Coraggio Consulting
Hanover County Board of Supervisors - 6:00 p.m. - Public Hearings, Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Place: Hanover County Board of Supervisors, Virginia
Length: 1h 36m (video)
Official meeting video (CivicClerk): https://hanovercova.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2703/media
Official agenda (CivicClerk): https://hanovercova.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=5781,plainText=false)
Official minutes (CivicClerk): https://hanovercova.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=5811,plainText=false)

Machine transcript (speech-to-text) produced by Coraggio Consulting. Not an official county record. Names and numbers may be misspelled; check the video at the timestamp before quoting.
Speech-to-text: whisper.cpp, model large-v3-turbo. Produced 2026-10-23. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:04:56] case where i'm moving and accesses when the guy's not happy but he's wrong all right i'm fine all right y'all ready canover county board of supervisors meeting is now back in session next item on the agenda is citizens time citizens time is a time where anyone who wishes to address the board on any matter within the board's authority is welcome to come forward state your name the district that you live or the entity that you represent while we don't allow signs or presentations you certainly can have a printed presentation hand that to dr brown here at the end

[00:05:34] and the board will receive that and ensure that it is in the public record you don't have to fill out a card but a card does help us get specific information from a district back to a constituent or a citizen who wishes to speak is there anyone here wishes to speak at citizens time by a show of hands one two three anyone else okay you'll have five minutes each we'll extend that to five Please come forward state the name your name the district that you live or the entity that you represent. Thank you for being with us Hey, Amy Mendelsohn chili from South Anna. I had a couple things. I think I can check one thing off. Thank you But I have I just happened to look at this and there are six

[00:06:13] rezoning cases and that usually involves just a single person and having to Have a community meeting and have rezonings and for ad use or for proffers and we still have by right data centers in hanover so in other words these people have had to put in months of time to get their lot for their grandmother but yet we still have by right without any scrutiny so i'd like to for you all to consider getting rid of that and then also appreciate the opportunity at the community development committee meetings to hear what's

[00:06:47] going on but i did notice for the presentation the jlark presentation it just seems like it's old information when I googled it or when I've read it in the past a lot of the information that you're hearing is between 10 and 7 years old or 10 and 3 years old and so just to consider maybe other sources maybe other legislative reports from other states might feel authoritative and give you some more information to make decisions for the new parameters around data centers. Thank

[00:07:20] you. Thank you ma'am. Next speaker please. Thank you for being with us. Rob Wilhoyt Chickahominy District. I want to lead off with tonight, these meetings are important to me because I'm missing the wife's birthday dinner with the family tonight to be here in front of you all. So don't think that I take coming up here lightly. With that being said, the Planning Commission meeting last week was a mess. They voted against staff's letter. They voted against, and this is in regards to

[00:07:58] Iron Horse, they voted against Ms. Iverson's recommendations. They invoked China into the conversation for god's sakes water usage was about as clear as mud we they were numbers flying all around this room last week about gallons use this and it was supposed to have been a closed loop system so what do they need all this water for so when this gets in front of y'all of course i want to say no but you know even though a project checks all the boxes off that doesn't make it a good project so when it comes in front of y'all next month or october i hope y'all take that in

[00:08:36] consideration, kind of on the lines with the planning commission. A lot of them said last week, and they've said it in the past, y'all, the buck stops with y'all. So to me, why do we need a planning commission? We'd save a bunch of money, staff could report directly to you all, and then y'all could vote from that. Because to me, if they're saying, well, y'all are political, which you shouldn't be, this isn't a politics, it's zoning. But if they're going to take that attitude,

[00:09:10] maybe we don't need them. Now that's a pipe dream. So my recommendation is when each one of y'all come up for re-election, y'all should inform the general public as to who you're going to pick for the planning commission. Because it's like the election for president and vice president. Both can run things, but you need to know where they stand before they put it into office. Because we can't get rid of the planning commission. The only way we can do that is change y'all. And I'm pretty happy with the board. So just some things to consider. This was going long. One of the other

[00:09:46] cases tonight, I'll be brief. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Will Hoyt. Next speaker, please. Thank you for being with us. Good evening. Mark Bruner, Beaver Dam District. Thanks for the time this evening, and thank you for creating the Community Development Committee that's studying data centers in the future. I would have liked to have seen, as I said last week, that two years ago, I think it would have been very helpful for you folks and the citizens of Hanover

[00:10:24] to have done that study two years ago. A lot of things were hidden at that time. A lot of things are now discovered, and you're still discovering. I hope you continue. If there's anything I can do personally to help you with that effort, I'd be glad to do so.

