Sec. 25-447
Dimensional standards
Extracted standards
20 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Height
- Ground-mounted minor/utility heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.20 ft
Ground-mounted minor and utility-scale solar energy facilities may not exceed a height of twenty (20) feet, which shall be measured from the highest natural grade below each solar panel.
Lighting
- Lighting compliance
Lighting must comply with division 5, outdoor lighting of this chapter.
Other
- Annual report due date7 month
The facility owner and operator shall submit a report to the zoning administrator once a year, no later than July 1.
- Anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings
Solar energy facilities shall use panels that employ anti-glare technology and anti-reflective coatings that meet or exceed industry standards.
- Buffer tree spacing
Two (2) rows of staggered evergreens ten (10) feet apart and on fifteen (15) foot centers. Such trees shall be at least three (3) feet tall at the time of planting and expected to grow to a minimum height of twenty (20) feet within ten (10) years.
- Vegetative buffer width150 ft
The buffer must consist of a landscaping strip at least one hundred fifty (150) feet wide, located within the required setbacks and shall run around the entire perimeter of the project area.
- Building and zoning permit required
A building and zoning permit is required prior to the initiation of construction of each component of any solar energy facility.
- Notice of change in ownership10 working days
Notice shall be provided to the county within ten (10) working days of any change in ownership of the facility.
- Community meeting required
A community meeting shall be held prior to the submittal of an application for a special exception permit.
- Decommissioning plan required
As part of the project application, the applicant shall submit a decommissioning plan, certified by an engineer.
- FAA compliance
The applicant shall illustrate compliance with all Federal Aviation Administration regulations concerning solar energy facilities.
- Ground-mounted minor/utility setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.150 ft
All ground-mounted minor and utility-scale solar energy facilities shall be set back at least one hundred fifty (150) feet from all abutting public rights-of-way and from adjacent property lines.
- Maximum site clearing per phase100 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
Site clearing shall not exceed one hundred (100) acres for each phase of development.
- Minimum pollinator habitat area10 pct
At least ten (10) percent of the total acreage of the facility shall be cultivated in such a manner to encourage pollinator habitats.
- Compliance with national standards
Solar energy facilities shall comply with generally accepted national environmental protection and product safety standards for the use of solar panels and battery technologies.
- Roof-mounted panel heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. above roof5 ft
Roof-mounted solar energy facilities shall not extend more than five (5) feet above the highest point of the roof nor exceed the maximum permitted height in each use district.
- Security fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.6 ft
The project area must be enclosed by security fencing not less than six (6) feet in height and equipped with appropriate anticlimbing device such as strands of barbed wire on top of the fence.
- Small-scale ground-mounted heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.12 ft
Ground-mounted panels and equipment shall not exceed a height of twelve (12) feet.
- Underground power lines
Power and communication lines running between ground-mounted solar panels, connection points at buildings, and other related equipment shall be buried underground.
- Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code
Solar energy facilities shall comply with all provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
From the ordinance
Solar energy facilities shall comply with generally accepted national environmental protection and product safety standards...