY BEFORE THEY BECOME A MEMBER.
WHAT DOES MEMBERSHIP INVOLVE? HAVING THE RIGHT TO JUST BEING ABLE TO SHOOT THERE.
'CAUSE YOU GOTTA PAY THE ME THE YEARLY DUES AND THEN ALSO THE RANGE FEES WHENEVER THEY COME.
BUT, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU'RE OPENING UP IN PHASE ONE, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY TO SHOOT.
PHASE ONE IS JUST FOR CLASSES ONLY.
SO THEY'LL HAVE TO SIGN UP TO TAKE THE CLASS.
THEY HAVE TO PAY TO TAKE THE CLASS.
AND THEY CAN'T, THAT PAY DOESN'T GO TOWARD MEMBERSHIP.
HOW MUCH IS THE CLASS? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY'RE TAKING.
LIKE RIGHT NOW, THE NRA BASIC PISTOL CLASS, AND THAT'S JUST A BASIC, SOMEBODY THAT'S NEVER FIRED A GUN, THAT CLASS RIGHT THERE IS ANYWHERE FROM 80 TO HUNDRED DOLLARS.
SO I CAN, IT'S AN EIGHT HOUR CLASS SO I CAN, I CAN FIRE A GUN.
I JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A FIRE AT A, AT A TARGET THAT'S NOT GONNA BE FIRING BACK.
SO I, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING MM-HMM
OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWEEN JUST COMING OUT AND PAYING TO SHOOT MM-HMM
WHAT DO I GET MORE FOR BEING A MEMBER THAN I CAN GET AT OTHER THAN JUST COMING OUT PAYING FOR, UH, THE USE OF THE RANGE.
YOU CAN'T COME OUT AND USE THE RANGE, SO YOU
[00:50:01]
CAN'T NO, SIR.BUT YOU HAVE TO DO, LIKE, IF YOU SIGN UP FOR ONE OF MY CLASSES, THE CLASS IS AN INDIVIDUAL.
SO WHENEVER THEY SIGN UP FOR MY CLASS THAT THE MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE FOR THAT IS 10 AND THEY'LL BE UNDER MY SUPERVISION THE WHOLE TIME FOR THE RANGE.
IT'S DIFFERENT TO PAY THE MEMBERSHIP, THEN YOU'RE PAYING A MEMBERSHIP TO BE ABLE TO COME AND SHOOT AT THE RANGE.
SO IF I TAKE THE CLASS YES, SIR.
I GOTTA COME BACK AND PAY FOR MEMBERSHIP WITH YOUR APPROVAL IF YOU WANNA TO USE THE RANGE.
WELL, IF I DON'T GET YOUR APPROVAL, CAN I USE THE I CAN'T USE THE RANGE.
SO WHY TAKE THE CLASS TO BE PROFICIENT WITH THE FIREARM, BUT I HAVE NOWHERE TO PRACTICE IF I TAKE THE CLASS AND PAY YOU FOR THE CLASS MM-HMM
AND IF I WANT TO COME BACK AND PRACTICE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BECOME A MEMBER.
I'D HAVE TO BECOME A, I'D HAVE TO BECOME A MEMBER.
BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE THAT.
AND THE ONLY WAY YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE APPROVED IS IF FOR SOME REASON YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT HANDLING THAT FIREARM SAFELY.
IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING, IF YOU'RE MUZZLING SOMEBODY, OR IF YOU'RE SHOWING THAT YOU'RE IN INADEQUATE WITH THE FIREARM, I WILL, I WILL PROBABLY STOP THE CLASS RIGHT THERE AND GIVE YOU A REFUND AND LET YOU GO HOME AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHOOT AGAIN.
I I'M THOROUGHLY CONFUSED ON THAT POINT.
NOW LET ME BE CONFUSED ON SOMETHING ELSE.
THE NR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLLOWING NRA GUIDELINES, AND I ASKED THE COUNTY IF THEY WERE GIVEN A, PROVIDED A COPY OF THOSE GUIDELINES, AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THEY WERE NOT, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BUY THEM.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
SO I'M SURE, I'M SURE YOU'LL HAVE A COPY OF YOUR OWN.
MY QUESTION IS REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT, UM, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WANT TO PUT THE GUN RANGE HERE MM-HMM
BUT NOT WILLING TO SUPPLY THE COUNTY WITH A COPY OF YOUR GUIDELINES FROM THE NRA, THE COUNTY WOULD'VE TO BUY IT THEMSELVES.
I NEVER SAID I WOULDN'T SUPPLY HIM WITH A COPY.
YOU NEVER SAID YOU WOULD EITHER.
IF THEY WANTED A COPY, I WOULD GET HIM A COPY.
BECAUSE IN THE, WHENEVER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE JUST WENT OVER, WHENEVER HE READ IT, HE SAID, UH, YOUR YOUR NUMBER 17, NUMBER 16.
DEAL WITH NRA APPROVAL OF MATERIALS.
AND MY QUESTION, AND YOU, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IF YOU WERE TRYING TO, UM, IF I WAS TRYING TO GET APPROVAL FOR ANYTHING, I WOULD SUPPLY THE PEOPLE WHO I NEEDED APPROVAL FROM WITH ALL OF THE LITERATURE THAT I COULD FIND SO THAT THEY COULD PERUSE IT AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF IT, IT BEFORE THE MEETING.
AND THAT YOU DID NOT DO, AND I ASKED YOU ABOUT IT AND I ASKED ABOUT IT MM-HMM
AND WAS TOLD, WELL, THE COUNTER WOULD'VE TO BUY THEIR OWN.
AND IF THE COUNTER'S GOT A, I'M, I'M JUST RIGHT.
I'M JUST SAYING I'M, I I'M SORRY SIR.
IT IS JUST NO, SO IT'S JUST THAT, IT IS JUST THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT, THAT MY MIND MM-HMM
UH, I'M NOT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER, BUT I STILL CAN'T CUT BUTTER ON WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT.
I I REALLY CAN'T, 'CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I DON'T UNDERSTAND TOO MUCH.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE, THE, I'M GOING TO GO LEARN HOW TO SHOOT A GUN, BUT THEN I CAN'T RETURN TO THE RANGE TO PRACTICE UNLESS I GET APPROVED TO BE A MEMBER.
I, I, OTHERWISE I COULD GO TO, I COULD GO OUT IN THE, IN THE, IN THE WOODS AND, AND FIRE MY GUN.
YOU KNOW, IF THE POLICE COME, I JUST DISAPPEAR.
BUT, UH, I JUST CAN, CAN I SAY SOMETHING, SIR? I'M GONNA, I'M HOPING TO, SO YOU'RE NOT CONFUSED.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NRA WEBSITE AND THEY HAVE MULTIPLE CLASSES THAT YOU CAN TAKE.
SO JUST BECAUSE YOU TAKE THOSE CLASSES DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S A RANGE THERE FOR THAT.
BUT ALSO WITH THE SUPPLYING THE INFORMATION, WHENEVER I RECEIVED THIS, SIR, I THOUGHT THAT THEY ALREADY HAD IT ON HAND BECAUSE ON 16,
[00:55:01]
WHENEVER IT SAYS COPY SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE.SO I ALREADY THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD A COPY ON HAND.
I HAD NO PROBLEM IF, IF, IF I WOULD'VE KNOWN THEY DIDN'T HAVE A COPY, I WOULD'VE PURCHASED A COPY FOR 'EM.
WELL, I, I'M, BECAUSE I WANT TO FOLLOW EVERYTHING TO THE TI WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS SAFE.
I WANT TO GO THROUGH THE NRA REGULATIONS.
IF THAT MEANS PURCHASING IT, WHICH I THOUGHT THEY ALREADY HAD IT BECAUSE IT ALREADY SAID THAT I'LL BE HAPPY TO PURCHASE IT FOR EM.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN I WAS WORKING ON MY DOCTORATE DEGREE.
I HAD TO DO A PROJECT, I HAD TO SUBMIT ALL OF MY PROJECT, ALL OF MY PAPERWORK, HOW I DEVELOPED A PROJECT.
I HAD TO SUBMIT ALL THAT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD BEFORE IN ORDER TO GET APPROVAL.
SO THAT ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS LOOK AT WHAT I PRESENTED MM-HMM
AND THEY COULD SEE EVERY STEP THAT I TOOK TO GET TO WHERE I NEEDED THEIR APPROVAL.
AND I'M JUST, I'M JUST NOT USED TO SOMEONE COMING TO THE COUNTY AND ASKING ME TO APPROVE, UH, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND THEN TELL ME, WELL, IF YOU WANNA KNOW INFORMATION, GO TO THE WEBSITE AND YOU CAN GET IT.
I'M NOT THE ONE WHO WANTS THE APPROVAL.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT OVERSIGHT.
I, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, SIR.
YOU GOT ANOTHER QUESTION? NO, I CAN'T, I CAN'T ASK ANOTHER QUESTION I GOT, BUT YOU GOT ALVIN OVER HERE FIRST, THEN WE'LL COME TO YOU, SAM, I GOT ONE.
YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT AGENCIES JUST BESIDES DE COUNTY.
IS THAT ALL YOU GOT? THAT'S ALL.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION, LIKE THAT FIRST PICTURE THAT'S THERE? I BELIEVE IT'S NUMBER TWO.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S THERE NOW FOR THE 40 YARD.
SO WHAT ARE THE DIMENSIONS OF THAT AGAIN? SO IT'S NINE FEET, NINE FEET TALL BY 60 FEET WIDE.
IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE SMALLER THAN THE 60 FEET.
BUT IT'S ROUGHLY AROUND THERE.
FOUR, FOUR AND A HALF FEET UP.
WHAT'S THE DEPTH, WHAT'S THE THICKNESS AT THAT POINT? ABOUT THREE FEET.
SO, UM, I GUESS I'M ONLY SMART ENOUGH TO BE DANGEROUS HERE ON THIS.
I, I'M NOT FAMILIAR EXACTLY WITH THE NRA REQUIREMENTS, BUT I, I'M GUESSING THAT DOES NOT MEET NNRA THAT DOES NOT.
NOW GO TO YOUR SECOND PICTURE.
SO HERE, WELL, YEAH, THAT ONE THERE.
SO THAT ONE THERE IS, UM, THAT WHAT, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE SHOOTING DISTANCE THERE? THAT'S NOT 40 YARDS.
THAT ONE'S NOT 40 YARDS THERE, SIR.
THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THE BURNS THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT IN.
SO, WELL, I GUESS MY, MY QUESTION IS, UM, WELL I DO THINK LIKE WAS MADE A COMMENT WAS MADE BEFORE ABOUT CONNECTING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT MM-HMM
THE, UM, IN GENERAL, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE, YOUR 40 FEET THERE AS LONG AS YOU'RE FOLLOWING ALL THE RULES.
SO YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT STRAYING OFF INTO OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT.
BUT CAN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR, THE, THE DRAWING WHERE YOU HAVE THE UH, UH, 300 METER THOUSAND FOOT? THIS ONE HERE? UH, GO BACK.
SO WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THERE IS ARE, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE LONG WAY DIMENSION ON THE BLUE BOX IS ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO CONVEY ON THAT? IT IS, BUT IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, WE CAN'T GET 300 METERS RIGHT THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA DROP IT DOWN TO 200.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO DO.
I'M WILLING TO JUST, UM, SCRAP THAT ONE BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO GO IN AND CLEAR SOME, SOME TREES AND CLEAR SOME, UH, WILDLIFE AND STUFF AND THEN THAT'LL OPEN UP SOME OTHER THINGS.
SO AS FAR AS THAT'S CONCERNED, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND JUST SCRAP THE LONG RANGE.
WELL, I, I'M CURIOUS NOW WE'LL KEEP GOING DOWN.
SO YOU'RE SAYING AT LEAST WITHIN THE BALANCE OF THE PROPERTY YOU COULD GO TO MAYBE 200 METERS? YES SIR.
SO DO YOU KNOW JUST ROUGHLY OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS 'CAUSE I'M THINKING WHEN I FIRE SOMETHING THAT FAR, THE BUFFERS, I, MY THINKING IS TO BE SAFE, THE BUFFERS GET KIND OF GO UP ON ALMOST EXPONENTIALLY MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE BALLISTICS OF THAT.
SO JUST OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, EVEN AT 200 METERS, WHAT KIND OF BUFFER BEHIND THAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE? YOU WOULD STILL NEED 12 FOOT HIGH AND AT LEAST THE SAME AS THE, THE 20 TO 30 FEET AT THE BOTTOM GOING UP.
BUT I JUST, I WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE BUFFER DISTANCE BEHIND THAT TO THE PROPERTY LINE SHOULD BE? OH, SO WE'RE GONNA GO WAY FURTHER.
[01:00:01]
'CAUSE I KNOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, HE ASKED FOR 50 YARD OR 50 FOOT BUFFER.YEAH, THAT SEEMS REALLY LOW TO ME.
IT IS FOR A FIRING RANGE FOR THAT PART OF IT.
BUT WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL BRING IT BACK EVEN FURTHER.
WELL, SINCE YOU'RE SCRAPPING IT, I WON'T GO ANY FURTHER.
'CAUSE THAT I, I HAVE CONCERNS OVER THERE 'CAUSE I, I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THAT AND I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GI GIVEN THE, GIVEN THE SHAPE OF YOUR PROPERTY.
TO ME IT'S JUST CRAZY LOOKING AT THAT LOT.
AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH DEMAND FOR THAT.
PROBABLY NOT HERE IN DEWINE COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING ABOUT YOUR, YOUR HOURS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL JUST TO KIND OF REFERENCE DUSK.
'CAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT PLANNING ON HAVING ANY TYPE OF LOW LIGHT FIRING, RIGHT, RIGHT.
SO I MEAN, YOU COULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE 30, 40 AN HOUR BEFORE DUSK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I WOULD COVER THAT, I WOULD THINK MM-HMM
AND THEN, UH, NO, THAT'S GOOD.
ONLY QUESTION I HAD AT THIS TIME.
WAS THERE GONNA BE ANY MOVING AND FIRE TRAINING? YES SIR.
I MEAN, I SAW THE, A PICTURE OF THE RANGE THAT YOU HAD ON THERE THAT WAS IN THE BERMS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY LOOKS LIKE A MOVING CHUTE SCENARIO, WHICH WOULD GO IN MORE THAN ONE DIRECTION, WHICH WOULD GO TO THE SIDES AS WELL AS TO THE REAR OF THE FIRING RANGE.
I JUST WONDERED THE ONLY DIRECTION THAT WE'LL BE SHOOTING IS STRAIGHT AHEAD.
WHENEVER, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING, THEY'RE GONNA MOVE FROM POINT A TO POINT B, BUT THEY'RE STILL GONNA BE HEADING TOWARDS THE, THE BURN.
IT WON'T BE LIKE A SCENARIO SET UP WITH MULTIPLE TARGETS IN AN ARRAY.
AND GO AROUND AND FIRE FROM THAT.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS? LIKE THAT CONDITIONS? I, I MEAN THAT WOULD BE A CONDITION THAT YOU COULD PUT ON IT, I WOULD THINK.
BUT I MEAN, HOW DO YOU ENFORCE IT? I DON'T KNOW.
IF YOU'RE NOT THERE TO SEE IT.
I MEAN, I THAT'S, I MEAN WE'VE SAID A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT CONDITIONS TONIGHT.
UH, AND I KNOW THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE'VE NOW TALKED ABOUT REMOVING THE, THE LONG RANGE YES SIR.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT HOURS OF OPERATION, TALKING ABOUT DUST, USING DUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, NOW I'VE BROUGHT UP MOTION AND FIRE AND DIRECTION IN WHICH YOU WILL BE DOING THAT AND YOU ENSURE THAT IT WOULD BE DOWN RANGE TOWARDS YES SIR.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE BACK BACKSTOP.
UH, AND POSSIBLY A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE NOT, NOT ASKED, I MEAN WE'VE ASKED IF HE WOULD BE WILLING TO DO SOME OF THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY PERMANENT ANSWERS FOR ANY OF THESE THINGS.
SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE FOR YOU.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? WELL, KIND OF RELATED TO THAT.
SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THE, UH, YOU DIDN'T SUGGEST ANY OF THESE? IT WAS ALL, UH, STAFF SUGGESTIONS.
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS.
UH, I WOULD ASK THAT WE WILL BE USING A TIMER TONIGHT.
I'M NOT GONNA PUT A BUZZER ON THE TIMER, BUT WHEN THE TIMER GOES OFF AT THREE MINUTES, YOU SHOULD SEE IT BLINK RED, I BELIEVE.
UH, I WOULD ASK THAT IF YOU WRAP IT UP PRETTY QUICK AT THE END OF THAT, IF YOU ARE SPEAKING ON SOMETHING TONIGHT, THIS WILL ALSO GO WITH SOLAR AS WELL.
UH, I ASK THAT WHEN YOU COME UP, YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
I ASK THAT YOU ALSO SPEAK WITH DECORUM TO US.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE UGLY TO YOU.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO BE UGLY TO US.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO USE PROFANITY.
IF IT GETS TO THAT POINT, THEN WE WILL ASK PEOPLE TO LEAVE AT THAT TIME.
UH, SO I'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE SUSAN CARSON.
GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
I LIVE AT 2 0 7 7 1 REESE ROAD IN DENWOODY.
[01:05:01]
18 YEARS AGO, I WAS IN FRONT OF YOU ALL ASKING PERMISSION TO BUILD OUR DREAM HOUSE ON RE ROAD AND, AND YOU APPROVED IT, THANK GOODNESS.UM, AND WE'VE BECOME A BIG PART OF THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH VOLUNTEERING THROUGH THE SCHOOLS, THROUGH THE COWBELLS AND THROUGH DENWOODY CHRISTMAS MOTHER.
UM, WHEN WE SAW THE SIGN ON THE ROAD FOR SHEEP, UM, DOG DEFENSE TRAINING, WE ALL, UM, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE VERY ALARMED.
AND THEN WE STARTED HEARING, SHOOTING IN THAT AREA.
AND SO TRAINING STARTED BEFORE A PERMIT EVEN CAME IN TO YOU ALL.
UM, I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE STARTED CALLING THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND TO FIND OUT THAT A PERMIT WAS THEN LATER ENTERED INTO THE COUNTY INFORMATION.
UM, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE NOISE.
I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THAT ARE ADVERTISED ON THEIR FACEBOOK AND WEBSITE OF SITUATIONAL TRAINING.
UM, THAT'S NOT JUST NRA BASIC CLASS TRAINING, SITUATIONAL TRAINING, UM, HAS TO DO WITH MASS SHOOTINGS, UM, HAS TO DO WITH, UM, SITUATIONS WHICH INCLUDE FIREARMS OF MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
UM, SO I, I ASK THAT YOU VOTE NO ON THIS.
THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY IS WE HAVE 14 CHILDREN LIVING ON REESE ROAD.
FOUR OF THOSE ARE MY GRANDCHILDREN WHO LIVE NEXT DOOR.
TWO OF THE CHILDREN THAT ARE MY NEIGHBORS ARE AUTISTIC CHILDREN.
ONE IS SEVERE AUTISTIC WHO WANDERS.
WE'RE DONE WITH EACH SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, HAVE HAD TO COME AND LOOK FOR THEM.
UM, SO I HAVE BIG CONCERNS OF THERE BEING A SHOOTING RANGE AND PUBLIC BEING OUT THERE WHERE WE HAVE AUTISTIC CHILDREN.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I LIVE AT 2 0 7 7 1 REESE ROAD.
UH, JUST WANTED TO COME IN FRONT OF Y'ALL TONIGHT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M DEFINITELY NOT FOR THIS.
I, I GOT FOUR OF THOSE GRANDKIDS THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
FOUR DAUGHTERS RANGING BETWEEN THE AGE OF 16 AND SEVEN.
A LOT OF 'EM LIKE TO RIDE BIKES UP AND DOWN THE ROAD.
LAST THING I WANNA DEAL WITH IS MORE TRAFFIC THAT I DON'T KNOW WHO'S COMING AND GOING.
I CAN HEAR TWO LOTS OVER MY NEIGHBOR'S CONVERSATION.
SO I CAN IMAGINE, LIKE I SAID, A GUN RANGE THAT GOES OFF ALMOST SIX DAYS A WEEK.
WHAT IT'S GONNA SOUND LIKE AT MY HOUSE, VDOT WISE, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ROAD IS CONTROLLED BY VDOT, BUT THE ROAD IS NOT MAINTAINED.
THERE'S NO GRAVEL, THERE'S HOLES EVERYWHERE.
THE BUS SITUATION, THE BUS USES TO PICK UP KITS, YOU'RE JUST GONNA ADD MORE PEOPLE TO THAT ROAD WHERE VDOT CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE ROAD.
UM, I UNDERSTAND HE SAID YOU GOTTA OWN A MEMBERSHIP OR WHATEVER TO BUY IN, BUT HE ALSO SAID THAT EVERYBODY THAT COMES OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME TO SHOOT, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL HE DEEMS IT NECESSARY.
SO ANYBODY THAT'S WILLING TO PAY 50 TO 60 BUCKS CAN COME OUT, LIKE I SAID.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN TO IT.
ADDRESS IS 21 300 REESE ROAD AND I'M AN ADJACENT LANDOWNER.
UM, I'M HERE BEFORE YOU OF THOSE KIDS THAT SHE SPOKE OF.
AND WHILE IT ON A COUNTY STUDY, IT DIDN'T AFFECT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HOMESCHOOL OURS AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TODAY.
THEY'RE SUBJECT TO BE THREE KIDS AND MY WIFE OUTSIDE ON THAT FARM MOVING AROUND WHILE THESE CLASSES ARE SUSPECT TO BE GOING ON.
I MOVED THERE FIVE YEARS AGO FOR PEACE AND QUIET IN THE MIDDLE OF 3,100 ACRES.
THE ONLY REASON I MET MR. MARK ONE DAY WAS BECAUSE I HEARD GUNFIRE AND I SAID, I'M GONNA GO MEET THE NEIGHBOR NOW.
YOU CALL ME BRAVE, YOU CALL ME WHATEVER.
BUT I WAS GOING TO FIND OUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HIM SHOOTING HIS OWN PRIVATE FIREARMS. I SHOOT FIREARMS, THAT'S FINE.
THOSE SAFE MANNER, JUST LIKE I DO.
WHEN YOU START BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR TWO TO 300 ROUNDS A DAY OF PISTOL OR FIRE OR WHATEVER IT BE, A 22 LONG RIFLE AIR, AIR BULLET CAN FLY OVER A MILE.
A NINE MILLIMETER CAN FLY OVER 3, 5, 5, 6 IS EFFECTIVE RANGE CAN BE UP TO A THOUSAND MILES.
I MEAN A THOUSAND YARD, EXCUSE ME.
POINT BEING THAT'S ALL WITHIN IN HIS THRESHOLD SHEET.
WITH THE QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE PROPOSED TONIGHT WITH THE CONCERNS YOU HEAR FROM THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE NEARBY, STRONGLY URGE YOU TO VOTE.
PK, THANK YOU'ALL NAME'S DANIEL P 2 0 8 8 1 REESE ROAD, RETIRED CAREER LAW ENFORCEMENT, 28 AND A HALF YEARS COMBAT VETERAN
[01:10:01]
JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS.EVERYBODY VOICED THEIR CONCERN KNOWING THAT I WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND I TRACKED HIM DOWN THROUGH THE REALTOR.
HE CALLED ME, WE SPOKE AT LENGTH AND I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS WITH WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE COMING OUT HERE? HAVE YOU VETTED ANY OF THEM OTHER THAN THEIR WALLET? HAVE YOU, DO YOU KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE? YOU WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY ACCREDITED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT WILL FIRE ON ANY OTHER RANGE OTHER THAN A DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES RANGE.
YOU MIGHT FIND SOME OFFICERS THAT'LL COME OUT AND GET SOME TRIGGER TIME, BUT THAT'S NOT FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
HE'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME.
WE WALK THROUGH THE WOODS 24 7.
YES, WE HAVE PLOTS OF PROPERTY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE WALLS.
I DON'T WANT TO GET STRUCK BY A ROUND.
I AM STRONGLY, STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THIS.
LET HIM GO TO HIS HOUSE IN DENWITTY AND MAKE HIS OWN RANGE.
NOT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MINE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M GONNA GIVE THE APPLICANT TWO MINUTES TO COME AND REBUT ANYTHING THAT YOU HEARD OR ANSWER A QUESTION IF YOU WOULD LIKE BEFORE WE JUST MAKE OUR MOTION OR DO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
UM, AS FAR AS TRAINING AT THE, AT THE RANGE, PRIOR TO SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION, I DID SPEAK TO SOMEBODY AND ASKED HIM IF I CAN DO CLASSES ON MY PROPERTY AND I WAS TOLD YES I CAN.
AND THEN IT GOT TURNED AROUND SAYING I COULDN'T.
AS SOON AS I CALLED, AS SOON AS I GOT THE MESSAGE, I CALLED THE BOARD AND I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE.
IT WAS A FAMILY SHOOTING AND THAT'S IT.
UM, AND SHE ALSO DISCUSSED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
IT'S A SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CLASS AND ALL THAT IS, IT'S IN A CLASSROOM SETTING AND I TEACH A CLASS ON YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
THERE'S NO FIREARMS OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT.
IT'S MORE OF HOW TO SURVIVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER.
SO THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FIREARMS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
MY WIFE AND I DO IT AND WE TEACH, UM, SELF-DEFENSE MOVES SO PEOPLE CAN GET, GET AWAY FROM SOMEBODY IF NEEDED.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHILDREN WITHOUT A DOUBT, AND WHENEVER WE, WHENEVER WE DO OPEN UP FOR ANY WAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, CAMERAS OUT THERE.
SO IF ANYBODY DOES COME ACROSS THE PROPERTY, I'LL BE NOTIFIED AND GET OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
IF WE'RE ALREADY THERE, WE'RE GONNA STOP SHOOTING IMMEDIATELY.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS WITH THE KIDS AROUND.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP THE AREA SAFE WHERE THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY ROUNDS GOING ASTRAY OR ANYTHING.
WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.
I GOT A QUESTION FOR STAFF REAL QUICK.
UM, IS THERE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY WE HAVE A, UH, UM, A SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, AN OPERATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO SHOOT FOR, UH, AND PAY FOR IT.
I'LL MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT THEN WHILE DEBATING THAT.
MAYBE I'LL JUST START IT OFF THEN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT THE APPLICANT, UH, HAD A GOOD COMMENT ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE SITUATIONAL TRAINING.
I I REALLY THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DO MORE OF THAT.
IF YOU EVER GET THE BAD SITUATION, I, I PRAY THAT NOBODY EVER DOES, BUT I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.
UM, BUT I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN BE IT RESOLVED THAT IN THE ORDER TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 DASH 2286, ALPHA SEVEN.
IT IS STATED THAT THE PUBLIC PURPOSE, WHICH THIS RESOLUTION IS INITIATED IS TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PUBLIC NECESSITY OF CONVENIENCE, GENERAL WELFARE, AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
I MOVE THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, C DASH 23 DASH SIX AS PRESENTED, BE RECOMMENDED FOR DISAPPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS OR JUST DISAPPROVAL, I GUESS SECOND IMPROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.
[01:15:01]
SEVEN.ALRIGHT, THIS IS GONNA MOVE ON TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A RECOMMENDATION, A DISAPPROVAL AT THIS TIME.
UH, I ASSUME THAT WILL BE AT THEIR MEETING NEXT MONTH, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT MR. CHAIR.
[Items 8.B. & 8.C.]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO CASE P DASH 24 DASH ONE.YEAH, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WHILE I'M AT THE END WHEN WE GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK AND AT THAT TIME YOU CAN JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE, IF I COULD LAST TIME, THIS WAS UP BEFORE Y'ALL LAST MONTH, I GUESS.
UM, WE COMBINED THE CONDITIONAL USE AND THE REZONING INTO ONE PRESENTATION AND ONE PUBLIC HEARING, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF AND, AND APPLICANT.
IS THAT OKAY WITH THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
STAFF, Y'ALL DIRECTORS, IS THAT OKAY WITH Y'ALL? ALRIGHT, THAT'LL BE GOOD.
UM, I'LL JUST BE BRIEF ON MY COMMENTS.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYONE NEW WHO WASN'T HERE AT THE LAST MEETING LAST MONTH'S, THE FEBRUARY 14TH MEETING, UM, JUST IN GENERAL, UH, THE CASE IS, UH, APPLICATION LILY POND SOLAR, LLC, UM, WHICH IS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF INTERJECTS US.
LLC IS PROPOSING TO DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, AND OPERATE AN 80 MEGAWATT ALTERNATING CURRENT SOLAR VOLTAIC, ROUND MOUNTED ELECTRICAL GENERATION PROJECT LOCATED ON APPROXIMATELY 1,891 ACRES, UH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE ABOVE US.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO REZONE THE PROPERTY FROM A TO AGRICULTURAL TO UTILITY SCALE.
SOLAR ENERGY DISTRICT, WE REFER TO AS OUR SED DISTRICT, UM, THAT ALLOWS FOR UTILITY SCALE SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT UPON RECEIVING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AGAIN, THE PROJECT IS PROPOSED FOR 1,891 ACRES AND THAT CONSISTS APPROXIMATELY OF 19 TAX MAP PARCELS, UM, WITH SOLAR PANELS CITED ON APPROXIMATELY 500 ACRES.
UM, IN THE APPLICANT'S, UH, UH, PROJECT, UH, FOLDER, UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT, UH, THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPERTY WILL INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY, WILL INCLUDE, I'M SORRY, UH, BUFFERS, SETBACKS, WILDLIFE CORRIDORS, NATURAL HABITAT, POLLINATOR GARDEN, AND BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION.
ALSO, INCLUDING OF COURSE, THE, AS I INDICATED, THE 500 ACRES, APPROXIMATELY 500 ACRES OF SOLAR PANELS ARRAYS.
UH, MOST OF THE PROPERTIES WILL BE UNDER LONG-TERM LEASES WITH SOME PARCELS PROVIDING RIGHT-OF-WAY EASEMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL COLLECTION AND TRANSMISSION LINES, WHICH ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE REZONING REQUESTS.
THE POINT OF INTERCONNECTION FOR THE PROJECT, UH, WOULD BE, UH, WITH DOMINION POWERS TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, UM, AND THERE WOULD BE, AS PART OF THE PROJECT WILL BE LOCATED A NEW SUBSTATION SWITCHYARD IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PROJECT SITE ALONG THE EXISTING NORTH SOUTH TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR.
UH, THE PANELS THEMSELVES WOULD BE MOUNTED TO SINGLE ACCESS TRACKING SYSTEM
[01:20:02]
AND ARE TO BE LOCATED AGAIN ON 500 ACRES DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE SITE.VISUALLY, THE FACILITY WOULD BE ARRANGED WITH LONG ROWS OF SOLAR PANELS MOUNTED ON RACKS, WHICH ARE MOUNTED ON POSTS PILE DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND.
THE, UH, SOLAR VOLTAIC ELECTRICITY GENERATION SYSTEM CONSISTS OF THE PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS RACKING SYSTEM, SUPPORTING THE PANELS, INVERTERS BREAKERS, SWITCHES, CABLING, POWER TRANSFORMERS, ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION SLASH SWITCHYARD AND GENERATOR TIE-IN LINE, AND ASSOCIATED MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT WOULD BE INSTALLED ON PORTIONS OF THE OVERALL SITE.
UM, LOOKING AT, UH, THE GENERAL LAND USE AND ZONING ANALYSIS, UH, THE PROPERTIES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA SURROUNDING THE SUBJECT LAND PARCELS INCLUDE AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL LAND AND LOW DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY AND INSTITUTIONAL USES.
UH, THERE IS A CHURCH, UH, THAT'S LOCATED ON PERKINS ROAD AND OF COURSE, RESIDENTIAL LAND USES SURROUNDING THE ENTIRETY OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY ITSELF.