[00:10:44] Now to the other meeting that took place last week, which was already referenced, was the Planning Commission passage of the trade port moving forward to you folks, Trade Port Hanover. As I think a lot of you know, I've been dealing with this for over four years now, originally industrial commercial and now data center for the last two and a half years.

[00:11:10] I'm disappointed in the vote, but I'm also disappointed in the way it was handled, the meeting was handled by the commissioners. First, only two commissioners even acknowledged the effort that you folks are doing on the data center study.

[00:11:29] The other five didn't even mention it. I thought that was a little weird. Second, they also used the excuse of moving forward with data centers, not just Trade Port Hanover, but data centers, Because it seemed like it was their job to support the country in defeating China on AI and technology.

[00:11:53] Three of the commissioners actually said that in their talk. I think they were appointed to serve the people of Hanover County, not the country fighting China. And that was very well pointed out in their discussion.

[00:12:10] I think it's wrong. Third and I know I've probably beat this to worse to death, but I believe that the Planning Commission Accepted as fact the threats that the developer Wes Dulles is still using about developing this if the data centers turned down East Ashland I think your planning director director of planning gave a position paper to the

[00:12:47] attorney that said it can't be automatically developed by right, East Ashland, the concept, and for a lot of good reasons. I read that letter again this evening. I've corresponded with Joanne as well and tried to clarify that, but based on everything I've heard and seen, it can't be developed by right. I think it's a threat. I think that the Planning Commission should have stood up of that threat, but in the end, they all voted, the five that voted for it, said, well, we've got a choice, data center or East Ashland, data center or East Ashland.

[00:13:27] I don't believe that to be the case, but that's exactly why they voted for it. During the whole planning commission meeting, we had at least 20 speak opposed to the Iron horse project very well spoken very well thought out arguments against we had a few opposed during the planning commissioners summaries before they voted not a single person acknowledged those 20 people that had good arguments

[00:14:04] they asked they had one person that they acknowledged and thanked and that was a proponent one person and it was very clear that that was made to a special acknowledgement that that person spoke up and opposed this terrible that the status there so I consider as I think the other gentleman said you have 30 seconds there last week's hearing a joke and I think you need to kind of maybe

[00:14:39] control your planning commissioners and if not replace them thank you for your Thank you. Anyone further anyone? We will now close citizen time chair recognize miss Pritchard. Thank you, mr. Chair It was brought to our attention earlier that today marks 106 years since women got the right to vote in the United States and I've been given Some wonderful remarks that I intend to read out loud and we will put these in the record you all know that the nation is celebrating our

[00:15:16] 50th anniversary in Hanover County has been an integral part in our nation's history and women in Hanover are a valuable part of the community in their homes, places of worship, institutions of learning, farms, businesses, and various civic and public organizations. And knowing the story of women in Hanover enriches our understanding of history and provides essential role models for everyone. And women in the United States have continuously worked to gain full rights and

[00:15:49] responsibilities, public or private, legal or institutional, as citizens of the United States. On August the 26th, Congress designated, August 26th is designated by Congress as Women's Equality Day to commemorate the date in 1920 that the United States certified the 19th Amendment and franchising women. The right to vote has been a prerequisite to stand for public office, elected office, and trailblazers such as Nina K. Peace, Deborah Coates, Angela Kelly Wiesek,

[00:16:27] Fayol of Pritchard, Susan P. Dibble, and Danielle G. Floyd won elections to serve on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors, and the people of Hanover elected women into constitutional offices with the election of Lois B. Chenault as Commissioner of the Revenue in 1974 until her retirement in 1999 and the election of Mackenzie Babichenko to serve as the Commonwealth Attorney in November 2023. The service of these women continues to demonstrate the meaningful contributions

[00:17:02] possible with broader participations in a government whose authority comes from the people it represents and Hanover County honors these women and honors their lasting service and contributions thank you thank you miss purchase next item on the agenda is planning public hearings board welcomes mr. Pompey thank you for being with us sir thank you mr. chairman the first several public hearings relate to accessory family housing units and the first public hearing is for one

