Supplemental Standards - Solar Energy Facility, Large
Extracted standards
13 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Design
- Large solar glare
All large solar energy facility structures, racks, and associated facilities shall have a non-reflective finish or appearance. Solar collectors shall be designed to maximize absorption and minimize glare outward toward adjoining properties and upward toward aircraft.
Environmental
- Large solar tree cover
No facility shall be permitted on land that has been clear-cut or heavily timbered in the five (5) years immediately preceding the date of the application.
- Large solar wildlife corridors
The establishment of wildlife corridors shall be as determined by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Landscaping & trees
- Large solar ground cover
Ground cover shall be installed and maintained throughout the site, including the setback area.
- Large solar vegetated buffer
If needed to mitigate off-site visual impact, as determined by the Board of Supervisors at the time of issuance of a special use permit or rezoning, a vegetated buffer of year-round effectiveness shall be installed and maintained within the setback area by the solar facility operator or landowner.
Other
- Large solar aggregate cap1,800 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
Commencing on November 17, 2021, and continuing until amended by the board of supervisors, no more than one thousand eight hundred (1,800) acres, in aggregate, may be approved for large solar energy facilities by special use permit.
- Large solar decommissioning
A decommissioning plan shall be developed by the applicant, owner, or operator prior to the approval of a site plan being issued for a large solar energy facility.
- Large solar historicHistoric districtAn area where exterior changes need design review to protect its character. sites
No facility shall be located on a property in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR) Landmarks Registry, National Registry, or within the Core Area and Field of Fire Area as designated in the Cross Keys and Port Republic Battlefields Preservation Plan.
- Large solar imperviousImpervious coverageThe share of a lot covered by anything water cannot soak through — roofs, drives, patios. setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.10 ft
Setbacks for a large solar energy facility installed over impervious surfaces shall be set back ten (10) feet from public and private roads and streets.
- Large solar per-site cap50 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
Except as provided immediately below, no more than fifty (50) acres may be approved for an individual large solar energy facility permitted by special use permit on land zoned A-1, A-2, RV, RR-1, PG, B-1, and B-2.
- Large solar setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. 2-30 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.100 ft
When two (2) acres to thirty (30) acres of land, inclusive, are occupied by a solar energy facility, all above-ground infrastructure shall be no less than one hundred (100) feet from property lines and no less than two hundred (200) feet from existing dwellings, reduceable by notarized consent from an adjoining property owner.
- Large solar setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. over 30 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.150 ft
When more than thirty (30) acres of land are occupied by a solar energy facility, all above-ground infrastructure shall be no less than one hundred fifty (150) feet from property lines and shall be no less than two hundred fifty (250) feet from any existing dwellings, reduceable by notarized consent from an adjoining property owner.
- Large solar transformer setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.150 ft
Transformers shall be set back one hundred fifty (150) feet from property lines.
From the ordinance
Ground-mounted: (1) Aggregate cap: Commencing on November 17, 2021, and continuing until amended by the board of supervisors, no more than one thousand eight hundred (1,800) acres, in aggregate, may be approved for large solar energy facilities by special use permit. (2) Per-site cap: Except as provided immediately below, no more than fifty (50) acres may be approved for an individual large solar energy facility permitted by special use permit on land zoned A-1, A-2, RV, RR-1, PG, B-1, and B-2. ... (5) Setbacks for a large solar energy facility requiring a special use permit: a. When two (2) acres to thirty (30) acres of land, inclusive, are occupied by a solar energy facility, all above-ground infrastructure shall be no less than one hundred (100) feet from property lines and no less than two hundred (200) feet from existing dwellings, reduceable by notarized consent from an adjoining property owner. b. When more than thirty (30) acres of land are occupied by a solar energy facility, all above-ground infrastructure shall be no less than one hundred fifty (150) feet from property lines and shall be no less than two hundred fifty (250) feet from any existing dwellings, reduceable by notarized consent from an adjoining property owner. c. Transformers shall be set back one hundred fifty (150) feet from property lines. (6) Setbacks for a large solar energy facility installed over impervious surfaces shall be set back ten (10) feet from public and private roads and streets.