RESIDENTIAL LAND USES MAKE UP 1.2% OF THE PROJECT SITE.
AGRICULTURAL LANDS, UH, THAT WOULD BE CROPLAND, UH, MAKES UP 8.6% OF THE SITE PLANTED.
PINES MAKE UP 3.6% OF THE PROJECT SITE.
MIXED PINE AND UPLAND FOREST MAKE UP 42 PER 0.1% OF THE PROJECT SITE AND WETLANDS MAKE UP 18.7% PROJECT SITE.
AND OF COURSE, ALL THE, UH, SUBJECT PROPERTY AS WELL AS ALL THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES ARE, UH, CURRENTLY ZONED A TWO AGRICULTURAL GENERAL.
AND, UH, JUST FOR, UH, PURPOSES, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC THAT'S HERE THIS EVENING.
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE SOLAR ENERGY DISTRICT, THE SED DISTRICT, IS TO OUTLINE THE PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INSTALLATION OPERATION OF THE SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS IN DIMITY COUNTY, IN A MANNER THAT PROMOTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENSURES THE PROTECTION OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, WHILE ALSO AVOIDING ADVERSE IMPACTS TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS, ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITATS, CONSERVATION LANDS, AND OTHER SENSITIVE LANDS.
OUR ARE IMPACTED, UH, BY THE SUBJECT APPLICATION THAT WOULD BE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, PRIME AGRICULTURAL, LAND SENSITIVE LANDS AND HABITATS, AIR AND LIGHT ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE.
ALSO IN CHAPTER SEVEN, LAND USE, THERE'S PLANNING GUIDELINES RELATED TO CONSERVATION LANDS, WHICH DOES INCOR INCORPORATE THE HISTORIC CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS, UM, FUTURE LAND USE FRAMEWORK, RURAL AND RURAL CONSERVATION AREAS.
UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES RELATED TO THE SUBJECT APPLICATION INCLUDE DISCOURAGED DEVELOPMENT OF PRIME FARMLAND, PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND PROMOTE CIVIL WAR AND OTHER HISTORICAL 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, JUST TO OUTLINE THE IMPACTS, UH, THAT THE APPLICANT COVERED IN THEIR APPLICATION, UH, THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THE PROJECT.
UH, CURRENTLY THE PROPERTY, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, UM, GENERATES APPROXIMATELY $6,760 AND ANNUAL REAL ESTATE TAX AND A PROJECTED REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE OVER THE 45 YEAR PROPOSED PROJECT LIFESPAN WOULD BE $304,186.
[01:25:02]
PROJECT LIFETIME, A PROJECTED LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT, THE ESTIMATED REAL ESTATE TAX GENERATED EQUALS APPROXIMATELY 10 $10 MILLION.THE PROJECT IS ALSO SUBJECT TO MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX UNDER VIRGINIA CODE, AND THAT THE M AND T REVENUE IS ESTIMATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION OVER 45 YEARS.
THE REVENUE SHARE OPTION THAT ASSESSES UP TO $1,400 PER MEGAWATT OF SOLAR PROJECT CAPACITY, UM, WITH AN ESCALATOR OF 10% EVERY FIVE YEARS, BEGINNING IN 2026, CREATES REVENUES OF APPROXIMATELY $8.2 MILLION OVER 45 YEARS.
GIVEN THE TWO TAXING SCENARIOS OVER THE 45 YEAR USEFUL LIFE OF THE PROJECT, UH, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THE COUNTY, UH, WOULD RECEIVE $14 MILLION TO $18 MILLION.
ADDITIONALLY, THE, THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $6.5 MILLION IN DIRECT CONSTRUCTION RELATED ACTIVITY, INDIRECT AND INDUCED INCREMENTAL ACTIVITY TO THE ECONOMY OF DEWINE COUNTY.
I, UM, JUST A NOTE, UH, RELATED TO THE PROJECT, UH, THE APPLICANT HAS PROPOSED, UH, VEGETATED BUFFERS AND SETBACKS.
UM, ALL THE ARRAYS AND FENCING WOULD BE 150 FOOT FROM ALL PROPERTY BOUNDARIES AND ROADS AND, UM, 250 FEET FROM THE HALIFAX ROAD RIGHT AWAY.
UH, AS I INDICATED AT OUR LAST MEETING, UM, RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS, THERE WOULD BE A CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH THE PROPERTY, UH, WITH THE PROJECT, I'M SORRY, UH, PLAN TO SHOW PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION ACCESS ROUTES TO THE DEVELOPMENT SITE FROM 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 REPAIR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED DURING CONSTRUCTION AND TO RESTORE THE ROADWAYS TO PRE-CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS.
AND THREE, A PLANNED IDENTIFY ONSITE AREAS SUITABLE FOR PARKING FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND AREAS TO EXIST ONSITE TO ALLOW TRUCKS TO BE UNLOADED AND TO TURNAROUND WITHOUT HAVING, HAVING TO BACK ONTO STATE MAINTAINED RIGHT OF WAYS.
ADDITIONALLY, VDOT ANTICIPATES THAT MULTIPLE LOW VOLUME COMMERCIAL ENTRANCES ARE REQUIRED TO SERVE THE PROPOSED SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY.
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 THE CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCES AND COMMERCIAL ENTRANCES.
WE'LL HAVE TO MEET VDOT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS AS PART OF VDO T'S PERMITTING PROCESS, UH, RELATED TO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, MULTIPLE CONDITIONS RELATED TO, UM, OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT.
AND JUST A QUICK SUMMARY OF THOSE CONDITIONS.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE A CONDITION THAT LIMITS THE USE OF THE SITE FOR THE PROJECT AND DEFINES WHAT THAT IS, DEFINES THE PROJECT SITE, UH, THE DURATION AND USE OF THE PERMIT AND, UH, THAT THE APPLICANT HAS TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT SITE IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD WITH THE CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN, UH, AS SHOWN IN THEIR APPLICATION AND, UH, GOES OVER STUDIES AND PLANS.
AGAIN, THE, UH, VDOT WOULD, UH, WOULD HAVE TO PROVE A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PLAN, A CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN AND TRAFFIC MITIGATION PLAN, AS WELL AS THE, UH, ROAD REPAIR PLAN.
ALSO, UH, WE HAVE, UM, CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE LANDSCAPING PLAN, BUILDING AND ELECTRICAL PLANS.
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND HISTORIC SURVEY STUDIES, LIABILITY INSURANCE CERTIFICATE.
UM, THERE ARE CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE GRADING PLAN, EROSION, SEDIMENT CONTROL PLAN, AND STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
ALSO, UH, THERE ARE CONDITIONS RELATED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIRD PARTY REVIEWS.
[01:30:04]
UM, ALSO WE HAVE CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE SITE PLAN FEATURES.AGAIN, THE SETBACKS, THE BUFFER REQUIREMENTS, THE VEGETATIVE BUFFERS, WILDLIFE CORRIDORS THAT ARE INDICATED ON THE SITE PLAN.
ACCESS POINTS, DRIVES, TURNAROUNDS.
UH, THE SUBSTATION, UH, IS DEFINED TO BE LOCATED ON TAX MAP PARCEL 61 DASH FIVE.
AND UM, ALSO THERE'S DEFINED, UH, CONDITIONS RELATE TO LANDSCAPING ALONG THE STATE, MAINTAINED ROADWAYS.
UM, THERE'S LIMITATIONS ON THE ACCESS TO THE SITE LIGHTING ACCESS AND INSPECTIONS THAT ARE ALLOWED, UH, BY COUNTY AGENCIES.
UH, TRAINING THE APPLICANT HAS, UH, AGREED TO A CONDITION RELATED TO, UH, TRAINING DENWITY COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS RELATED TO THE SOLAR FACILITY, UH, INSTALLATION OF DRY HYDRANTS, UM, CONDITION RELATED TO COMPLIANCE WITH ALL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL STANDARDS.
GROUNDWATER MONITORING IS COVERED ALSO, UH, WITHIN THE CONDITIONS.
UH, TAXES AND FEES ARE ALSO, UH, COVERED IN THE CONDITIONS, UM, AND OFFSET OF IMPACT TO AGRICULTURAL USE.
UH, AS LOCATED, UH, WITHIN THE CONDITIONS, PROJECT COMPONENTS AND DESIGN ARE COVERED.
UH, THE DECOMMISSIONING SECTION IN THE CONDITIONS, UH, TALKS, UH, REQUIRES A DECOMMISSIONING PLAN, A DECOMMISSIONING COST ESTIMATE.
UH, A SECURITY, UH, RELATED TO THE DECOMMISSIONING PLAN WOULD HAVE TO BE IN PLACE.
UH, THE APPLICANT'S OBLIGATION RELATED TO THE DECOMMISSIONING PLAN.
AND, UH, ALSO THAT COVERS EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING REMOVAL, INFRASTRUCTURE REMOVAL AND, UM, PARTIAL DECOMMISSIONING IS ALSO COVERED UNDER THE CONDITIONS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A REPORT SECTION.
UH, REGULAR REPORTS WOULD HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY, UM, BY THE PROJECT.
UM, THERE WOULD BE A PROJECT LIAISON FOR THE PROJECT.
UM, IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE, UH, TO THE COUNTY, UM, RELATED TO THE PROJECT ALSO, WE HAVE A COMPLIANCE SECTION WITH ALL LAWS RELATED TO THE PROJECT.
UM, THEN WE HAVE AN ANNUAL VIEW REVIEW THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED AT LEAST ONCE PER YEAR.
AND THEN WE ALSO COVER, UH, VIOL VIOLATIONS AND REVOCATION, UH, RELATED TO THE PROJECT.
MS. CHAIR RELATED TO THE, THE CONDITIONS AND THE STAFF REPORTS.
BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.
YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SOME OF THE EASEMENTS ARE NOT PART OF THIS.
UH, THOSE WOULD BE EASEMENTS THAT THEY NEED, UM, TO GET TO AND FROM THE PROJECT, UM, THROUGH, UM, A PROPERTY OWNER'S, UH, PROPERTY, UM, RELATED TO CABLING, UH, TRANSMISSION LINES THAT, OR DISTRIBUTION LINES, THAT TYPE OF THING RELATED TO THE PROJECT.
JUST AS A, UH, WHAT PERCENT OF THE COUNTY IS THIS, THIS ACREAGE? HAVE Y'ALL WORKED THAT OUT? I HAVE NOT WORKED THAT OUT.
UM, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 1900 ACRES, THIS PROJECT.
I MEAN, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY HA I HATE TO BRING THIS UP, WHICH IS BILL SB 6 97, WHICH IS BEEN DEFERRED.
COULD YOU SPEAK UP? I CAN, I'M SORRY.
IT WAS, IT WAS SENATE HEARING HERE.
SENATE BILL 6 97 HAS BEEN DEFERRED TO 2025.
VANVALKENBERG IS THE SENATOR WHO PROPOSED THIS BILL, WHICH WOULD, UH, POSSIBLY MAKE IT WHERE COUNTIES COULD NOT STOP SOLAR FROM COMING INTO THEIR COUNTIES, UH, WITH SOME VARIOUS LANGUAGE.
NOW, IT'S NOT JUST ABSOLUTE, BUT I THINK THERE WAS A LAND PERCENTAGE THAT THEY SAID THAT COUNTIES WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE TO TAKE, WHICH IS UP TO 4% OF THE COUNTY, UH, LANDMASS, WHICH I WAS JUST WONDERING WITH THIS OF 4%, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE COVERED
[01:35:01]
OUT OF THAT? I'M, I'M PRESUMING IT'S LESS THAN 1.5% OF DENWOODY COUNTY.I JUST DID A QUICK CALCULATION WHEN YOU ASKED THAT.
1900 ACRES INTO 500 SQUARE MILES IS ABOUT A HALF A PERCENT.
ALRIGHT, THAT, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
ANYBODY ELSE? I DIDN'T TAKE 18 YEARS OF MATH OR NOTHING.
AGAIN, I FORGOT THAT HALF THIS.
MR. HALL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT YOU'VE BE AB OBTAIN AND SOME CONVERSATION? YES.
GOING FORWARD WITH THE VOTE, I HAVE RELATIVES ON BOTH SIDES, SO I, I CHOSE TO ABSTAIN FROM MY VOTE TONIGHT.
THE APPLICANT, YOU CAN COME FORWARD 10 MINUTES PLEASE.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING AGAIN.
UH, MY NAME'S SEAN HIRSCHBERGER.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT LILY POND SOLAR.
AND GONNA GO BRIEFLY THROUGH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW ARE SOMEWHAT REPETITIVE SINCE WE DID THIS LAST MONTH.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE, ENERGETIC RENEWABLES, THE PARENT COMPANY.
UH, WE ARE A LONG-TERM OWNER OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE BUILD.
WE WILL, WE PLAN ON BEING A PART OF, UH, DENWITTY COUNTY FOR THE LIFESPAN OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ONE, YOU KNOW, DEFINING FEATURE OF OUR COMPANY.
UH, WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO AMERICAN MADE EQUIPMENT.
UH, EVERYTHING FROM THE PANELS, THE RACKING, THE INVERTERS, THE CABLING, EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN SOURCE DOMESTICALLY.
UH, WE HAVE 15 OPERATIONAL PROJECTS, 14 OF WHICH ARE IN THE COMMONWEALTH, FIVE MORE ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UH, THIS CALENDAR YEAR WITH FOUR OF THEM ALSO IN THE COMMONWEALTH, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
THIS IS AN 80 MEGAWATT PROJECT.
UH, SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS CREATE NO POLLUTION, UH, DRAWING, CONSTRUCTION, OR AFTER CONSTRUCTION.
THEY, THEY CREATE NO NOISE OR TRAFFIC, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THEY CONTRIBUTE NO, UH, STRAIN ON LOCAL RESOURCES.
UH, DURING THE PROJECT, DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, UH, WE'LL CREATE 300 WELL-PAYING CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THE PROJECT, UH, LITTLE OVER $22 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE, UH, THROUGH TAXES AND VOLUNTARY PAYMENTS.
KEY UPGRADES, UH, FROM THE LAST TIME THIS WAS CONSIDERED, UH, WE'RE COMING BACK WITH AN ENDORSEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
TALK ABOUT THAT SHORT, UH, SHORTLY.
UH, AND MAINTAIN SOME CRITICAL FEATURES.
UH, NET ZERO IMPACT ON CROPLAND AS WELL AS ENHANCED SETBACKS FOR VISUAL SCREENING.
SO HERE IS, UH, A PROJECT MAP TO GIVE YOU APPROXIMATE LOCATION, REAMS ROAD OR REAMS DRIVE PARK PERKINS ROAD, HALIFAX ROAD AND BRICK ROAD, AND HOW IT INTERPLAYS WITH THESE, UH, DIFFERENT STREETS.
SO, NET ZERO IMPACT ON CROP LAND.
AS MENTIONED LAST MONTH, UH, 30 ACRES OF ACTIVE CROP LAND IS IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT.
THAT IS AN 80% REDUCTION FROM THE, IN, FROM THE INITIAL CONCEPT PLAN.
UH, UPON SITE, SITE PLAN APPROVAL, UH, 1.5 TIMES THAT AMOUNT WILL BE, UH, OF THE DISPLACED ACRES OR THE DISPLACED, UH, CROP LAND WILL BE TURNED OVER TO LOCAL FARMERS TO UTILIZE AT NO COST TO THEIR OWN.
TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, UH, I KNOW THIS DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION FROM EARLIER, BUT THAT IS, UH, 0.03, UH, PERCENT OF THE ACTIVE FARMS IN DWI COUNTY.
THAT'S THE, THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT WOULD, THE AMOUNT OF CROP LAND THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS SETBACKS AND VEGETATION.
UH, AS WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE, UH, DOUBLED THE, THE REQUIRED SETBACKS TO 150 FEET, UH, COMMITTED TO PRESERVING EXISTING VEGETATION.
UH, AND WHERE THERE ISN'T SUFFICIENT ADDITIONAL SUFFICIENT EXISTING VEGETATION, WE'VE PLEDGED ADDITIONAL VEGETATIVE PLANNINGS.