[00:17:39] in the Henry district this is a request by miss Rosenbrooks for an accessory family housing unit on her property. This unit will be occupied with the applicant's adult child and it meets all the use standards for accessory family housing units. The property itself is located on River Road just south of here east of U.S. Route 301. The property is zoned A1 agricultural and within that zoning district an accessory family housing unit requires a special exception. It is in the Cortland Heights subdivision which was recorded in the 1960s so this particular

[00:18:15] lot's non-conforming at just over one and a quarter acres. Here's the existing house on the right and where the unit will be located on the property on the sketch plan. So you can see the unit will be to the left of the main house at the end of the driveway. And I'll show you a picture what that unit looks like. But again, it'll be on the same property behind the home sharing a driveway. And it'll be a two-story structure with a garage below and the unit above. It'll be one bedroom, one bathroom, and just over 600 square feet. A community meeting was held and no citizens

[00:18:54] were in attendance. And then staff is recommending seven conditions. Many of these conditions are comparable to what's been adopted with other accessory family housing units and some are specific to the unique circumstances of this property. Limitations on the size, the elevations and colors, the materials and colors must align with the primary dwelling. A minimum setback of 15 feet is required from the side property line.

[00:19:20] Three feet is the minimum. The special exception is valid for three years or until the family member no longer resides in the residence. A VDOT entrance permit is required for the second entrance. The applicant installed a second driveway recently, and that driveway needs an additional permit.

[00:19:38] And then our standard conditions, adherence to all building inspections and health department requirements, and then adherence to all applicable development regulations. That concludes staff's presentation. applicants are here tonight but they do not have a presentation planned thank you mr pompey are there any questions from mr pompey very well thank you we're now open to public hearing the african is here for the record where's the applicant thank you do you have any comments ma'am none okay let's reflect the african does not have a presentation or any comments

[00:20:13] there's anyone here who wishes to speak in favor of this application anyone anyone in opposition seeing them we will close the public hearing this is in the henry district i move for approval of sc 2026-00017 second we have a motion to second any discussion all those in favor please indicate by saying aye aye any opposed motion carries be well with rosenbrooks thank you for being here the next public hearing is also for an accessory family housing unit in the henry district this

[00:20:50] particular one is in the scotts landing subdivision and again the applicant is requesting a special exception to allow construction of an accessory family housing unit this particular unit will be occupied by the applicant's parents and its design conforms to all the use standards in the zoning ordinance for this type of unit. The property again is in Scott's Landing. It's at the end of Scott's Landing Road. The property is zoned RC and it's about one and a half acres. Here's the sketch plan and a view of the existing house as well as where the unit will be located. You can see the existing house in blue on the sketch plan. Dark green is where the unit will be located. It'll

[00:21:29] located to the side and rear of the main dwelling and I'll show some elevations of what that will look like and again it'll be at the end of the driveway with the driveway extended to a garage that's attached to the unit. These are the elevations the one on the left with the garage doors that is what will be visible from the street and then the unit entrance will be on the side so the unit itself will be to the rear of the garage so what will be seen from the street is the garage and then the unit will be in the rear and the applicant has submitted a letter indicating that HOA has approved of the design of this unit the overall structure is shown in this floor plan

[00:22:07] again the two-car garage at the front and the unit outlined in red with one bedroom and one bathroom and about 900 square feet these are the staff recommending conditions again these are typical for this type of use five conditions total limiting the size of the unit requiring that the unit be constructed in accordance with those elevations with materials and colors similar to the main dwelling valid for three years until the family member no longer resides in the unit adherence to all building requirements health department requirements and all other applicable development regulations that concludes staff's presentation the applicants are here tonight

[00:22:44] to answer questions but do not have a formal presentation planned thank you mr pompey is the applicant present do you have any presentation let's reflect the act does not have a presentation but it's available to answer questions we're now open the public hearing there's anyone here who wishes to speak in favor of this application anyone anyone in opposition seeing none this is in the henry district i move for approval of se 2026-00019 second we have a motion in the second any discussion all those in favor please indicate by saying aye aye any opposed motion

[00:23:22] carries mr pompey the next two cases also involve an accessory dwelling how accessory family housing unit in the beaverdam district this particular request involves two different applications and and there will be a joint presentation and a joint public hearing, a proffer amendment to allow the Accessory Family Housing Unit, as well as the special exception itself.

[00:23:47] The applicant is requesting permission to build an Accessory Family Housing Unit that will be occupied by the owner's parents. The design of the unit and its location conforms with all the use standards in the zoning ordinance. This particular case, due to the proffers that were accepted in the 1980s when the subdivision was originally rezoned, the proffers must be amended.

