Article 28

The maximum height for structures associated with the utility scale solar generation facility (USSGF) is 20 feet above the finished ground elevation.

Outdoor lighting for the facility shall only be permitted for security and on-site maintenance. All outdoor lighting shall be fully shielded ... Lighting shall be dark sky compliant.

All construction activities may only occur between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday and will be prohibited on Sundays.

Berms must be constructed with a 3:1 side slope to rise ratio, four to six feet above the adjacent grade, with a three-foot-wide top with pollinator friendly native shrubs, trees, forbs and wildflowers.

Damaged or unusable panels or arrays shall be removed from the site within 60 days of removal from service.

The decommissioning shall be completed within 12 months of the date the owner or operator sends notice to the Planning Director.

A draft decommissioning and reclamation plan shall be submitted and approved before issuance of the zoning permit.

The access points shall also be designed with a 20 feet wide looping system inside of the security fence but outside of the panel area in order for emergency apparatus to proceed without the need to back up the emergency apparatus.

Prior to completion of construction, the owner or operator of the facility shall provide the Planning Director with an emergency management plan for the facility.

An erosion and sediment control plan must be submitted to the County and approved by the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality prior to any land disturbance.

The existing forested buffer must be undisturbed and permanently protected as the designated buffer. If existing trees and vegetation are removed when dead or diseased, the vegetative buffer must be replaced in accordance with Section 22-28-6.

All fencing shall include opaque screening.

Solar panels shall be placed so as to prevent concentrated solar radiation, heat or glare being directed onto other properties or roads.

Groundwater monitoring must take place prior to the start of construction and upon completion of construction throughout the project area. After the utility scale solar generation facility begins operations, groundwater monitoring shall take place every five years and upon completion of decommissioning.

an impact analysis for historic and cultural resources, including grave sites, shall be conducted and provided by the applicant to identify, preserve, and protect significant historic resources.

A performance bond reflecting the estimated costs of anticipated landscaping maintenance shall be posted prior to construction to ensure the vegetative buffer is adequately maintained for the life of the project.

A preliminary landscaping plan shall be developed by a certified arborist or landscape architect, submitted with the application for the special use permit.

The maximum project area for any utility scale solar generation facility shall be no more than 500 acres.

Solar panels shall not be installed on steep slopes of 20 percent or greater.

The applicant shall provide emergency access in at least two separate access points.

Existing deciduous trees have a minimum four-inch caliper measured two feet above the ground.

Evergreen trees must be a minimum of ten feet in height.

Hardy shrubs must be a minimum of two feet in height.

The existing forested buffer may be used if it is covered with at least 75 percent of naturally established vegetation.

must be enclosed by security fencing on the interior of the buffer area at a height of at least six feet.

Deciduous trees must have a minimum caliper of two inches measured six inches above final grade.

The evergreens shown on the plan must have a mature height of at least 30 feet.

The evergreens must have a minimum planting height of eight feet.

must be screened from the ground-level view from adjacent properties and public roads by a vegetative buffer of at least 175 feet.

All landscaping shall be planted between September 15 and June 30.

The soil shall be stabilized to a depth of three feet, and the site must be graded and reseeded.

An independent professional engineer, selected by the County and paid for by the permit holder, must recalculate the estimated cost of decommissioning every three years.

Wiring shall be located underground except for wiring on a solar array or where necessary to directly connect to the public service corporation.

The applicant for a utility scale solar generation facility (USSGF) shall submit a preliminary proposed vegetation management plan at time of submittal of the application.

screening must be provided which consists of a combination of evergreen and deciduous trees that are eight feet in height at time of planting. A triple staggered row of trees must be placed ten feet apart and on average at 15 feet on center.

An application for a utility scale solar generation facility (USSGF) with a project area of greater than 50 acres must identify access corridors for wildlife to navigate through and across the USSGF.

No signage shall be allowed on the fencing, structures or buildings in the project area ... One sign shall be allowed at each of the emergency access points which shall list the required warnings, the name of the USSGF, address, and relevant emergency contact information.