UH, LIKE WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, THE PANELS DO TRACK THE MOVEMENT OF THE SUN.
THIS IS, MAKES IT EVEN EASIER TO CREATE, UH, ROBUST VEGETATION UNDERNEATH THE PANELS.
UH, AND IN ADDITION, A VOLUNTARY LANDSCAPING BOND THAT I BELIEVE MR. BASSETT MENTIONED.
SO I MENTIONED 150 FOOT SETBACKS.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HERE IS PAM AND SOLAR.
SO THIS VIDEO STARTS AT ABOUT, UH, 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND.
AND THIS IS A 50 FOOT SETBACK.
AND THIS IS HOW EFFECTIVELY SCREENED OF HOW EFFECTIVE A 50 FOOT SETBACK IS AT SCREENING A SOLAR FACILITY.
SO WHEN YOU'RE STANDING ON THE GROUND, WHEN YOU'RE
[01:40:01]
DRIVING ON THE ROAD, YOU CAN'T SEE THAT THAT'S THERE AND THAT, THAT'S EFFECTIVELY DONE WITH A 50 FOOT SETBACK.AND THIS IS JUST A, AN EXAMPLE OF SETBACKS AND VEGETATION, UM, THE EXISTING MATURE VEGETATION THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD REMAIN.
THIS SHOWS, UH, 1500 FEET FROM REAMS DRIVE.
AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, AN AREA WHERE MAYBE THERE ISN'T, UH, SUFFICIENT EXISTING VEGETATION AND WHAT, UH, THE ADDED VEGETATIVE BUFFER WOULD, WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO, PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORIC BATTLEFIELD.
UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS, UH, WORKING WITH THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD FOUNDATION TO, OR AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST TO YOU SEE THE AREAS THAT ARE OUTLINED.
YOU SEE THE PROPERTY BOUNDARY OR THE PROJECT BOUNDARY, AND THEN THE DIFFERENT COLORS, UH, ORANGE, BLUE AND, AND RED.
YOU CAN SEE AREAS THAT ARE GONNA BE TRANSFERRED TO THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST IN PERPETUITY AND AREA.
THAT'LL BE FOR THE PROJECT DURATION.
AND IN ADDITION, THERE IS AREAS OF NON DISTURBANCE THAT, THAT, UH, WE WE'LL RECOGNIZE.
DECOMMISSIONING, IT'S A, IT'S A SUBJECT THAT ALWAYS COMES UP.
UH, THIS IS AN OBLIGATION THAT WE HAVE TO THE LANDOWNER FIRST, THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
SECOND, THIS IS SECURED BY ASURITY BOND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
IT'S A RELATIVELY SIMPLE PROCESS.
YOU REMOVE EVERYTHING ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND AND YOU RESTORE IT BACK TO ITS PREVIOUS CONDITIONS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO AND SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMITMENT, IT'S ALSO PART OF, YOU KNOW, OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION WITH FIRST SOLAR.
OUR PANEL PROVIDER WHO HAS THE ONLY, UH, MODULE RECYCLING PROGRAM OPERATIONAL IN THE US.
UH, WE, WITH OUR CONTRACT WITH THEM AT THE END OF THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE PANELS, THEY DO GO BACK TO FIRST SOLAR FOR RECYCLING.
AND THIS IS A BRIEF VIDEO ON FIRST SOLAR'S RECYCLING PROCESS.
SO THE PANELS WE USE, AS I MENTIONED, COME FROM FIRST SOLAR.
UH, THEY HAVE BEEN IN OPERATIONS, UH, OR THEY'VE BEEN DEPLOYED WORLDWIDE FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
UH, ROUGHLY HALF THE UTILITY SCALE SOLAR APPLICATIONS IN THE US COME FROM FIRST SOLAR OR USE FIRST SOLAR PANELS.
THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN BACKED UP BY THE SAFETY OF THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN BACKED UP BY 50 RESEARCHERS IN 10 COUNTRIES.
THE, THE CLOSEST ONE, UH, BEING VIRGINIA TECH'S, UH, CENTER FOR COAL AND ENERGY RES RESEARCH, UH, THEY'VE CONCLUDED THAT THESE PANELS ARE SAFE TO USE.
UM, ANOTHER POINT HERE, YOU KNOW, THE 250000001ST SOLAR PANELS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED WORLDWIDE.
NOW WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HEAR MISINFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S CLAIMING TO BE TOXICITY.
250 MILLION PANELS WORLDWIDE HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED.
IF THESE PANELS WERE TOXIC, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT.
BUT TO DATE, OVER 25 YEARS ACTIVE DEPLOYMENT, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN A SINGLE EXAMPLE OF DOCUMENTED CONTAMINATION FROM THESE PANELS.
THESE PANELS ARE SAFE, THEY'VE BEEN RESEARCHED, THEY'VE BEEN FIELD RESEARCHED, THEY'VE BEEN LABORATORY SEARCHED, UM, ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT.
SO PROJECTED YEAR ONE REVENUE IN D WITTY COUNTY IS ROUGHLY $3.98 MILLION.
SO TO PUT THAT IN PER INTO PERSPECTIVE, $3.98 MILLION WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF A ONETIME 15 CENT REAL ESTATE TAX INCREASE.
UH, THE AVERAGE ANNUAL REVENUE AFTER YEAR ONE IS THE EQUIVALENT TO 1.5 TO 2 CENTS ON THE TAX.
UH, A 1.5 TO 2 CENTS TAX INCREASE FOR DINWOODY COUNTY.
UH, PROJECTED REVENUE, UH, IS OVER $22 MILLION AS MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THE ANNUAL REVENUE IS JUST OVER $400,000 THAT WOULD BE PAID TO DINWITTY COUNTY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS,
[01:45:01]
WE DO MAKE A PRIORITY OF SOURCING LOCAL, UH, EVERYTHING FROM ENGINEERING INSPECTIONS SIM TO SIMPLE THINGS LIKE LANDSCAPING, FENCING.AGAIN, EVERYTHING WE CAN DO LOCALLY, WE DO DO LOCALLY SUMMARY.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE IMPACTS ON CROP LAND.
I THINK WE'VE DONE A A VERY GOOD JOB OF EFFECTIVELY DOING THAT.
UH, WE VOLUNTARILY DOUBLED THE SETBACK, REQUIRE THE SETBACKS THAT WERE REQUIRED, AND WE'VE ALSO ILLUSTRATED A POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR DINWOODY COUNTY.
AND WITH THAT, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER THEM.
UM, CAN YOU NAME ME A PROJECT THAT HAS COMPLETED ITS LIFESPAN AND YOU'VE RETURNED THE FARMLAND BACK TO, UH, ITS ORIGINAL STATE AND IT IS NOW CROP PRODUCING? NO, SIR.
UH, SO THE, THESE ALL THE PRO ALL OF OUR ACTIVE PROJECTS ARE, THEY'RE OPERATIONAL.
WE HAVE NOT DECOMMISSIONED A PROJECT YET, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE USED FOR SOLAR'S RECYCLING FACILITY, UH, DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN.
UH, MOUNT JACKSON SOLAR AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, IT JOINT INSTALLATION.
THERE WERE SOME PANELS THAT WERE BROKEN.
WHAT WE DID WITH THOSE WAS WE SENT 'EM TO FIRST SOLAR AND, AND THEY WENT THROUGH THEIR RECYCLING PROGRAM.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE A PROJECT COMPLETED? UH, NO SIR.
THESE, THESE SPAN OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, RANGE BETWEEN 30 TO 45 YEARS.
I MEAN, AT MY AGE, IF I'M HERE 45 YEARS, Y'ALL GONNA REALLY SEE SOMETHING UGLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UM, SO IN READING, YOU PLAN ON WORKING WITH THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF THE BATTLEFIELDS OR NEARBY BATTLE.
AND, UM, MY QUESTION IS, UM, IF YOU DO COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND YOU'RE MONITORING AS YOU DIG AND SUCH AND MOVE THE EARTH AROUND, UH, WHAT DO YOU DO? ARE, IS SOMEBODY GONNA BE ON THE SITE AT ALL TIME? ARE YOU GOING TO, I MEAN, HOW, HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY THAT MAY BE A RELATIVE FROM SOMEONE HERE IN THE COUNTY? UH, EARTHLY REMAINS, UH, I'M JUST, I MEAN, THIS, THIS COUNTY IS ALL ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR.
UH, ONE, I'LL TELL YOU BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE, THE, THE SITE WILL GO THROUGH CULTURE RESOURCE STUDIES WITH UH, DHR.
SO, SO THAT'S A FIRST THING I'LL TELL YOU.
THERE'S AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS OF STUDYING THE SITE AND GETTING STATE APPROVALS BEFORE ANYTHING, ANY EARTH IS MOVED.
UM, TO YOUR POINT OF, IF SOMETHING WERE, I THINK THE QUESTION IS IF SOMETHING WERE DISCOVERED DURING CONSTRUCTION, UM, WELL, YEAH, I THINK THERE ARE PRO IF SOMETHING'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS DISCOVERED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, THEN YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD CAUSE YOU KNOW, IT WOULD CAUSE YOU KNOW, STOPPAGE AND, AND HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH IN, IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER.
SO, WELL I GET, WOULD THEY, WOULD, UH, THERE BE A WRITTEN PLAN TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF, IF SOME RE RESOURCES ARE DISCOVERED AND, UH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE PROPER DOCUMENTATION AND PROPER STEWARDSHIP WITH WHATEVER THE FINES ARE? THE PLAN ON I AM, I'M, I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY DEFER TO OUR COUNSEL BECAUSE I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THOSE PROTECTIONS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AND THERE WOULD BE SOME LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.
I KNOW HE'S GONNA, HE'S GONNA KNOW HOW KNOW THESE DOCK THESE REQUIREMENTS BETTER THAN I WILL.
I'LL TELL YOU MY UNDERSTANDING OF ANYTIME YOU ENCOUNTER HISTORICAL RESOURCES, LIKE DURING CONSTRUCTION, YOU ESSENTIALLY, YOU AS TO THAT AREA, YOU STOP WORK.
AND THEN THOSE RESOURCES ARE YOU ESSENTIALLY, YOU ESSENTIALLY CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF THAT AREA.
THOSE RESOURCES ARE COLLECTED AND PRESERVED MUCH AS IF IT WAS LIKE A, AN ARCH A A ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG.
UH, BUT THAT WOULD BE DONE IN COORDINATION WITH DHR.
SO THERE, THERE'S A FORMAL PROCESS.
ONCE SOMETHING IS DISCOVERED, THE ARTICLE, THE ARTIFACTS ARE REMOVED AND CONSERVED.
YOU WANT TO GET THAT MAN'S NAME? YEAH, I'M GETTING READY TO SAY BEFORE YOU MOVE AWAY FROM THE MIC, GIMME
[01:50:01]
YOUR NAME.I'M PERMITTING COUNSEL TO INTERJECT.
SCOTT, ANY OTHER? NO, I, I MEAN I JUST DIDN'T SEE ANY, UH, THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST AGREES TO THE SITE PLANS.
I, I MEAN, ALRIGHT, MY QUESTION IS, WHO WOULD BE DOING THE WATER MONITORING? WOULD THAT BE SELF-MONITORED OR MONITORED BY AN OUTSIDE FACILITY? SO THE WATER MONITORING? YES.
I HEARD IN THE REPORT THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE WATER QUALITY MONITORING, WATER QUALITY TESTING OR TESTING, TESTING, MONITORING.
UH, AND HOW OFTEN YOU GOT ANY IDEA HOW OFTEN THAT IS? I CAN TELL YOU YOU WANT JUST KEEP ASKING QUESTION
I'M TALKING ABOUT DURING THE LIFESPAN.
I KNOW THAT, UH, VIRGINIA TECH HAD BEEN GIVEN A GRANT TO STUDY SOLAR PANELS AND ITS EFFECTS OF RUNOFF FROM SOLAR PANELS.
NOT ONLY THE EFFECTS OF RUNOFF TO STREAMS AND OTHER AREAS, BUT ALSO WATER QUALITY RUNOFF IS IF THERE WAS ANYTHING LEACHING FROM THE PANEL.
UH, AND I WONDERED IF THAT WAS GONNA BE ONGOING DURING THIS ENTIRE PHASE.
DID, I MEAN ENTIRE LIFESPAN? SO YOU'RE TOUCHING ON TWO SEPARATE THINGS THERE.
I'LL COVER THE, UH, GROUNDWATER MONITORING FIRST, THAT'S CONDITION 12, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE PRE-CONSTRUCTION SO WE KNOW WHAT'S THERE FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE, UNDISTURBED.
AND THEN, UH, GROUNDWATER MONITORING SHALL TAKE PLACE EVERY MONTH FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN ONCE PER YEAR FOR THE OPERATION OF THE PROJECT AND UPON COMPLETION TO BE DECOMMISSIONING WITH EACH REPORT PROVIDED TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR.
GROUNDWATER WILL BE TESTED FOR THE CONTAMINANTS LISTED IN THE TOXICITY CHARACTERISTIC LEACHING PROCEDURE, TCLP TEST, WHICH IS ARSENIC, BARIUM, CADMIUM, CHROMIUM, LEAD, MERCURY, SELENIUM, AND SILVER.
AND THEN THOSE ANNUAL TESTS WILL BE COMPARED BACK WITH THAT BASELINE TEST.
AND THEN YOUR OTHER QUESTION RELATED TO STORM WATER QUALITY, CORRECT? YES.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S ADDRESSED IN THE CONDITIONS BECAUSE THAT'S DEQ REQUIRED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S PENDING UNDER, UH, STATE CODE AND THEY, THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT OUTSIDE OF THE CONDITIONS.
AND THERE'S, THE STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS, ET CETERA, ARE EXCEPTIONALLY COMPLEX.
UH, IT'S A MOVING TARGET RIGHT NOW.
BUT THESE FOLKS HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS THAT APPLY TO THEIR PROJECT.
SO DO YOU KNOW, UH, I'M GOING TO GET INTO TECHNICALS AGAIN, WHAT THE PERMEATION RATE IS CONSIDERED FOR SOLAR PANELS.
I MEAN, I, IF WE HAD A PARKING LOT OUT HERE OF CONCRETE WOULD BE 100% UN PERMEABLE SURFACE WOULD RUN OFF THAT WE'D GO TO WHEREVER.
I, AND I KNOW Y'ALL LIKE TO SAY THAT UNDERNEATH, IT'S THE SAME GROUND AS WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THERE, BUT RUN OFF FROM A 20 FOOT WIDE PANEL AS CONSEQUENCES OBVIOUSLY.
BUT THERE IS SUPPOSEDLY A RATE IN WHICH THEY'RE SAYING LIKE 25% IMPERVIOUS SURFACE AREA IN THE CALCULATIONS.
BUT I'M TRYING TO GET WHERE THAT CALCULATION COMES FROM AND A RATE, I GUESS YOU'RE ASKING A, AN ATTORNEY, AN ENGINEER'S QUESTION.
UH, BUT IS THERE AN ENGINEER AVAILABLE?
I'D HEARD THAT THERE WERE, THERE WERE, UH, EARL AN EARLIER INTERPRETATION BY DEQ HAD BEEN SUPERSEDED BY A NEWER ONE THAT, THAT'S ALMOST THE SAME AS ASPHALT.
I THINK THE, I THINK THE PHRASE IS, UH, IMPERVIOUS.
OR IT'S, UH, UNCONNECTED IMP IMPERVIOUS OR DISCONNECTED IMPERVIOUS.
SO IT'S KIND OF A TORTURED WAY OF SAYING EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.
THEY'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE PANELS THEMSELVES ARE IMPERVIOUS, BUT THERE IS OUS GROUND AROUND THEM.
FUNCTIONALLY IT IS DIFFERENT THAN A A BARN ROOF OR A PARKING LOT.
SO THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER TO AN ACCURATE, UH, CALCULATION OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS.
SO, AND AT THEIR CURRENT, I MEAN, YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO MAKE, UH, STORM WATER BASINS ALL THIS STUFF YEAH.