[00:24:07] And then there's that special exception request for the accessory family housing unit. The property is zoned AR1. And in that zoning district, a special exception is required. The property is outside the suburban service area in an area designated rural agricultural.

[00:24:23] And again, the North Oak subdivision, except for the lots that front on Mount Hermon Road itself, is zoned AR1. This is a view of the property. You can see the driveway and the house to the left. show you where the unit's located but it will be located to the right of the driveway behind those trees and there's a condition about the trees remaining this is the sketch plan again the unit in red to the right of the driveway the main house and a shed are in blue and then that one shared driveway will be extended to the unit which will have a garage in the rear so the front

[00:24:59] elevation actually faces the house it'll be a one-story structure with the unit closer to the the road in the garage in the rear. What you will see from North Oaks Drive is that top elevation so it'll appear like an outbuilding and these are the plans. The right will be the wall facing the street with the unit closest to the street, one bedroom, two bathrooms, approximately 645 square feet and then a garage on the rear. The proffer amendments required because the proffers that were approved in the 1980s said that no outbuilding may be used as a residence as well as some other

[00:25:36] different features that cannot be used for residential purposes. This is currently an ordinance requirement already restricted by the current zoning requirements so they're to cross that out so that they can request the special exception and then living in a trailer camper tent basement will already be prohibited because that's prohibited by the zoning ordinance that's currently in effect. The Planning Commission reviewed the proffer amendment and recommended approval with a vote of seven to zero. No members of the public spoke during the public hearing.

[00:26:05] Again, all the proffers will remain the same except for the first part of proffer three that will be eliminated. And then there are six recommended conditions. These are very similar to those that have been accepted with other cases and the cases you reviewed previously tonight.

[00:26:22] Limiting the size of the structure. The elevations and colors must align with the main building or outbuildings on the property so it looks like an outbuilding. Preserving trees. The sketch plan showed an area of a disturbance. The trees outside that area of disturbance must remain.

[00:26:40] This is valid for three years until the family member no longer resides within the unit. And then here install building inspections requirements, health department regulations, and all other applicable regulations. That concludes staff's presentation. I'd be happy to answer any questions the board may have.

[00:26:56] Any questions for Mr. Pompey? Seeing none, thank you. So what we're going to do, ladies and gentlemen, is we're going to combine the public hearing for the rezoning and the special exception. What that means is that if there's anyone here to speak in favor or in opposition to either the special exception or the rezoning, they can do that during one public hearing, but it will, by law, require a separate vote for each of these proposals.

[00:27:24] Mr. and or Mrs. Martin here. Mr. and Mrs. Martin? Sir, do you have a presentation? All right.

[00:27:43] Let the record reflect. The applicant does not have a presentation, but is available for questions. Mr. Lippa. mr where's mr lipper oh that's you i didn't see that okay mike i didn't see you way out there all right um all right so mr lipper you're here for the for the special exception uh if the martins are not here all right let the record reflect that neither mr miss martin uh are here mr lipper is present does not have a presentation i'll now open the public hearing is there anyone here who wishes to speak in favor anyone anyone speak in opposition anyone well mr lipper you would have 20 minutes of

[00:28:20] rebuttal but i can't tell you not to use it but i'm not quite sure what you would rebut uh thank you for being here the public hearing is closed mr stoneman this is in your district sir thank you mr chair um being in the border of the beaverdam district i'll move uh that the board of supervisors approve rez 2026-00021 with profits dated july 31st 2026 second there's a motion and a second on the rezoning is there any discussion all those in favor please indicate by

[00:28:51] saying aye aye any opposed motion carries next item vice chair stone mr. chair thank you i move that the board of supervisors approve se 2026-00010 with conditions we have a motion is there a second motion in a second any discussion all those in favor please indicate by saying aye aye any in opposition motion passes thank you for being with us mr pompey the next planning public hearing is requesting the Cold Harbor District to rezone 10 acres from A1 to AR6. The property is currently

[00:29:29] 10 acres and zoned A1. That's the minimum area within the A1 zoning district or the minimum lot size that's permitted. The applicant is interested in a boundary line adjustment, so they are requesting rezoning to AR6 to allow just under seven acres to be transferred to an adjacent parcel in the future, and then the existing home will remain on about three acres. No new lots are proposed. Again, this is to facilitate a future boundary line adjustment. The property is located outside the Suburban Service Area in an area designated Rural Agricultural just south of Route

