The Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted 4-3 at the May 22 meeting to deny the special use permit application for a utility-scale solar project in Stuarts Draft with the majority saying that they felt the project was not compatible with the county’s comprehensive plan. This was after the developer downsized their proposal and made some adjustments in order to address both landowner and county concerns. The supervisors and staff assured the crowd that this decision was not a decision on the future of utility-scale solar projects in the county, simply that, in their opinion, this specific proposal was not in line with the comprehensive plan. The Daily News Leader in Staunton covered the decision well in its article here.
Immediately on the heels of the decision, developers for another utility-scale project a few miles away announced that they would be seeking a special use permit from the county. We’ll be watching out for that and be sure to keep you updated when we learn more details.