[01:55:02]
I APOLOGIZE.I WENT INTO THE APPENDIX OF THE PRESENTATION JUST TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE STANDARD MEASURES THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY SILT FE, THE VERSION DISHES, SEDIMENT BASIN, SOIL STABILIZATION, RETENTION PONDS, UH, WHAT ADDITIONAL VOLUNTARY MEASURES THAT, THAT WE'VE, THAT WE IMPLEMENT ON OUR SITES THAT EXCEED THESE REQUIREMENTS.
UH, DESIGNING DITCHES UPSTREAM FROM PONDS.
UH, IT'S ALL ABOUT DIRECTING WATER WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO, RIGHT? USE OF FILTER SOCKS.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT WATER DOESN'T GO WHERE IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO GO, UH, DITCHING THROUGH THE PANELS.
SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, CREATING ADDITIONAL CHANNELS SO THAT WE MAKE WATER GO WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO, WHERE IT'S DESIGNED TO GO, UH, STOCKPILING REDISTRIBUTION OF TOP SOIL AFTER GRADING.
IT'S, THAT IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
UH, AND THEN ON ONSITE, UH, EROSION SIDE CONTROL AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.
UM, ONE THING THAT'S NOT, NOT SURE IF IT'S, IF IT'S PART OF THOSE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED THAT I I, I REALLY APPRECIATE IS, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT OF THE, THE FACT THAT THESE ARE LARGE PANELS, WATER HITS 'EM, THEY RUNS OFF, UH, WE, WE HAVE STARTED IMPLEMENTING ITS, UH, RIP WRAP I THINK IS, IS THE NAME FOR IT? MM-HMM
SO BASICALLY PILE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BOILS DOWN TO A PILE OF ROCKS THE EDGE OR AT THE, AT THE END OF PANEL ARRAYS SO THAT IF THERE IS THAT TRAJECTORY OF WATER, YOU KNOW, IT HITS THAT AND IT SLOWS IT DOWN.
SO WE WE'RE DEPLOYING THESE ADDITIONAL VOLUNTARY MEASURES TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT OUR SITES FUNCTION THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, THAT, THAT WE WANT THEM TO, THAT A COMMUNITY EXPECTS THEM TO.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ADD THAT ADDITIONAL LEVER LEVEL OF ASSURANCE.
AND THERE ARE TWO OTHER THINGS ON POINT IN THE CONDITIONS, UH, WE'VE PROVIDED FOR THE COUNTY'S ABILITY TO UNDERTAKE A THIRD PARTY REVIEW OF BOTH THE EROSION SETTLEMENT CONTROL PLAN AND THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AND THEN THERE'S PROVISIONS WITH CERTAIN LIMITATIONS ON COST FOR OUR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE THIRD PARTY COSTS TO, TO CONDUCT THOSE REVIEWS.
MR. HAM CALLS ME TO WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT THE BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
ARE WE TAKING ALL THE TOPSOIL AND GOING DOWN ON ALL OF IT? OR ARE WE POWELL DRIVING SOME MY MEN? AND HOW WILL WE KNOW WE WON'T BE HITTING HIDDEN CIVIL WAR STUFF IF WE DON'T, IF WE'RE PILE DRIVING THEM IN? SO I THINK THE, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS AGAIN, WE WILL GO THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE CULTURAL REVIEW OF THE SITE, UH, TOPSOIL.
I, I, I THINK THE EASIEST WAY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF TOPSOIL, WHAT HAPPENS, HOW MUCH WE, HOW EXTENSIVELY WE DO IT IS WE, WE DON'T REMOVE ANYTHING THAT WE DON'T NEED TO IT, WE DO NO UNNECESSARY GRADING.
AND, AND, UH, READING THE UP ON A LOT OF THESE, UH, SOLAR FACILITIES, ONE THING CAME UP THAT I THOUGHT WAS PRETTY COOL, AND IT MIGHT BE COOL TO OTHERS, BUT IT SAID SOME SOLAR COMPANIES PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO SURROUNDING HOMES FOR FREE.
IS THAT AN OPTION? UH, SO THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO THE SPECS THAT WE ARE OBLIGATED TO DELIVER TO THE PJM, TO INTO THE, THE INTERCONNECTION.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO, TO DO ANYTHING ADDITIONAL.
UH, AND, AND IN FACT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, TAKEN GREAT STEPS TO REDUCE THE FOOTPRINT TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VERY MINIMUM THAT IT HAS TO BE.
BUT, BUT THERE WAS A REASON BEHIND IT.
I THOUGHT THAT, I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE ANSWERING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, LIKE THAT, BUT NOT YOU.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS HEARING.
I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION AGAIN.
I'M JUST GONNA ASK EVERYBODY WHEN YOU COME UP, IF YOU WILL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, ASK THAT YOU DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO US.
WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA ANSWER 'EM IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, BUT, UH, WE ASK THAT YOU SPEAK WITH DECORUM AND WE WILL TREAT YOU AS FAIRLY, AS NICELY AS POSSIBLE AS WE CAN.
UH, IF IT GETS OUTTA HAND AGAIN, I SAID THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE TO ESCORT YOU OUT.
I DON'T EXPECT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IT LAST MONTH.
LOOKS LIKE MOSTLY THE SAME PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT WERE HERE.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE TIMER UP THERE.
[02:00:01]
YOU RUN A FEW MIN, UH, A FEW.I'M NOT GONNA SAY A FEW MINUTES OVER, A FEW SECONDS OVER, NOBODY'S GONNA BE MAD, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE YOU TO, TO TRY TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS WITHIN THE THREE MINUTES IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
ARE THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? I'M SURE THERE IS.
UH, ARE WE JUST, JUST CLARIFYING, WE'RE JUST DOING THE P DASH 24 DASH ONE? UH, WE'RE DOING BOTH, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO BOTH, I KNOW FOR BOTH OF THEM.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE ONLY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR ONE.
MR. DRURY, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO GIMME SOME HELP ON THIS.
I KNOW WE HAD INITIALLY SAID IN THE VERY BEGINNING THAT WAS EVERYONE OKAY WITH COMBINING THE TWO? SO, SO IS EVERYBODY GETTING SIX MINUTES INSTEAD OF THREE ONE TIME, BUT JR IT'S UP TO YOU.
OH, YOU TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE I SIGNED UP FOR BOTH OF THEM.
IF, IF THEY SIGN UP FOR BOTH, DO THEY GET SIX MINUTES? NOT 30? I'M, I'M GONNA ADDRESS THAT RIGHT NOW.
UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT EACH PERSON COULD ADDRESS BOTH ASPECTS WITHIN THREE MINUTES.
I WOULD SAY IF YOU'VE GOT COMMENTS ABOUT CADIUM, TELLURIDE, WATER RUNOFF, PROPERTY VALUE DEVALUATION, UH, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WE, AND I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE A SMART ASS JUST TRYING NOT TO BE, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD ALL THAT.
I'M, I'M REALLY HOPING Y'ALL ARE GONNA BRING ME SOME GOOD NEW STUFF TONIGHT.
I REALLY WANT TO HEAR SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING FRESH, SOMETHING THAT CAN CHANGE WHAT WE'VE HEARD IN THE PAST.
SO, I MEAN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT I'M GONNA LIMIT IT TO THREE MINUTES.
I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO YOU.
I SPEAK VERY LOUD, I'M HARD OF HEARING, SO I PROBABLY DON'T NEED A MICROPHONE.
UM, FIRST THING I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, AND I DO IT EVERY, ALL OF THEM, BUT JUST MY FOURTH ONE, JUST NAME AND ADDRESS FOREST D UH, AT 1 56 28 BRICK ROAD.
AND I GO AS FOREST, UM, REMEMBER WHAT THE, THE, UM, TITANIUM PEOPLE TOLD YOU.
AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF THE FARMERS ARE FRIENDS OF MINE THAT CAN'T EVEN GROW GRASS ON THEIR LAND.
THE NEXT THING I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE THE BOARD LAST TIME THAT IT WAS VOTED ON.
THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, VOTED IT DOWN FIVE TO ZERO.
THAT WAS THE PEOPLE SPEAKING, THE PEOPLE SPEAKING.
SO WE'RE HERE AGAIN FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT ANYWAY, WITH THE PEOPLE SPEAKING, I ALSO HAPPEN TO RUN ACROSS HOUSE BILL 6 36 AND HOUSE BILL 6 36.
IN SUMMARY, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, I'VE GOT IT.
YOU CAN READ IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT IF THE PLANNING BOARD APPROVES THAT THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION CAN BYPASS THE BOARD, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND INSTITUTE A SOLAR OR A WIND FARM THAT CREATES 50 MEGAWATTS OR MORE.
AND THE ONLY REASON IT GOT WITHDRAWN IS 'CAUSE THEY KNEW THE GOVERNOR WAS GOING TO VETO IT.
AND THE REASON THE GOVERNOR WOULD VETO IT IS BECAUSE THEY TOOK THE POWER AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE AND GIVING IT TO THE STATE.
SO I'M SURE THEY'RE GONNA WAIT FOR OUR NEW GOVERNOR COMING AND THEY'RE HOPING FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT QUITE AS CONSERVATIVE.
THE, UH, THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE ON WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE STATE.
EXPECT TO SEE A HOUSE BILL 6 36 OR SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO IT TO COME UP AGAIN.
ANGELA OREL 1 6 5 6 3 CAN ROAD MCKENNEY AND GOD HELP US IF THAT BILL PASSES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THE ONE YOU SPOKE OF, QUOTING DINWITTY COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, CHAPTER TWO, NATURAL CONDITIONS.
NOT ALL LAND IN DINWOODY COUNTY IS SUITED FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SOME OF IT HAS GREATER PUBLIC VALUE WHEN LEFT UNTOUCHED
[02:05:01]
OR PUT TO CONTROLLED USE.SOME LAND WOULD BE DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO DUPLICATE IF IT WERE DISTURBED.
LAND IS MAN'S RESOURCE, AN AWARENESS OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF MAN AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THEREFORE, REZONING FROM A TWO AGRICULTURE GENERAL TO INDUSTRIAL UTILITY SCALE, SOLAR ENERGY DISTRICT IS NOT IN CONFORMANCE WITH OUR COUNTY LAND.
BY APPROVING REZONING, WE ARE OPENING A DOOR TO AN ENERGY BOONDOGGLE.
WE MUST PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS AND OUR BEAUTIFUL AND DIVERSE NATURAL RESOURCES FROM BEING EXPLOITED FOR THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR.
RENEWABLE ENERGY MARKETS ARE MASKING OVER VASTLY INEFFICIENT ENERGY AND THE REAL COST OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WITH INCENTIVES AND SUBSIDIES, THE VAST ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE THAT WILL THIS WILL GENERATE IS INNUMERABLE PREPARATION, PRODUCTION, AND RECYCLING REQUIRES ENERGY.
AS SOLAR TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE, WE WOULD BE SADDLED WITH A STATIC PRODUCT AT A 24% RETURN FOR 35 TO 45 YEARS.
IF THE GOVERNMENT HAS ITS WAY, AMERICA WILL SEE 10 MILLION ACRES CONSUMED BY THIS TECHNOLOGY.
IF YOU BELIEVE THIS IS A CRITICAL VENTURE, THEN PLACE SOLAR ON FORMER INDUSTRIAL LAND OR VACATED STATE OR FEDERAL PROPERTY, I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT APPROVE THE REZONING OR THIS REZONING THAT WOULD JEOPARDIZE OUR PRECIOUS AGRICULTURE.
AND TIMBERLAND, WE BORROW THE USE OF THIS LAND FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
GOOD EVENING, FA DONAHUE, 26 5, 10 MARINES DRIVE.
UM, I WAS HOPING I WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE BACK HERE, SO I KNOW THAT YOU FOLKS ARE HEARING THIS OVER AND OVER AS WELL.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE, I HAVE THREE ISSUES.
THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY.
THIS IS A HUGELY HISTORIC AREA.
AND JUST IN RECENTLY I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE 3,400 TO 3,500 DOCUMENTED CASUALTIES ON THIS LAND AT THIS BATTLE OF RE STATION.
I I JUST BOUGHT A NEW BOOK ON THE CIVIL WAR JUST BECAUSE I WAS INTERESTED.
AND SUDDENLY THESE NUMBERS STARTED APPEARING.
NOW I KNOW WHAT THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST MEANS WHEN THEY SAY HALLOWED GROUND.
THIS IS INDEED HALLOWED GROUND.
AND AT THIS POINT IN THE STAGE OF RE STATION BATTLEFIELD, THEY WERE BURY PEOPLE IN MASS GRAVES.
THEY WERE BEARING BEEP PEOPLE WHERE THEY FELL.
SO I, I HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING HOW FROM MARCH OF 2023, WHERE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST SAID THAT THERE WERE 746 ACRES THAT WERE HISTORICAL AND HALLOWED GROUND.
SO NOW THEY'VE NEGOTIATED DOWN TO 61 ACRES.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU 61 ACRES WON HOLD.
3,400 AMERICANS THAT DIED ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND LILY POND WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DIGGING ANY DITCHES.
WE HAVE ENOUGH TRENCHES FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO SUPPLY ALL THEIR NEED FOR DITCHES.
WE WILL IRREVERSIBLY LOSE HISTORY IF THIS IS APPROVED.
AND I THOUGHT OUR CALEN, OUR COUNTY, WHICH I DEARLY LOVE, WAS SET ON PRESERVING OUR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, NOT ERADICATING IT.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, WHEN I READ THE LETTER FROM AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST, AND I APOLOGIZE IF THEY'RE IN THE ROOM, BUT I WAS GREATLY OFFENDED THAT THEY COULD NEGOTIATE DOWN TO 61 ACRES AND CALL IT A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
AND MY, UH, BACKGROUND, THAT'S NOT A WIN-WIN GOING FROM 746 ACRES DOWN TO 61.
SO SECOND OF ALL, THIS IS THE WRONG TECHNOLOGY AND I'M WITH A PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
THIS, THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL BE OUTDATED IN PROBABLY 10 YEARS, AND THEN WE'RE STUCK WITH 500 ACRES OF SOLAR PANELS.
THIRDLY, IT'S THE WRONG FIRM IF YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH, AND THE GENTLEMAN
[02:10:01]
JUST PROVIDED THAT THEY HAVE 15 PROJECTS WITHIN STATE OF VIRGINIA.WELL, IT'S DOCUMENTED THAT THEY HAVE PENALTIES AGAINST SEVEN OF 'EM.
IS THAT THE PEOPLE YOU WANT TO TRUST? I NEGOTIATED MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS FOR IT AND THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM NATIONWIDE FOR 24 YEARS.
AND IF MY, IF IT'S IBM OR HITACHI OR ANY OF THOSE ENTITIES SUDDENLY CAME UP WITH THE PRESS THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED FOR EVEN IN THE BALLPARK OF NEGOTIATING WITH US.
SO I ASK YOU TO LOOK AT DUE DILIGENCE AROUND US BEFORE YOUR RACE IS PART OF OUR HISTORY.
I'M SORRY I DON'T SPEAK IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.
LISA CHAFIN, 1 4 8 2 5 HALIFAX ROAD.
I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE SOLAR PANELS.
I, WE HAVE LIVED IN DENWITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
OUR SON WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DENWITY.
HE'S NOW RACING HIS FAMILY IN DENWITTY.
WITH THIS PROJECT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR CLOSE TO 400 ACRES AND BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PASS THAT DOWN THROUGH GENERATION TO GENERATION.
I BELIEVE THAT LAB HUNT, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS THE FUTURE, SOLAR PANELS IS OUR FUTURE, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND THAT THIS COMPANY HAS JUMPED THROUGH HOOPS, BEEN OVER BACKWARDS TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY, TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
SO, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T SPEAK, BUT I DO.
UH, SHE SAID MY NAME IS, UH, DAVID TURNER.
I, UH, I OWN AND INHABIT, UH, 14 8 10 BRICK ROAD.
UM, I I JUST WANTED TO START QUICKLY, UH, AND, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T CALL THE PHONE COMPANY AND SAY, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU.