[00:30:03] 360. Again, the property itself is zoned A1 and most surrounding properties are zoned A1. Here's an overview of the property as it exists today. There's an existing single-family home off of Little Florida Road and then there's a barn in the field behind the home. And this shows how the property will be divided again since 10 acres is the minimum lot size in A1. A boundary adjustment can't occur without this rezoning to allow the home to be on three acres in the front and then that barn which is purple on this map and the seven acres roughly surrounding it will be added

[00:30:37] to the parcel that surrounds it to the south and east. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on this request. No members of the public spoke during the public hearing and the Planning Commission recommended approval with a vote of seven to zero. There are three different proffers. The first proffer relates to adherence to that conceptual plan I showed you with lot two being required to be deeded and combined with the adjacent parcel, tree preservation, and right-of-way reservation along Little Florida Road, which is standard with AR6 rezoning requests. That concludes staff's presentation. I'd be happy to answer any questions the board may have. Any questions for Mr. Pompey?

[00:31:16] Mr. Herzberg, thank you. Mr. Chairman sir. So the rezoning is taken the rezoning application is taking place tonight If approved the boundary adjustment will not take place right away. Is that correct?

[00:31:38] It'll occur later for estate planning the applicant has indicated that yes, this would occur later to accommodate estate planning Okay, so my question is mainly about the future because we could be here four or five years from now the Parcel with the residents on it would be the AR6. Is that right?

[00:32:02] The parcel with the residents on it will be our air six and then the seven acre area would also be AR6 So when it's combined with the adjacent parcel the new parcel will have AR6 and a one on it Okay. So it's going to be just under the seven acres is going to combine with the adjacent parcel, but it will not be A1. Is that what you're telling me?

[00:32:35] Yeah. So this seven acres, it'll be zoned AR6. Okay. And then per the proffers, it'd be combined to this parcel that wraps around it. So that would mean one parcel with two separate zonings on the parcel.

[00:32:54] That's correct. Okay, and so the way our AR6 reads now, would the 3-acre or the 6.9-acre be able to be divided in the future?

[00:33:12] No, with the proffer conditions, it can't be divided unless a zoning amendment and a proffer amendment was approved by the board. A zoning amendment. Currently, can a 6.9-acre AR6 lot be divided again?

[00:33:32] No. So not once it's in a subdivision. So if the AR6 is approved, this would be considered a subdivision. If it's in a subdivision, it has to be at least 25 acres to be eligible for AR6. That is the answer to the question. Thank you very much. That's all I have, Mr. Chairman.

[00:33:49] Very well. Thank you, Mr. Herzberg. Anything further from Mr. Pompey? Thank you, Mr. Pompey. We will now open the public hearing. Is anyone here for Ms. Kirby? Is Ms. Kirby here? Anyone care to speak, ma'am?

[00:34:05] Very well. Things are going well tonight for those who understand. let's reflect the applicant is here does not have a presentation but available to answer any questions is there anyone here to speak in favor of this application anyone seeing none anyone in opposition seeing none we will close the public hearing mr hersberg this is in your district sir well thank you very much mr chairman the application fits the area for ar6 is consistent

[00:34:36] with the county comprehensive plan motion to approve rez 2026-00013 second we have a motion multiple seconds motion to properly second is there any discussion hearing now all those in favor please indicate by saying aye aye any opposed motion carries the next planning public hearing is a proffer amendment in the south ana district for some property along ashland road this is a

[00:35:15] request to amend the proffers to relocate an approved shared access within an existing three lot subdivision. There are no other changes to the proffers except for how these lots access Ashland Road. When the rezoning was originally approved, all three lots were required to share a 50-foot access easement. Three lots in the subdivision. Lot two was developed in 2020, and the driveway was built directly to Ashland Road outside of that easement. Lot one is currently under construction with a house. Instead of using the existing share to access easement that's

[00:35:49] proffered, the applicant is requesting that lot one and lot three share a new access easement and then lot two would keep its existing entrances to Ashland Road. And I'll show a map that better explains the situation and what the applicant's requesting. So again, this property is on Ashland Road. All three lots within that subdivision are highlighted in red. They are zoned AR6 and they were rezoned AR6 in 2004 with proffered conditions. So this shows how the subdivision is currently

