Four solar requests up for approval


The Halifax County Board of Supervisors will meet tonight to consider approval of four solar farms planned in the county, all part of seven public hearings on the agenda for the monthly board meeting in Halifax.

Supervisors also are expected to approve a new budget for the coming fiscal year, a package that is set to come in just under $94 million. The proposed budget includes no tax hikes, but it does have a $25 increase in the solid waste disposal fee charged to all county households (see story below).

The monthly board meeting will take place tonight starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Bethune Office Complex in Halifax, in the second floor meeting room.

The four solar projects that are up for conditional use permits are:

Sunnybrook Farm Solar Farm, located in ED-2 at the intersection of Clays Mill Road and Vaughan Lane. The conditional use permit is to add 15 acres to the project that has already been approved.

Powell Creek Solar Farm, located in ED-6 near the intersection of Hendricks Road and Alton Post Office Road. The hearing is to consider the inclusion of 76 acres of land to the already approved Powell Creek project.

Water Strider Solar LLC is seeking a conditional use permit for an 80-megawatt solar farm on 960 acres fronting Stage Coach Road at the intersection with Jenny’s Ruff and Bull Creek Road.

SB Solar, LLC is seeking to install a 10-megawatt solar farm on 134 acres of land located at the intersection of Huell Matthews Highway and Dogwood Trail.

Supervisors will also consider increasing the $500 fee that solar developers currently must pay for permit requests. The board is considering a $1,000 conditional use permit application fee, based on a county staff recommendation.

The higher fee is needed to cover the cost of sending out mandated notices to neighboring landowners and newspaper advertising of the dates of public hearings, according to the staff recommendation. The current $500 fee is not been sufficient to cover those costs.

In other agenda items for tonight:

» Supervisors will review the county’s Six Year Plan for road improvements for 2019-2024. The Six Year Plan is used to determine which roadways in the county will be prioritized for VDOT funding during that span.

VDOT staff has reported that an additional six-tenths mile of unpaved road can be paved during the current Six Year Plan.

Already on the list awaiting paving work are 11 roads, including Walker Trail, King Village Trail, Chaffin Trail, Clements Trail, Milner Lane, Jeremy Creek Trail, Clark Jordan Trail, Shelton Road, Deer Ridge Trail, Pitt Trail, Clays Mill School Road and Talley Loop.

During their regular June meeting, supervisors will finalize the Six Year Plan, with changes that may be made following this evening’s public hearing.

» Another hearing focuses on a request for a conditional use permit by Malcolm Ragan Jr., who wants to operate an auto sales car lot at 6078 Philpott Road (U.S. 58).

» A public hearing is set to consider a permit request by Joni Yoder, who wants to construct a mini-storage building in ED#1.

» Supervisors also are expected to approve the fiscal year 2018-19 budget of $93,980,814 — an increase of $1,109,998 over the current year budget. The package does not include any increase in real estate or personal property taxes, but it does propose to raise the annual solid waste disposal fee from $50 annually to $75.

Included in the proposed budget is $14,250,077 for the schools, with another $225,000 available from the capital improvement fund for replacement of the boilers at the middle school.

The Halifax County rescue squad is set to receive an additional $156,000, bringing its total to $223,000. Also, the budget provides a two-percent pay increase for all full time county employees.

Halifax County will also have to pay the Blue Ridge Regional Jail system an additional $313,130 to pay its share of inmate costs.

There is $175,000 in the proposed budget for five new replacement vehicles for the Sheriff’s Department, and volunteer fire departments will get an increase of $44,406. An increase of $251,004 is also earmarked for the microwave-based system to enhance communications at the 911 Center.

Funding for Buildings and Grounds will decrease by $100,936 since the old courthouse will be vacant during the year. IDA funding has also been lowered by $143,320 for the year and the Ag Development department has seen its annual revenue drop from $78,291 to $63,760.

In other business tonight, Supervisors will hear the monthly report from VDOT representatives and consider the approval of a resolution to support retaining the existing right-of-way for Route 620 from Route 619 to the Staunton River.

They will also consider approval of pre-construction documents for the Meadville Road DHCD grant and authorize the waiving of building permit fees for project participants.

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