'CAUSE MY PHONE'S STILL WORKING.
I DOUBT IT THAT YOU GUYS GET MUCH THANKS FOR THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UH, IN THE COUNTY AND KEEPING, UH, OUR COUNTY WONDERFUL.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OUT FOR OUR COUNTY AND DOING THE JOB YOU'RE DOING.
I WANNA ADDRESS, UH, ONE, ONE ASPECT OF THE, THE LILY POND PROJECT.
AND, AND THAT IS THAT NOT WITHSTANDING ANY OF THE APPLICANT'S PROFFERS, THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY AND FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY'S CHARACTER.
WE'LL NO LONGER BE A, A, A BASTION OF CIVIL WAR HISTORY AND A RURAL, UH, AGRICULTURAL AREA, UH, THAT, THAT IS ENJOYED BY OUR CITIZENS, OUR, OUR OURSELVES TODAY.
THE, THE, THE FART, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT THAT'S GOING TO COST INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS LIKE ME AND, AND ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THE COUNTY IS SLATED TO GET TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THIS PROPOSED PROJECT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SLATED TO GET HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THAT PROJECT.
AND IF I TRY TO SELL MY PROPERTY LAST YEAR, NEXT YEAR, 10 YEARS, 25, 30 YEARS FROM NOW, I WOULD HAVE, ABSENT THIS PROPOSAL, RECEIVED THIS MUCH MONEY.
BUT WITH THIS PROPOSAL STILL PENDING AND RETURNING LIKE A BAD COLD, I'M GOING TO GET THIS MUCH MONEY.
IS THE COUNTY GONNA GIMME SOME OF THAT MONEY? TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THEY GAVE, THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM THIS PROJECT TO ME TO MAKE UP FOR THAT DIFFERENCE? ARE THEY GONNA GIVE IT TO HIM OR ARE THEY GONNA GIVE IT TO HER? I DOUBT IT.
THE COUNTY'S NOT GONNA DO THAT.
UM, THEY TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAX RATES BEING DONE.
ARE THEY GOING TO REFRAIN FROM RAISING OUR TAXES BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED? THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
THAT'S NOT IN THE, THAT'S NOT PROFITED IN THE PROJECT.
THEY'RE JUST SAYING THAT IT'S THAT WAY.
ALSO, I WANT TO ADDRESS RECYCLING REAL QUICKLY.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT FIRST SOLAR IS THE ONLY ENTITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT RECYCLES THESE THINGS.
AND THE NUMBER OF RECYCLING IS GOING TO BE GOING OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE ROOF IS GONNA BE, UH, EXPLODING IN THE COMING YEARS, UH, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THIS
[02:15:01]
WAS STARTED A FEW YEARS AGO.THESE THINGS ONLY LAST FOR SO MANY YEARS.
SO THIS RECYCLING IS, IS GONNA BE EXPLODING SOON.
UM, ARE THEY GONNA EVEN BE ABLE TO DO IT? UM, SO I'VE BEEN HERE FOR MANY, MANY TIMES BEFORE AND I'LL WRAP IT UP REAL QUICK.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THESE PEOPLE.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM ANY PREVIOUS HEARINGS OR ANY RESEARCH.
AND I THINK THE LAST SPEAKER TOUCHED ON IT.
IF WE'RE GONNA FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK WE OUGHT TO KNOW THE PEOPLE WE'RE GETTING IN BED WITH.
AND I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT WE KNOW THEM.
SO WITH THAT, I ASK, ASK YOU NO, I, I REQUEST NO, I DEMAND THAT WE REJECT THIS AND GET IT OUT OF THE WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
MY NAME IS BILL LESTER, 1 4 9 0 2 BRICK ROAD.
UH, YOU'VE SEEN ME HERE THREE OR FOUR TIMES ALREADY, SO YOU KNOW MY POSITION.
I ASKED YOU TONIGHT IF YOU'VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK, SERIOUSLY, DONE YOUR HOMEWORK REGARDING THIS PROJECT.
HAVE YOU BEEN AROUND AND LOOKED AND SEEN OTHER SOLAR PANEL PLACES? THE PRETTY LIGHTS DISPLAY THAT HE PUT UP HERE? HERE? I'VE BEEN TO PRINCE GEORGE AND IT DOESN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S NOT 50 FEET OFF THE, OFF THE HIGHWAY.
BEFORE I KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT SOLAR PANELS AND DID ANY RESEARCH ABOUT SOLAR PANELS, I WAS RIDING DOWN REEDS ROAD AND I LOOKED AT WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON OVER HERE AND I SEE ALL THESE ACRES AND ACRES OF PANELS.
WELL, I DON'T WANT THAT AT MY HOUSE.
I'M, IF YOU LOOK ON BRICK ROAD, I'M BE, I'M GONNA BE SURROUNDED BY THIS.
YOU'RE GONNA TAKE AWAY THE NATURAL BEAUTY AROUND MY HOME.
I'VE BEEN HERE 50 YEARS AND THE REASON I'VE BEEN HERE 50 YEARS IS BECAUSE I LOVE DENWOOD COUNTY AND I LOVE THE BEAUTY HERE.
I DON'T WANNA LOSE MONEY ON MY HOME BECAUSE OF THIS THING.
'CAUSE YOU ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT HAVE THEY HAD A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN THROUGH 45 YEARS? NO.
SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE IN 45 YEARS.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT, I KNOW THIS HAS GOTTA GO TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO DISAPPROVE THIS PROJECT SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND DO THE SAME THING OVER AGAIN.
CHRIS RIZZO, DRIVER ROAD NORTH IN WHITTY.
I'M HERE TONIGHT, UH, BECAUSE JIM WHITTY NEEDS ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES FOR BOTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND FOR SCHOOLS.
AND WE NEED TO FIND AS MUCH OF IT AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
UH, I I WILL SAY IF THIS PROJECT AFFECTED THE CHARACTER, IF I FELT IT AFFECTED THE CHARACTER OF DOING COUNTY OR IF IT COULD AFFECT THE SOIL GROUNDWATER OR IF IT LOOKED ANYTHING LIKE THE ONE IN PRINCE GEORGE, I WOULD NOT BE HERE SUPPORTING IT.
BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE.
AS IT WAS MENTIONED, IT, IT REPRESENTS A FRACTION OF A PERCENT OF DIM WITTY COUNTY.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE THE RURAL CHARACTER OF DIMITY COUNTY.
UH, THERE'S NO COMPARISON TO THE PRINCE GEORGE PROJECT BECAUSE ENERGETICS LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY HERE AND THEY'RE OFFERING BUFFERS FROM 150 FEET TO 250 FEET.
SO YOU WON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S THERE WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING BY.
I WANT YOU TO COMPARE THAT TO THE APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT THAT THIS COMMISSION APPROVED LAST YEAR IN NORTH DIM.
WE 350 APARTMENTS WITH JUST 50 FOOT OF BUFFER ON THE EAST SIDE AND A 10 FOOT BUFFER.
10 FOOT BUFFER ON THE WEST SIDE AND ON THE, THE LEACHING OF THE CADIUM IN THE GROUND.
UH, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED WITH GROUNDWATER.
I THINK IF YOU'VE READ THE VIRGINIA TECH STUDY, IT SHOWS VERY CLEARLY THAT IT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
I'VE HAD SOLAR PANELS ON MY HOUSE FOR SIX YEARS.
I PUT THEM IN SOLELY FOR ECONOMIC REASONS JUST TO SAVE MONEY.
I HAVEN'T HAD AN ELECTRIC BILL IN SIX YEARS, SO THEY DO WORK.
THE WATER RUNOFF FROM MY ROOF ALL GOES TO ONE LARGE DRAIN PIPE, WHICH I DIRECTED TO EMPTY OUT OVER MY WELL SEVERAL YEARS AGO SO THAT IT WOULDN'T RUN DRY IN THE SUMMER.
I RECENTLY HAD THE SOIL AND THE WELL WATER TESTED THE RESULTS.
CONFIRMED THE VIRGINIA TECH STUDY AFTER SIX YEARS OF CONCENTRATED RUNOFF FROM MY SOLAR PANELS, NO TRACE OF CADMIUM WAS FOUND, I DON'T THINK THIS PROPERTY WILL HAVE
[02:20:01]
ANY EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.AND THE PROPERTY OWNER SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THEIR LAND WHEN THAT IS THE CASE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'LL BENEFIT THE REST OF DENWITTY COUNTY.
WHEN THOSE APARTMENTS THAT I MENTIONED THAT YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR ARE COMPLETED, THERE'S GONNA BE 1500 MORE PEOPLE THERE PUTTING DEMANDS ON COUNTY SERVICES AND SCHOOLS.
MONEY'S GONNA BE NEEDED FOR THAT.
THE APARTMENT PROJECT WON'T COVER ALL THEIR REVENUE, WON'T COVER ALL THOSE COSTS, BUT THIS PROJECT WILL THANK YOU.
I CANNOT MAKE OUT THIS FIRST NAME.
THE LAST NAME LOOKS LIKE ORTON.
UH, MY NAME'S CLIFTON ORTON, 26 5 0 9 REAMS DRIVE, NORTON WITTY.
I, UM, WE'VE GOT PROBABLY APPROXIMATELY A MILE OF, UH, BUFFERING, UH, THE, UH, PROPOSED SITE, UH, GOING ALONG ALL THE WAY, UH, ALONG THE EDGE OF IT.
UH, WE BOUGHT THE PLACE, MY FATHER BOUGHT IT IN 1945, AND WE'VE ENJOYED IT.
I WAS HOPING FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN, UH, TO BE ABLE TO BUILD ON IT, BUT VALUE WISE, WHEN YOU PUT THAT THERE, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE DISASTROUS.
EVERYTHING THAT I WANT TO DO OR COULD HAVE DONE OR MY GRANDCHILDREN COULD HAVE DONE WITH IT ALL BECOMES WHO'S GOING TO BUILD THERE? WHO'S GOING TO BE NEXT TO THAT? UH, WE ALL KNOW WHAT RAINWATER DOES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS OF THE AMOUNT OF RAINWATER AND OUR LAND WILL DRAIN ANYTIME IT, UH, SAND WILL FILL UP AND WATER STAND AND KNOW WHERE TO GO WITH THE AMOUNT OF RAINS THAT WE ARE GETTING NOW AND THE RUNOFFS THAT ARE THERE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THE RUNOFFS GONNA BE OFF OF THOSE PANELS? NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE TWO BRANCHES THAT DRAIN FROM THAT AREA, THAT COMES THROUGH OUR PROPERTY.
UH, WE'VE GOT THAT TO DEAL WITH.
I AM DEFINITELY AGAINST IT SIMPLY FOR ALL THOSE REASONS.
AND VALUE WISE, I'LL GO BACK AGAIN.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE LAND VALUE IS GOING TO BE FOR US THAT HAVE BEEN THERE ALL THIS TIME, I THINK IT'S WRONG TO APPROVE AND I APPRECIATE IT.
MY NAME'S CHLOE HODGES AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF ENERGY.
RIGHT? I THINK MY COLLEAGUE BLAKE HAS BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT I GUESS YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME INSTEAD TODAY.
OH, MY ADDRESS IS 3 1 0 1 KINSINGTON AVENUE, UM, IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY, UM, BECAUSE I, I WANTED TO VOICE SOME OF OUR OPINIONS AS ON BEHALF OF ENERGY, RIGHT? UM, WE SUPPORT ENERGY DONE THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, AND THAT MEANS DONE ON A LOCAL, FROM A CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVE, UM, FOCUSING ON THINGS LIKE PROPERTY RIGHTS AND OTHER CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVES.
WE BELIEVE IN ALL OF THE ABOVE ENERGY APPROACH.
AND, UM, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WANNA PRESENT SOME COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS TO, UM, ENERGY ISSUES LIKE THIS ONE.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE DECISIONS REMAIN ON THE LOCAL LEVEL.
UM, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I WANNA POINT OUT, UM, IN REGARDS TO PROJECTS LIKE THESE.
UM, THE FIRST IS, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER PROPERTY RIGHTS WHEN WE'RE, UM, MAKING DECISIONS LIKE THIS ONE.
UM, NOT ONLY IS IT IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE CONSIDERING PROPERTY RIGHTS, BUT AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT IMPACTING NEIGHBORS OR NOT HAVING NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER, TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION FROM THE THE PROPERTY OWNER'S PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR SOLAR, UM, TO, TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES WHEN, UM, THESE PROJECTS ARE PRESENTED THROUGH CITING AGREEMENTS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE BRING A LOT OF REVENUE TO THE COUNTY AND OTHER FORMS OF DEVELOPMENT ALSO BRING REVENUE TO THE COUNTY.
BUT THEY PUT A STRAIN ON OTHER RESOURCES LIKE, YOU KNOW, FIRE, UM, AND OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS, THAT SORT OF THING THAT COULD REALLY HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE COUNTY.
WHEREAS THIS IS REVENUE THAT WOULD BE COMING INTO THE COUNTY THAT COULD HELP TO LOWER TAXES AND TO REALLY ADD VALUE TO THE COUNTY.
UM, I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE BRING A LOT OF JOBS TO THE COUNTY, NOT ONLY WHEN THEY'RE BEING, UM, PRODUCED, BUT ALSO AFTER THE FACT FOR MAINTENANCE
[02:25:02]
LAWN AND CARE, ALSO WHEN THEY'RE BEING PRODUCED.THOSE, THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THOSE COUNTY, FOR THE PROJECTS, UM, ALL OF THAT IS SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN CONSIDERING THESE PROJECTS.
UM, PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE, UM, NOT ONLY BENEFIT ONE PERSON, I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN POINT THAT I WANNA MAKE.
UM, THEY BENEFIT THE COUNTY, THEY BENEFIT THE CITIZENS BY LOWERING TAXES AND ADDING MORE REVENUE TO THE COUNTY.
UM, AND THEY ALSO ADD GREAT VALUE TO LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SOLAR, UM, PROJECTS ARE QUIET NEIGHBORS AND AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT SEEN AND NOT HEARD BY THEIR NEIGHBORS, I THINK THEY REALLY CAN ADD VALUE TO THE COUNTY.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND LISTENING TO ME TODAY.
AND WHILE I DO LIVE IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, CURRENTLY I AM A LOCAL GIRL.
UM, AND I, I'VE AM FROM A VERY, UM, RURAL COUNTY AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR RURAL COUNTIES TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN, UM, IN SOLAR PROJECTS AND OTHER PROJECTS THAT REALLY CAN ADD VALUE AND A LOT OF REVENUE TO THE COUNTY THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE.
I KNOW I HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, GENTLEMEN HERE AND I THOUGHT I HEARD THAT A WOMAN CAME IN AS WELL THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, START WITH THE GENTLEMAN AND THEN WE'LL GET YOU NEXT, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UH, MY ADDRESS IS 200 FLORIDA AVE, WASHINGTON DC I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
UM, I FIND MYSELF IN A POSITION THAT WE'RE NOT OFTEN IN.
UM, USUALLY WE'RE WORKING INTO A COUNTY HEARING.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CONCERNS WITH THE PROJECT.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN HERE IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, VOICE SOME OF OUR CONCERNS THAT MAYBE ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO NOW, WHEN THAT WAS LAST YEAR.
UH, AND AFTER THAT HEARING, I, I SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF INTERJECT AND WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, SEE IF THEY'D BE WILLING TO TALK WITH US ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAD.
UH, AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, WE HARDLY EVER END UP HAVING CONVERSATIONS AFTER I MAKE THAT KIND OF APPROACH.
BUT THEY WERE OPEN TO TALKING WITH US AND HEARING US OUT AND WE, UM, WE WORKED WITH THEM OVER, I GUESS IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 18 MONTHS WITH SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, RESUBMISSIONS AND THINGS, UH, TO TALK THROUGH WHAT WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT.
AND ALL TOLD, AS YOU HOPEFULLY HAVE SEEN IN THE LETTER THAT I BELIEVE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO ALL OF YOU, UH, WE HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM WHERE WE HAVE CAN HAPPILY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT THEY HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE THIS SENSITIVE TO THE BATTLEFIELD LAND RELATIVE TO WHAT WE SEE IN THESE KIND OF PROJECTS ROUTINELY.