[00:36:22] platted based on the 2004 rezoning three lots sharing in access easement. And per the proffered conditions approved in 2004, all three lots were supposed to share this easement. Lot two was constructed and has driveways directly to Ashland Road. Lot one, the applicant or one of the applicants is building a house and has a temporary construction entrance to Ashland Road. And then lot three is currently vacant. And then this is a zoom in on lot one and what's being proposed. So

[00:36:58] lot two, which is over here, they would keep their existing driveway. This is the proffered 50-foot access easement that would be vacated. And then lot one and lot three would share this yellow new access easement, which is adjacent to a transmission line easement in orange. So basically moving the access easement from one side of lot one to the other side of lot one and providing access to lot three. One of the reasons the applicant has indicated that the easement should be vacated is that there are these wetlands along the western boundary of the lot. So to get to the

[00:37:37] previously approved location, both lots three and lot one would have to cross wetlands, where the proposed entrances, they would not have to cross wetlands. The applicant held a community meeting in April, and citizens addressed concerns about traffic safety and having multiple driveways along Ashland Road. At that time, the applicant was proposing that each of the three lots would have their own access. Since the community meeting, the applicant has worked with lot three, the lot behind to coordinate that shared access that I showed you. So if this request is approved, lot two will have access directly to Ashland Road, and lot one and three will have shared access.

[00:38:15] The planning commission held a public hearing. One speaker had some questions and expressed support for the request, and after the public hearing, the planning commission recommended approval with a vote of seven to zero. So again, with the AR6 rezoning in 2004, six proffers were accepted. The only proffers this would change would be the conceptual plan and the access proffer to reflect that new shared driveway for lots one and three adjacent to the transmission easement that concludes staff's presentation the applicants are here tonight they do not have a formal presentation plan but they're happy to answer any questions the board

[00:38:53] may have very well thank you mr pompey are there any questions for mr pompey thank you sir the afghan is present any presentation very well uh let's directly reflect the afghan is present and It has no presentation, but available to answer questions.

[00:39:12] Is there anyone here, we are now open to public hearings, is there anyone here who wishes to speak in favor of this application? Please come forward, state your name, the district that you live, or the entity that you represent. You will have three minutes. Thank you, ma'am. Amy Mendelsohn-Chee Lee, neighbor, two of our new neighbors there.

[00:39:28] I was here 22 years ago, and I think that this is going to work out for everybody. I just want to caution everybody about Ashland Road and traffic in general. We had a dump truck turnover yesterday. so as more and more subdivisions become proposed i just want everyone to consider possibly trying to limit truck traffic i know that they did that on howard's mill and it can be very effective and safe so i appreciate that letting my new neighbors have their access thank you thank you ma'am anyone else to speak in favor very well anyone to speak in opposition anyone seeing none we will close the

[00:40:05] public hearing. Ms. Dibble, this is in your district, ma'am. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move approval of rezoning 2026-0002 with proper stated July 29, 2026 as presented. Thank you. We have a motion to approve rez 2026 00002 is there a second second we have a motion a second in discussion all those in favor please indicate by saying aye aye any opposed motion carries also wanted to make note

[00:40:44] uh didn't see earlier uh chief mike harman is in the audience and chief we're so glad to to see you here uh i don't know if you're here for a zoning case but uh you know the mic is always yours if you've got anything chief but uh thank you for being here and thank you for your long and dedicated service to Hanover County. It's a pleasure to have you here, sir. Mr. Pompey. The next planning public hearing is a request in the Beaverdam District for a conditional use permit to allow a school within an existing church. This is for Independence Christian Church, which is located

[00:41:19] on Independence Road, northwest of the town of Ashland. The property is currently zoned A1. The existing church predates current zoning requirements, so the church itself does not have a conditional use permit. And the A1 zoning district of school requires a conditional use permit. So this request is to allow a school within that existing church building. And here's an overview of the property.

[00:41:40] You can see the church, the parsonage, and the different parcels owned by the church itself. Of course, there's a church operating here right now, and it will continue to be used as a church. As part of this request, a school would use some of the school or some of the church building during the week. And then their current plans are to operate Tuesday through Thursday with plans to expand to five days in the future.

[00:42:05] Classes are 9.15 to 1.30 p.m., with teachers and full operation occurring from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Right now, the applicant's proposing 25 students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade, with a possible expansion up to 45 students, and there'll be two adults per 16 children, which are volunteers and parents.

