Sec. 5.1.66
Dimensional standards
Extracted standards
17 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Environmental
- Maximum habitat disturbance for by-rightBy rightPermitted outright: if the plans meet the written rules, permission cannot be withheld. projects10 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
By-right projects must not disturb more than ten acres in the aggregate of habitat cores, forest blocks, or corridors connecting habitat areas.
- ProhibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance. in large forest blocks with score >=4.1
Energy facilities are not permitted within any large forest block with a score of 4.1 or greater as shown on 'Map 2: Ranking the Conservation Value of Large Forest Blocks' in the Biodiversity Action Plan.
- ProhibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance. in riparian buffers, nontidal wetlands, and floodplains
No energy facility may be located within riparian buffers, nontidal wetlands, and floodplains, each as defined in Chapter 17 of the Albemarle County Code.
Height
- Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of lowest edge of ground-mounted photovoltaic panels10 ft
The maximum height of the lowest edge of all ground-mounted photovoltaic panels is ten feet as measured from the finished grade.
- Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of solar facility components20 ft
The maximum height of panels, buildings, structures, and other components of a solar facility is 20 feet, as measured from the highest natural grade below each element.
Other
- Maximum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for energy facilities96 in
Any fencing on the interior of the buffer/screening area of ground-mounted energy facilities may not be at a height of less than 61 inches or greater than 96 inches (inclusive of razor/barbed wire).
- Minimum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for energy facilities61 in
Any fencing on the interior of the buffer/screening area of ground-mounted energy facilities may not be at a height of less than 61 inches or greater than 96 inches (inclusive of razor/barbed wire).
- Maximum fenced area for accessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. solar outside RA500 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
Ground-mounted accessory solar energy facilities located outside the Rural Areas (RA) zoning district are limited to 500 square feet of fenced area, or 400 square feet of panel zone when placed over existing pervious areas.
- Maximum fenced area for by-rightBy rightPermitted outright: if the plans meet the written rules, permission cannot be withheld. solar in RA21 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
By-right ground mounted solar energy facilities in the Rural Areas (RA) zoning district are limited to a maximum of 21 acres of fenced area on any parcel in existence at the time of adoption of this ordinance.
- Maximum prime farmland disturbance10 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
By-right projects must not disturb either (a) more than 10 acres of prime farmland and/or (b) areas used for an agricultural activity within the five years preceding an application.
- Gold Certified Virginia Pollinator Smart required
All ground-mounted solar energy facilities with a fenced area of two acres or greater must obtain Gold Certified Virginia Pollinator Smart status within three years of issuance of a building permit.
- Removal after six months inactive
Solar facilities that have reached the end of their operation or have not been in active and continuous service for a period of six months must be removed at the owner's or operator's expense.
- Screening required for facilities with >=10 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones. fenced
Energy facilities with a fenced area of at least ten acres must be screened from public streets and abutting parcels not under common ownership.
Setback
- Battery storage setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from adjacent parcels100 ft
Battery energy storage facilities must have the following setbacks: a. 100 feet from adjacent parcels not under common ownership, and all public rights-of-way;
- Battery storage setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from dwellings300 ft
Battery energy storage facilities must have the following setbacks: b. 300 feet from dwellings on adjacent parcels not under common ownership.
- SetbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from adjacent parcels for large solar100 ft
Ground-mounted solar energy facilities with greater than 21 fenced acres are subject to the following setbacks: a. 100 feet from adjacent parcels, not under common ownership, and all public rights-of-way;
- SetbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from dwellings for large solar300 ft
Ground-mounted solar energy facilities with greater than 21 fenced acres are subject to the following setbacks: b. 300 feet from dwellings on adjacent parcels, not under common ownership.
From the ordinance
The maximum height of the lowest edge of all ground-mounted photovoltaic panels is ten feet as measured from the finished grade. The maximum height of panels, buildings, structures, and other components of a solar facility is 20 feet, as measured from the highest natural grade below each element. ... Ground-mounted accessory solar energy facilities located outside the Rural Areas (RA) zoning district are limited to 500 square feet of fenced area, or 400 square feet of panel zone when placed over existing pervious areas. ... By-right ground mounted solar energy facilities in the Rural Areas (RA) zoning district are limited to a maximum of 21 acres of fenced area on any parcel in existence at the time of adoption of this ordinance. ... Ground-mounted solar energy facilities with greater than 21 fenced acres are subject to the following setbacks: a. 100 feet from adjacent parcels, not under common ownership, and all public rights-of-way; and b. 300 feet from dwellings on adjacent parcels, not under common ownership. ... No energy facility may be located within riparian buffers, nontidal wetlands, and floodplains. ... Battery energy storage facilities must have the following setbacks: a. 100 feet from adjacent parcels not under common ownership, and all public rights-of-way; and b. 300 feet from dwellings on adjacent parcels not under common ownership. ... Any fencing on the interior of the buffer/screening area of ground-mounted energy facilities may not be at a height of less than 61 inches or greater than 96 inches (inclusive of razor/barbed wire). ... Energy facilities are not permitted within any large forest block with a score of 4.1 or greater. ... By-right projects must not disturb more than ten acres in the aggregate of habitat cores, forest blocks, or corridors connecting habitat areas. ... By-right projects must not disturb either (a) more than 10 acres of prime farmland and/or (b) areas used for an agricultural activity within the five years preceding an application. ... All ground-mounted solar energy facilities with a fenced area of two acres or greater must obtain Gold Certified Virginia Pollinator Smart status within three years of issuance of a building permit. ... Energy facilities with a fenced area of at least ten acres must be screened from public streets and abutting parcels not under common ownership. ... Solar facilities that have reached the end of their operation or have not been in active and continuous service for a period of six months must be removed at the owner's or operator's expense.