AND YEAH, AGAIN, I CAN DETAIL THE AGREEMENT FURTHER IF YOU'D LIKE.
THERE'S ENOUGH CLAUSES, IT PROBABLY WON'T FIT IN THIS TIMING.
UM, FUNDAMENTALLY BECAUSE THEY'VE AGREED TO NOT BUILD ON ANY OF THE CORE AREA OF THE BATTLEFIELD, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THAT TERMINOLOGY IS FOR ANY AREA WHERE THERE WAS BLOODSHED, ACCORDING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL STUDY IN THE NINETIES THAT SORT OF FOUNDED OUR, UH, NONPROFIT, UM, THEY ARE PUTTING SOME OF THAT LAND UNDER EASEMENT.
SOME OF THAT LAND IS BEING DONATED TO THE TRUST TO BE PUT UNDER EASEMENT AND PRESERVED.
UH, AND THE REST THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, AGREED THAT IT WILL NOT BE BUILT ON.
UM, AND ALL TOLD, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, I CAN EXPAND ON WHAT THE AGREEMENT COMES DOWN TO, BUT INTERJECTS HAS SHOWN A REAL WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US, WHICH WE JUST, WE DON'T SEE, UH, ON THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PROTECT THE BATTLEFIELD IN A PROACTIVE WAY.
WE OFTEN, UH, DON'T EVEN GET TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DEVELOPERS ON THESE THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE, UH, HAVE COME TO.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF, IF I CAN EXPAND ON HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
MY NAME IS JEAN SHELL, 2 7 3 2 OH REAMS DRIVE.
UM, I'M LIKE, MR. TUCKER, I'M NOT GONNA BE HERE IN 45 YEARS.
IF I LAST ANOTHER 10, IT'S GOING TO BE A MIRACLE.
AND I TOO AM CONCERNED WITH WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND WHAT THIS COUNTY DOES WITH WHAT IS LEFT WITH PEOPLE THAT OUR AGE DO
[02:30:01]
WITH THIS COUNTY.IN THIS REPORT, THEY REFER TO HOURS OF OPERATION, BUT THEY DON'T SAY WHAT THAT IS IN TODAY'S WORLD, AN HOUR, UH, A DAY OF OPERATION, THE HOURS CAN BE EIGHT HOURS, 12 HOURS, 10, 14, 16.
WHAT IS THAT HOURS GONNA BE? 'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE THE TIME THAT YOU, THEY CANNOT WORK.
ALSO, HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK ARE THEY GONNA WORK? THEY GONNA WORK 5, 3, 4, 7.
ALRIGHT? AND THEY REFER TO REMOTE MONITORING.
WHERE IS THIS MONITORING GONNA BE FROM? IS IT GONNA BE WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES? IS IT GONNA BE OCONUS? YOU KNOW, IS IT GONNA BE WITH PEOPLE THAT WE CAN, IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM, CAN WE UNDERSTAND THEM? BECAUSE I HAVE CAUSED SOME, UH, HELPLINES AND BELIEVE ME, I DON'T HAVE THE FOGGIEST NOTION WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD.
AND SPEAKING OF THAT, LET'S SAY THAT THERE'S A FIRE AND THEN WITTY.
WE HAVE NO ESTABLISHED FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE VOLUNTEER FIRE, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR 'EM BECAUSE THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB.
BUT ARE THESE FIRE DEPARTMENTS TRAINED IN FIGHTING SOLAR FIRES? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THESE TYPES OF FIRES.
UM, WHAT HAVE, HAS THE REQUIREMENTS BEEN SET DOWN AND WHO'S GONNA TRAIN 'EM? ARE WE GONNA COUNTY RESIDENTS GONNA TRAIN THESE PEOPLE FOR THINGS BECAUSE OF SOMEBODY ELSE? A COMPANY THAT'S NOT EVEN IN OUR COUNTY, COME AND PUT ON US.
AND THE FARMLAND THAT THEY SPOKE OF, WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY BROUGHT UP, IT WAS 160 ACRES OF FARMLAND THAT WAS GOING TO BE NO LONGER FARMLAND.
NOW THEY'RE SAYING IT'S 40 OR LESS THAN 40.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF IT? YOU KNOW, THAT'S 70 120 ACRES.
HAVE JUST WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT AGRICULTURAL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND I'M, I'M OLD, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS, BUT I CAN DO A LITTLE MATH AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT AT ALL.
AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE BUFFER ZONE.
YOU KNOW, THEY RAISED IT FROM 75 TO 150 TO THREE, UH, 250.
WELL, IF YOU CAN RAISE IT TO 250, WHY CAN'T IT ALL BE 250? OKAY.
AND THE LANDSCAPING, THEY'RE GONNA PUT NATIVE PLANTS, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE IF YOU PLANT PALM TREES OUT HERE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA LAST VERY LONG.
AND THEY'RE ALLOTTING $20,000 FOR, I MEAN, $20,000 FOR THE LANDSCAPING FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
WELL, MY FAMILY TELLS ME I SPEND MORE THAN $2,000 A YEAR ON LANDSCAPING.
SO THAT $2,000 DOES NOT GO VERY FAR.
ALRIGHT? AND THEY REFER TO A DECOMMISSIONING PLAN.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A DECOMMISSIONING PLAN, AND I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO SEE ONE.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, DECOMMISSIONING, PLEASE REMEMBER, I LUCA, WE HAVE CREATED A WASTELAND THERE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THE COUNTY GOT.
WAS, WAS IT WORTH THE LAND THAT WE HAVE NO LONGER ANY USE FOR? ALSO, THIS PACKAGE REFERS TO ATTACHMENTS.
THE ATTACHMENTS WERE NOT IN THE LAST PACKET, AND THEY'RE NOT IN THIS PACKET.
WHY AREN'T THE ATTACHMENTS IN HERE SO THAT WE CAN REFER TO 'EM? AND I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER THOUGHT I HAVE, IF SOLAR AND I, I'M NOT AGAINST SOLAR, BUT IF IT'S SUCH A GREAT THING, HOW COME IT'S NOT ON THESE COUNTY BUILDINGS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A ONE TIME RESPONSE OR ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SPEAK.
COULD BE DONE LATER AFTERNOON.
MY NAME'S EDNA SHELL AND I LIVE AT 14,000 7 1 6 HALIFAX ROAD, CARSON, VIRGINIA.
AND I'VE SAT THROUGH THESE MEETINGS AND LISTENED TO ALL THE OPPOSITIONS ABOUT, UM, THE SOLAR FARM.
NOW, I WAS BORN AND REARED IN DID WOODY COUNTY.
AND THE LAND THAT I HAVE OPEN NOW IS STILL FARMED.
BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO PROGRESS TO THE FUTURE, WE NEED MORE INCOME IN ORDER TO, FOR US TO RETAIN THE PROPERTY THAT I HAVE.
AND I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF SODA FARMS AND THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE SAID IS NOT
[02:35:01]
SO TRUE.I MEAN, I'VE TRAVELED TO NORTH CAROLINA, I'VE SEEN HOW THEY HAVE GROWN AND PROGRESSED WITH THIS PROCESS, AND THE COUNTY IS CONTINUOUSLY GROWING.
SO WE DO NEED SOME TYPE OF WAY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL, UH, ELECTRICITY FUEL WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY IT FROM OTHER PLACES.
THE SUN IS FREE AND AS THEY TALK ABOUT THE, THE RUNOFF FROM THE WATER, WHATEVER, WELL, THE FARMERS USE PESTICIDES AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S POISONOUS.
IT RUNS OFF IN OUR WELLS, BUT WE'VE BEEN USING IT FOR YEARS AND I KNOW, I KNOW WE NEED IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT KEEPS THE BUGS DOWN AND THE, AND THE WEEDS DOWN.
SO FUTURE THINGS ARE, UH, FRIGHTENING, BUT THIS IS A FORM OF PROGRESSION.
AND LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT SOME KIND OF WAY.
SO I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THIS PROJECT.
THEY REDUCED THE SIZE, THEY DID EVERYTHING THAT THE COUNTY REQUESTED OF THEM IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLY BE APPROVED.
AND SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU ALL WOULD VOTE YES AND APPROVE THIS PROJECT.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
IF I ALLOWED YOU TO COME BACK, I'D HAVE TO ALLOW OTHERS.
NOW, IF YOUR WIFE WANTS TO COME AND SPEAK, SHE SPOKE LAST TIME.
I JUST HAD ONE MORE THING ON MY MIND.
I, I APOLOGIZE, BUT WE'RE DONE.
ANYBODY ELSE THAT DID NOT GET TO SPEAK THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE.
YOU CAN COME UP AND REBUT THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE MADE.
DON'T, CAN YOU OPEN IT UP BACK UP OR NO? YOU, YOU'RE THE APPLICANT.
SO THAT'S, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I WILL BE AS QUICK AS I CAN.
UH, WANNA START WITH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME REFERENCE TO, UH, DEQ VIOLATIONS.
UM, YEAH, THERE, THERE WERE, LAST MARCH THERE WAS A-A-D-E-Q REPORT THAT, THAT CAME OUT.
UM, THAT WAS THE RESULT OF A PRETTY, I WOULD SAY, PROACTIVE STEP FROM ENERGETIC.
WE INVITED, WE VOLUNTARILY INVITED DEQ TO COME TOUR EVERY ONE OF OUR SITES AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT OF EVERY ONE OF OUR SITES WAS IN COMPLIANCE.
ABOUT 90% OF THOSE DINGS THAT WE GOT WERE ADMINISTRATIVE IN NATURE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PIPE WAS PLACED IN THE FIELD THAT WAS NOT THE RIGHT MATERIAL OR THE MATERIAL, IT'S AN APPROVED MATERIAL, BUT WAS DIFFERENT THAT WAS IN THE SITE PLAN AND WE JUST DIDN'T DO A CHANGE ORDER PROPERLY.
SO THOSE WERE ALL, THOSE WERE ALL FIXED.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, A A, A NUMBER OF DEQ UH, COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT, IT MAKES FOR A GOOD TALKING POINT.
BUT THE REALITY OF WHY, OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM IS QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
UH, YOU, THIS, AND I APOLOGIZE.
I I, I RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION WHILE I WAS SITTING THERE.
UM, WE HAVE ALREADY DONE EXTENSIVE TESTING ON, ON THE, ON THE SITES.
UH, WE'VE DONE, UM, UH, SHOVEL AND METAL TESTING.
UH, WE'VE ALSO MADE SURE THAT THE, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CORE BATTLEFIELD AREA IS NOT IMPACTED.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD GROUND PENETRATING RADAR COME IN.
AND GROUND PENETRATING RADAR IS A NON-INTRUSIVE SUBSURFACE INVESTIGATION USED TO DETERMINE UNMARKED LOCATIONS OF ORPHAN GRAVE SITES AND IS ACCEPTABLE AND IS AN ACCEPTABLE METHOD APPROVED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES.
THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON THE ENTIRE SITE.
SO WE FEEL CONFIDENT AND, AND EXTREMELY CONFIDENT THAT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO OF SOMEBODY BEING DISTURBED IS, IS A NON-FACTOR BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE INVESTIGATION ON THE SITE.
UM, SOMEBODY MENTIONED RECYCLING AND THE DIFFICULTY OF, OF RECYCLING.
JUST WORTH MENTIONING FIRST SOLAR IS THE ONLY OPERATIONAL RECYCLING FACILITY IN THE US.
WE'RE PROUD THAT WE DO BUSINESS WITH SOMEBODY THAT, THAT HAS TAKEN THAT PROACTIVE STEP.
IT'S WORTH NOTING ALSO THAT THEY HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL MILLION SQUARE FOOT FACILITIES UNDER OPERATE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW IN THE CONTINENTAL US, ONE IN ALABAMA, ONE IN LOUISIANA.
AND THEY'RE PURSUING ADDITIONAL FACILITIES THAT WILL NOT ONLY BE FOR MANUFACTURING, BUT ALSO FOR THAT RECYCLING INFLUX THAT, THAT THEY ANTICIPATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT GOES KIND OF HAND IN HAND WITH THE DCOM CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, THE, THERE IS EXTREME VALUE IN THESE PANELS, AS WAS MENTIONED 41 TIMES.
UH, THE SEMICONDUCTOR CAN BE RECYCLED.
IT'S, IT'S AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS OF SEPARATING THE MATERIALS AND RECOMBINING THOSE, UH,
[02:40:01]
THESE ARE FINITE MATERIALS.THEY, THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE WILLING OR INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, SEEING GO TO A LANDFILL BECAUSE THEY CAN BE REACTIVATED AND TURNED INTO ADDITIONAL SOLAR PANELS.
UM, AG CHANGES, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW THIS, BUT JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PERSON THAT ASKED THAT, UH, THE AGRICULTURAL REDUCTION WAS A REDU A A RESULT OF MODIFYING THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS DONE IN, IN, IN RESPONSE TO COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD FROM THIS BODY.
FROM WHERE SUPERVISORS, FROM THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
SO WE MADE SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS TO THE CONCEPT PLAN IN ORDER TO CREATE THAT REDUCTION.
AND IT'S BASICALLY JUST, WE, WE MODIFIED THE PLAN, WE SHIFTED PANELS FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER, UM, RIBS ROAD.
UH, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE HEARD THIS MENTIONED.
WE PURCHASED THAT PROJECT AFTER APPROVALS.
WE, WE DID NOT DEVELOP THE CONCEPT.
WE DID NOT DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS, WHAT WE BOUGHT AND HAD TO BUILD.
BUT IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT IN RESPONSE TO NEIGHBORHOOD OR NEIGHBOR COMMENTS, WE'VE MADE VOLUNTARY ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT PROJECT TO TRY TO MITIGATE SOMETHING THAT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS SAID THEY DIDN'T LIKE.
UH, BUT IF YOU DO WANNA CITE, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, A, A CURRENT PROJECT THAT WE HAVE COULD RECENTLY COMPLETED, YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO COME VISIT OUR WAVERLY SITE.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT, SO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A A A SITE THAT WE JUST COMPLETED, THAT WE DESIGNED, UH, WAVERLY'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.
AND THE LAST POINT I WANNA MAKE, UH, A TRAINING WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EVENT OF, OF, YOU KNOW, AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT ON THE SITE, UH, CONDITION NINE OF THE CONDITIONS FOR THIS, UH, CUP DOES IT, THAT COVERS TRAINING.
SO WE ARE OBLIGATED BY THAT CONDITION TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, LOCATED DINWITTY COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO ACT ON A SOLAR FACILITY.
UH, THE PANELS THEMSELVES ARE FIRE RESISTANT.
UH, THE, THE SEMICONDUCTOR HAS AN EXTREMELY HIGH MELTING POINT THAT COULD NEVER BE REACHED IN NORMAL CON NORMAL CONDITIONS.
UM, BUT, BUT KNOWING HOW TO BEHAVE ON A SITE WITH, YOU KNOW, DIRECT CURRENT BEING GENERATED, IT'S REALLY THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE OR THE BIGGEST TRAINING POINT.
AND WE'RE OBLIGATED, WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY LOCALLY HAS THAT KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWS EXACTLY HOW TO BEHAVE ON A SITE.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS ONCE AMONGST EACH OTHER, OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT SINCE NOBODY'S SPEAKING UP.
I HAD, UM, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME.
THIS IS KIND OF A MESSAGE I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL, BUT FOR 20 YEARS, I PRAY EVERY TIME THERE'S A MOMENT OF SILENCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
SO I'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR GUIDANCE OVER THIS.
'CAUSE I DO THINK WHATEVER HAPPENS IS CONSEQUENTIAL.
CAN YOU SPEAK UP PLEASE? CAN I, YOU, I'M SORRY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? Y'ALL HEAR ME NOW? I MUCH, IT'S, OH, WELL, IN HIGH SCHOOL I WAS TOLD THAT MY VOICE WAS SO DEEP THAT I HAD TO SHUT UP.
I THOUGHT, I, I NEVER THOUGHT NOBODY COULD NOT HEAR ME.