[00:42:25] So minimal trip generation based on the number of students, And the conditional use permit allows for some expansion based on what the applicant has indicated. No changes to the site itself. The classes would occur in the existing church building, and they would use the existing playground.

[00:42:41] And then here is a view of the church building facing Independence Road, the rear where the classrooms are, and then the parking areas and playground, again, exist that will be used by the school. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on this request. No people spoke during the public hearing, and the Planning Commission recommended approval with a vote of 7 to 0.

[00:43:02] There are five recommended conditions for the school. It's limited to kindergarten through fifth grade, and any expansion requires an amendment. Limited to 45 students, which allows some flexibility for expansion over the current operations. Hours of operation are 7.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

[00:43:20] If church events and school events will be regularly held simultaneously, a site plan amendment will be required to make sure there's enough parking on the site. And then the standard condition for all our conditional use permits, it must comply with all applicable regulations. That concludes staff's presentation.

[00:43:37] There are representatives from the church here tonight. They do not have a presentation planned. Very well. Any questions for Mr. Pompey? Seeing none, is he African present? Yes, thank you. Is anybody, no presentation but available for questions.

[00:43:52] the record reflect the applicant is present does not have a presentation but available for questions we're now open to public hearing is there anyone here who wishes to speak in favor of this application anyone in opposition very well seeing none uh we will close the public hearing mr uh stoneman this is near district sir thank you mr chair i move that the board of supervisors approve cup 2026-00008 as submitted with recommended conditions we have a motion we have a second very Very well. Any discussion on the motion properly seconded? Hearing none, all those in favor,

[00:44:29] please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Mr. Pompey. The next request is an amendment to an existing special exception in the South Anna District to allow structures taller than permitted. On this particular property, it was rezoned in 2005 to M1 Limited Industrial along Lake Ridge Parkway near Sliding Hill Road. In the M1 zoning district, maximum building height is 35 feet. In 2022, the applicant came forward with a special exception

[00:45:06] request to allow buildings up to 42 feet in height and two industrial buildings that are roughly 125,000 square feet. That could be that maximum height of 42 feet. So the buildings have been constructed. The condition that was approved with that special exception in 2022 says the maximum building height is limited to 42 feet, including appurtenances. The applicant submitted a building permit for HVAC equipment that will be on the rooftop and will exceed that 42 feet in height.

[00:45:37] So they're requesting an amendment to the special exception to allow buildings up to 48 feet in height. The buildings themselves will not change as part of this request. It's again to allow that larger and taller HVAC equipment on the rooftop. This property is designated industrial or light industrial in the comprehensive plan and again it's on Lake Ridge Parkway just north of Sliding Hill Road. One unique issue associated with this property is at the edge of the industrial area. So there's industrial north and east along Lake Ridge Parkway, but the stony run condos are immediately adjacent to the west. And then you have some townhouse units on the opposite side

[00:46:16] of Lake Ridge Parkway to the south. Again, this property is zoned M1 moving north along Lake Ridge Parkway. There's M1 and M2 industrial zoning. And then when you move south immediately adjacent to the property. There's R5, which is our old multifamily zoning classification. This is an overview. So again, the buildings are built and exist, and the applicants are proposing new rooftop equipment. You can see the Stoney Run condos are to the west, immediately adjacent to the property. And then this is the building where the new units are proposed. And you can see where

[00:46:55] those rooftop units will be located on the building, again, with Stoney Run commons immediately adjacent. With the application, the applicant submitted sight line views that show how the property looks from different vantage points at ground level, and it demonstrates that the units will not be visible from ground level. But they also completed a drone test where they had a mock-up of the equipment placed on the roof, and the drone was able to see what the views would be from different vantage points off the ground. So this is the view from 36 to 42 feet above grade, which

[00:47:30] corresponds to the height of nearby residential balconies on that stony-run condos project, and you can see that the existing parapet shields the units from view. You had to go up to 60 feet with the drone, and then you could see the top of the mock-up units. So with this particular case, there were two community meetings, and in the middle, that drone test was conducted that help demonstrate what the mock-up with the mock-up units what the real units could look like once

[00:48:05] they're actually installed. With this request all the conditions from the originally approved special exception will be the same but the ones that will be revised will be the building height one to allow building height up to 48 feet versus 42 feet including any appurtenances and then HVAC equipment on the roof must be screened from public rights of way or adjacent properties by the building parapet and the drone test and sightline drawings demonstrate that that condition will be met that concludes staff's presentation the applicants are present and they do have a presentation planned as well you say they do mr pompey they do thank you any questions for mr

