Dimensional standards
Height & bulk
Servicing
- Geographic extent
- All solar energy facilities in Halifax County, Virginia. Large scale and community/shared facilities must not be within 1 mile of an airport unless FAA certification; density limits within 5-mile radius.
Uses
Conditional / special use2
Extracted standards
28 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Density
- Maximum community/shared solar density within 5-mile radius0.5 pct
no more than one-half percent of the land in a five-mile radius of the center of any proposed new community/shared solar energy facility may be approved for use as a community/shared solar energy facility.
- Maximum large scale solar density within 5-mile radius3 pct
no more than three percent of the land in a five-mile radius of the center of any proposed new large scale solar energy facility may be approved for use as a large scale solar energy facility.
Design
- Anti-glare technology required
The facility shall utilize only panels that employ anti-glare technology, anti-reflective coatings...
Environmental
- Glint and glare study required
A glint and glare study that demonstrates either that the panels will be sited, designed, and installed to eliminate glint and glare effects...
- Soil testing frequency
Testing shall be conducted prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit and every five years thereafter.
- Soil testing locations3 locations per 100 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
Testing shall be conducted in no less than three locations for each 100 acres of project area.
- Water testing frequency
The owner or operator shall test annually for the first five years after commercial operation commences, and every three years thereafter.
- Water testing wells required1 well per 100 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
There shall be one well for each 100 acres of project area.
Fencing & walls
- Minimum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for large/community solar6 ft
The project area shall be enclosed by chain link security fencing not less than six feet in height and equipped with an appropriate anticlimbing device such as strands of barbed wire on top of the fence.
- Minimum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for ground-mounted small scale solar6 ft
The fencing requirement and the height restriction in section 53-158 shall apply to all ground-mounted small scale solar energy facilities.
Height
- Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for ground-mounted small scale solar20 ft
The fencing requirement and the height restriction in section 53-158 shall apply to all ground-mounted small scale solar energy facilities.
Landscaping & trees
- Maximum spacing between buffer rows15 ft
The rows shall be no more than 15 feet apart.
- Minimum expected mature heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.10 ft
reasonably expected to grow to a minimum height of ten feet within three years.
- Minimum plant heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. at planting6.5 ft
plant materials at least six and one-half feet tall at the time of planting
- Minimum rows of trees in buffer4 rows
an installed landscaped strip consisting of a minimum of four rows of staggered trees
- Minimum vegetative buffer width for large/community solar75 ft
The buffer shall consist of a landscaped strip at least 75 feet wide
- Pollinator-friendly native plants required
The project area will be seeded with appropriate pollinator-friendly native plants, shrubs, trees, grasses, forbs and wildflowers.
- Small scale solar in A-1 must comply with setbacksSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line., vegetative buffering, and pollinator habitats
The setback, vegetative buffering, and pollinator habitats requirements in section 53-158 shall apply to all small scale solar energy facilities in the A-1 district.
Lighting
- Lighting limited to security
Lighting shall be limited to the minimum reasonably necessary for security purposes and shall be designed to minimize off-site effects.
Noise
- Comply with county noise ordinance
Noise levels from the facility shall comply at all times with the county noise ordinance.
Other
- ProhibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance. within 1 mile of airport unless FAA certification5,280 ft
Large scale solar energy facilities shall not be located within one mile of an airport unless the applicant submits... written certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Annual subscriber report required
Community/shared solar facilities shall submit an annual report of subscribers of the facility to the zoning administrator.
- Community meeting required
A public meeting shall be held prior to the public hearing with the planning commission...
- Decommissioning plan and security required
The applicant shall provide a detailed decommissioning plan... and security in the amount of the estimated cost.
- Liability insurance required
The applicant shall propose a reasonable amount of liability insurance...
- Pre- and post-construction road condition evaluation required
Prior to commencing construction, the owner/operator must submit a pre-construction evaluation of the condition of the roads along the delivery routes...
- Site plan performance bond required100,000 dollars per megawatt
The amount of the site plan performance bond shall be $100,000.00 per megawatt.
Signage
- Comply with county sign ordinance
All signage on the site shall comply with the county sign ordinance.
From the ordinance
A conditional use permit is required for large scale and community/shared solar. Setbacks of 150 ft from rights-of-way and property lines. Ground-mounted solar max height 20 ft.