UM, BUT FOR 20 YEARS I'VE BEEN PRAYING AND I'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR GUIDANCE ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, IT'S CONSEQUENTIAL FOR US.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE, I'VE BEEN PROUD TO CALL MYSELF A CONSERVATIVE.
AND I THINK I, I HAVE STRONG CONSERVATIVE VALUES AND THAT PLAYS INTO MY THINKING.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS, UH, YOU KNOW, MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW I RETIRED FROM VDOT.
SO I, I'VE SPENT MY ENTIRE PROFESSIONAL CAREER BALANCING THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS AGAINST THE PEOPLE WHO USE THOSE TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EXERCISING IMMINENT DOMAIN IS A VERY, VERY POWERFUL BUT YET CAREFULLY USED TOOL.
SO IN ALL THAT SENSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK, I JUST THINK SOLAR AS IT'S BEING APPLIED HERE IN VIRGINIA IS JUST NOT GOOD ENERGY POLICY.
UM, IT'S NOT A CONSERVATIVE POLICY.
I THINK, UH, NON-CONSERVATIVE PERSONS, UH, CERTAIN POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEGISLATE REGULATIONS THAT ARE FAVORABLE TO SOLAR AND OTHER THINGS.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT, I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE WE'D EVEN BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, AND SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE OCCURRING DESPITE THE FACT THAT THAT SOLAR HAS A HIGHER COST.
UM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A HIGHER UNRELIABILITY.
[02:45:01]
SO TO ME, WHAT WE'RE WEIGHING HERE IS THE INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS THESE LANDOWNERS GET.YOU KNOW, I HEAR SEVERAL PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CARRY ON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF FARMING AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT I WEIGH THAT AGAINST EVERYBODY ELSE WITH A MORE UNRELIABLE NETWORK AND, UH, AND, UH, HIGHER COST.
AND I REALLY BELIEVE IF, IF CLEAN ENERGY WERE TRULY THE GOAL OF SOME OF THESE POLITICIANS IN RICHMOND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD BE PUSHING LESS COSTLY, MORE RELIABLE, AND LESS LAND INTENSIVE METHODS WOULD BE PROMOTED INSTEAD.
UM, I BELIEVE SOLAR FACILITIES ARE INDUSTRIAL IN NATURE AND THEY DE THEY DEGRADATE VAST SUMS OF A, OF AGRICULTURAL LAND.
ME PERSONALLY, I DON'T LIKE FORESTRY BEING SEPARATED FROM AGRICULTURE.
I THINK THEY'RE ONE AND THE SAME.
LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THAT SEAL UP THERE OF DENWITTY COUNTY FROM 1752.
THERE'S A CROP AND THERE'S A TREE.
AND SO TO SAY WE'RE NOT AFFECTING AGRICULTURE, I THINK IS, UH, NOT ONLY A LITTLE BIT SLIGHT OF HAND, BUT IT ACTUALLY, UM, TAKES AWAY FROM ONE OF OUR CORE GOALS OF, OF, OF TRYING TO MAINTAIN OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME, UH, UM, I THINK JUST ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN GENERAL, IT'S BECOME A RURAL VERSUS URBAN TYPE OF, OF, OF, UH, DISPUTES, IF YOU WILL, CONFLICT.
AND I THINK RURAL LAND AND RURAL PEOPLE SUCH AS US, ARE BEING SACRIFICED FOR A LOT OF THESE URBAN DRIVEN INITIATIVES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME OTHER FOLKS, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TREES FOR INSTANCE.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WOULD SAY THAT UM, IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE CLEAN ENERGY, YOU WOULD NOT TOUCH TREES, BECAUSE TREES, UM, GIVE OFF OXYGEN AND TAKE UP, YOU KNOW, CARBON DIOXIDE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT HYPOCRITICAL I THINK, NOT NOT OF THE COMPANY HERE, BUT JUST THE FOLKS THAT PUSH THAT, UM, NARRATIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF THE SOLAR PANELS ON OUR SOIL AND WATER.
I DO AGREE WITH WHAT BEEN SAID ABOUT THE VIRGINIA TECH STUDY, BUT AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID, EUCA IS STILL ON MY MIND AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR, OUR COUNTY THROUGH OUR, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION AND THROUGH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES, WE'VE REAFFIRMED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DECADES THAT OUR RURAL CHARACTER SHOULD BE PRESERVED HERE IN THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, AND THEN I GET BACK TO THE CASH PAYMENTS AND I, I, I'M GLAD THE FIGURE WAS SHOWN UP THERE.
IF YOU REMEMBER, IT WAS $408,000 AVERAGE OVER 45 YEARS.
SO IF YOU DO OVER JUST A ROUGH MATH LIKE I DID FOR YOU WITH THE, WITH THE PERCENTAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT THE COST OF THIS, THIS SODA POP ONCE A MONTH FOR EVERY RESIDENT IN THE COUNTY.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY INSIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL BENEFIT, UM, TO OUR BUDGET, $22 MILLION WHEN THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE COUNTY IS 55 MILLION.
SO THAT'S 55 MILLION, NOT A, NOT INCLUDING INFLATION OVER THE NEXT 45 YEARS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR TYPICAL BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, DO WE REALLY WANT TO
THAT'S TWO SIX PACKS INSTEAD OF ONE DRINK.
SO WE WANNA SELL OUT FOR THAT.
I, THAT'S, I JUST HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THAT.
UM, AND SO, AND AGAIN, BEING A CONSERVATIVE, I WOULD SAY WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO JUST AUTOMATICALLY SAY WE NEED TO SPEND MORE MONEY.
MAYBE WE NEED TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
TAXES ARE JUST TOO HIGH IN THIS COUNTRY ALREADY.
UM, AND SO, UH, I REALLY TAKE A LOT OF, UH, I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THE LANDOWNERS 'CAUSE I REALLY DO RESPECT THAT.
BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BACK TO BALANCING AGAIN AND THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE COUNTY AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY FAR OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS OF, OF JUST A FEW.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
WE ARE SET FORTH TO PLAN FOR DENWITTY COUNTY.
THEY SAID THAT THIS MIGHT COME.
IT'S NOT UP TO US TO DENY IT AS IN SAYING NO, IT'S UP TO US TO PLAN AS IF IT DID COME.
AND IF IT DID COME, DID WE SET THE RESTRICTIONS AND THE GUIDELINES TO THE POINT THAT IT NEEDED TO BE TO BE GOOD FOR DENWITTY COUNTY? THAT'S WHAT I FEEL A PLANNING COMMISSION IS.
[02:50:01]
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANYBODY UP HERE DIDN'T HEAR THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR TO MAKE THIS AMICABLE TO THEM TO PASS AND COULD DENY IT.BUT WE ARE NOT AN APPROVE OR DENY BOARD FOR IT TO HAPPEN WITHIN THE COUNTY.
WE ARE TELLING THE COUNTY, IF WE WERE TO APPROVE IT TODAY, THAT WE HAVE PLANNED SUFFICIENTLY FOR IT TO COME.
WE HAVE SET RESTRICTIONS, WE HAVE SET GUIDELINES, WE HAVE SET THE THINGS IN PLACE THAT WE FELT WERE NECESSARY, THAT IF THE BOARD DECIDED THEY WANTED, THEY COULD EITHER ADD TO IT OR THEY COULD TAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT WE HAVE SAID.
IT'S NOT TO SAY, WHEN WE SAY APPROVE, IF WE WERE TO SAY DISAPPROVE TONIGHT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE NECESSARILY DISAPPROVE OF SOLAR.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE TELLING THEM TO GO AWAY.
WE'RE TELLING THE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT THAT WE DID NOT HEAR SUFFICIENT INFORMATION.
WE DID NOT MAKE SUFFICIENT RULES AND SUFFICIENT GUIDELINES TO SEND THIS ONTO THE BOARD AS A RECOMMENDATION THAT IF WE, IF THEY WANTED IT, WE FELT IT WASN'T SUFFICIENT ENOUGH.
SO WHEN EVERYBODY COMES HERE AND SAYS, DENIAL APPROVE, AND THEY THINK IF WE SAY DISAPPROVE OR WE SAY APPROVE, WE ARE FOR IT OR AGAINST IT.
WE ARE NOT A REGULATING COMMISSION.
I MEAN, WE DO REGULATE THIS AND WHEN WE MAKE RULES AND CONDITIONS FOR IT, BUT WE ARE NOT THE FINAL SAY IN THIS.
IF WE SAY DENY TONIGHT, IT STILL GOES TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THEY STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BRING IT IN.
SO, I MEAN, I I'M NOT TRYING TO TELL YOU THAT TO BE HAPPY WITH US.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, YOU CAN BE MAD AT ME, YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT.
BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT A PLANNING COMMISSION IS AND WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS FOR THIS COUNTY IS TO HELP DO THE BACKGROUND WORK AND PLAN FOR DENWITTY COUNTY.
AND IF A SOLAR PANEL COMPANY WAS TO COME, I WOULD HOPE Y'ALL WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD WORK DILIGENTLY TO SET GUIDELINES AND RULES IN PLACE THAT IF THAT SOLAR COMPANY CAME, THAT YOU FELT WE HAD DONE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY COULD WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF THE STATE AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PUT PARAMETERS AND GUIDELINES THAT IT WOULD BE THE BEST IT COULD BE.
AND I WILL TELL YOU FOR A FACT THAT THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST STRINGENT SOLAR FACILITY EXAMPLES I HAVE EVER SEEN.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK BECAUSE I'M SURE I'VE LEFT SOMETHING OUT.
I'M SURE I MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOMETHING.
BUT I AM TELLING YOU THAT IF YOU LEAVE IT UP TO THE GOVERNMENT TO DECIDE, NONE OF THIS STUFF WILL BE IN PLACE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
IT WON'T BE BUFFERS, THERE WON'T BE POLLINATOR GARDENS, THERE WON'T BE THAT AT THIS TIME.
WE CAN PUT THOSE RESTRICTIONS ON THEM.
IF IT HAPPENS THAT IF SB 6 97 PASSES, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT ANY OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS ON, YOU WILL HAVE TO LET THEM COME AND THERE WILL BE NO GUIDELINES THAT THEY HAVE TO GO BY.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU BOO ME IF WE PASS IT OR YOU CLAP IF WE DON'T, I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WE ARE NOT THE FINAL SAY.
WE DO NOT SAY WHETHER THIS HAPPENS IN DENWOOD OR NOT.
WE ARE TRYING TO PLAN AND THERE MAY BE PEOPLE UP HERE THAT DON'T THINK WE PLANNED ENOUGH OR HEAR ENOUGH AND WE DENY IT.
THERE MAY BE PEOPLE THAT UP HERE THAT SAY, I THINK WE'VE DONE A HECK OF A JOB.
I HOPE WE WENT THROUGH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING WE COULD AND PLANNED FOR THAT.
AND IF WE PASS IT, THAT JUST MEANS WE THINK WE DID OUR JOB AND HAVE SET IT FORTH TO THE COUNTY AT THAT LEVEL.
I GOT, UH, I GOT A COUPLE THINGS JUST, I I'M NOT GOING TO BE AS DRAMATIC, I DON'T THINK, BUT
ARE YOU THERE? ARE YOU THERE? HELLO? HELLO.
[02:55:01]
DO I DO? YEAH.I MEAN I, I KNOW IN, IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD FOSSIL FUEL GENERATION, WE GOT HYDRO GENERATION GAS BURNING GENERATORS AND THE UGLY WORD THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IS NUCLEAR.
BUT THEY'VE CUT OUT MOST OF THE FOSSIL HYDRO.
I MEAN THEY, THEY'VE BASICALLY TAKEN AWAY THE USE OF OIL.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME, SOME OF THE GAS IS BURNING CLEANER.
THEY DO HAVE COMBINED CYCLE UNITS WHERE THEY USE STEAM AND SUCH.
THE THING IS WE NEED SOME KIND OF FORM OF ENERGY AND IT'S GOTTA BE SOLAR OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY, I I, I DON'T KNOW.
I, THAT'S THE REASON I LOOK AT THE SOLAR AND SAY, WELL YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T HAVE A ISSUE WITH SOLAR BECAUSE I KNOW THAT EVENTUALLY WE'VE GOING TO HAVE SO MANY REGULATIONS THAT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GET OUR ENERGY FROM.
IT'S NOT SURROUNDING, EXCUSE ME, I SAID IT'S NOT SURROUNDING YOUR HIGHS SO YOU DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH OH, IT'S GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE.
IT'S GOING EYES DON'T SLIP BEHIND MINE.
ALRIGHT, SO I DON'T THINK YOU DID, UH, WE HAVE BEEN, I'M SORRY, CORDIAL TO YOU.
NO, I I ASKED YOU TO BE CORDIAL BACK.
I I JUST, WE HAVE AN ISSUE ALL AROUND AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT, IN MY OPINION.
WELL, I GUESS THE NEXT THING'S COMING BE WIND POWER WITH WIND TURBINES THAT WILL PRETTY MUCH COMPLETE THE CYCLE.
JUST EVERYTHING'S GOT ITS CONSEQUENCES.
EVERYTHING'S GOT, EVERYTHING'S GOT ITS UPS AND DOWNS.
I MEAN, I, WELL, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO PUT IN MOTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? THIS WILL GET TO THE ACT OF DOING BUSINESS.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE DOING THESE TWO, UH, WE GOTTA DO IN SEQUENCE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, I GUESS I'LL GO THEN.
BE RESOLVED IN AN ORDER TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 DASH 2286 ALPHA 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 REQUEST P DASH 24 DASH ONE AS PRESENTED, BE RECOMMENDED FOR DISAPPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
IF THE MOTION FAILS, LIKE THAT STILL GOES OVER.
I KNOW IT STILL GOES TO THE BOARD.
DO WE VOTE ON THE CONDITIONAL USE AS WELL? I MEAN, WE'RE SAYING THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
YES, I'D LIKE ADMINISTRATIVELY BEFORE YOU DO.
AND I WOULD REALLY ENJOY MR. HAYES MAKING THE MOTION.
ALRIGHT, I'M GETTING THERE, SIR.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET, GETTING TO THE, GETTING TO THE, INTO THE PAPERWORK.
IT'S, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT, VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME, BUT I, I'VE MADE MY STAND.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT IN ORDER TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 20, UH, DASH, UH,
[03:00:01]
2286, ALPHA THREE AND ALPHA SEVEN AND ZONING ORDINANCE SECTIONS 22 DASH 22 AND 22 DASH TWO.IT IS STATED THAT THE PUBLIC PURPOSE FOR THIS RESOLUTION IS INITIATED, IS TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE, GENERAL WELFARE, AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
I MOVE THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT C DASH 24 DASH ONE AS PRESENTED.
BE RECOMMENDED FOR DISAPPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS THE ISSUANCE OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WOULD NOT BE IN COMPLIANT WITH THE INTENT, PURPOSE, AND DESIGN OF THE DENWOODY COUNTY ZONING CODE.
AND S CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? MR. LANGLEY? YES.
IT'S GONNA BE HEARD AT NEXT MONTH'S BOARD OR HAVE THEY PUSHED IT OUT ANY OTHER DATE? UH, I'M, I'M NOT AWARE THAT THEY PUSHED IT OUT TO A D DATE, SO, YES.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PART OF OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS OLD BUSINESS.
IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF? NO.
ANY NEW BUSINESS? NO NEW BUSINESS.
ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
[12. PLANNING DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS]
DIRECTOR COMMENTS.I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT AND THANK YOU TO, I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. HARVE, UH, REMINDING ME THE, I SENT OUT AN EMAIL, UH, FOR A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS FOR AN INVITE TO YOU ALL FOR, UH, IT WAS, UM, MARCH 18TH AND THAT MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO OTHER SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO RESCHEDULE THAT TO A DIFFERENT DATE.
AND I'LL, AS SOON AS I HEAR WHEN THAT NEW DATE IS, I'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT DATE AND TIME FOR THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEETING WITH, WITH OTHER BOARDS LIKE YOURSELF.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER HEARING NONE ADJOURN SECOND.