[00:48:45] pompey mr pompey can you just um verify for us that the sheet that shows the location of the proposed hvac has distances from the edge of the building as well as the dimensions of each of the units it's hard to tell on the this level but ms hunter is looking at the actual plan

[00:49:13] to confirm whether that's the case the full set of plans do have the distances and dimensions of the units perfect just make sure we have the documentation thank you anything further for mr pompeg so you know thank you sir we're now open to public hearing the applicant is here is that correct with the presentation yes sir please come forward you have 20 minutes for a presentation and then you will have five minutes before rebuttal please state your name the entity

[00:49:53] that you represent thank you for being with us hi my name is kelsey hutton and i'm kyle finn we're with the architecture team for the project with forum architects the tenant is called rosenden electric they are an electric subcontractor and they'll be occupying this building for their office they're very excited to be part of hanover county and the richmond community project overview includes 28,000 square feet of office and training space with additional space for warehouse use you

[00:50:26] can see some of the 3d images of the interior space and so as mentioned this is a site plan showing the building one location and here is a little bit of a blow-up showing those distances from the exterior of the building as well as the different rooftop units called out and here is an overview of the site line diagrams and we made sure to blow them up so they're a little bit more visible so you can see a few of the different areas throughout the building one location and as some additional information we provided some

[00:51:01] visual representation of what a similar rooftop would look like with the specific model being a the green heck and as mentioned there are some drone photos as well as these are directly on the rooftop during our mock-up exercise so you can see the the mock-up location there with the drone photos we isolated balcony one and balcony two as shown on this key plan here at two corners of the condominium and so if we go back one image you can actually see so this is at 60 feet so this is 20 feet above the

[00:51:36] fourth floor condo balcony at balcony one with the mock-up image for reference showing the first time that you will see the rooftop units on the roof so again 20 feet above the balcony one and and then this is from balcony two at the balcony level at 41 feet and this is looking at the other corner of the building and again at 62 feet so 28 feet above the condo balcony you can see as well as the reference image the mock-up on the rooftop for that is specifically rooftop unit two thank you

[00:52:15] thank you that concludes your presentation that does thank you very much thank you Come on. Yep. We still have possibility for questions. Are there any board members who have questions?

[00:52:31] Could you go back to your elevation drawings? Absolutely. So just to give a little bit of context, the reason that I asked them to fly the drones is because these elevations and these views were drawn from the ground and the adjacent structures are four stories tall.

[00:52:47] So we took the drone, flew it up to the fourth floor balcony, and they actually had a mock-up of each of those on the roof and we'd move them around there was also some issues getting the notifications out so there was no one at the meeting and we all know that old telegraph road shows up so that was another reason for the drone but it was an exercise that i felt was important to ensure those folks that lived in those condos that when i approved this project for rezoning they weren't going to see any of these units and

[00:53:26] So we've now proved that and I thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you anything further for the applicant. Okay Thank you. Is there anyone here to speak in favor of this application anyone anyone in opposition?

[00:53:42] Seeing none. We will close the public hearing. Miss Dibble. This is in your district, ma'am Yes, sir. I move approval of SC 2026 - zero zero zero one eight second We have a motion and a second.

[00:54:00] Any discussion? All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Mr. Pompey. The next public hearing involves a proposed industrial project in the Ashland District where the applicant's requesting a conditional use permit to allow two warehouses larger than 75,000 square feet in area.

[00:54:25] This area is in the North Lake Industrial Park just off of Lake Ridge Parkway within the suburban service area. the property is zoned m2 and it's been zoned m2 since 2000 again it's part of the north lake industrial park all surrounding properties are zoned m2 and b3 and for reference this is just northwest of the lewistown road interstate 95 interchange the property itself is currently vacant and just under 15 acres but you can see the surrounding area not only is it zoned for industrial and business use. It's been developed for industrial and business use. There's an

[00:55:03] existing industrial warehouse immediately to the west and then RV sales to the east. This property itself is not access Lake Ridge Parkway, but it accesses two existing cul-de-sacs within the North Lake Industrial Park. So again, the applicants requesting this conditional use permit to allow two warehouses larger than permitted, which is larger than 75,000 square feet within the interior of North Lake Industrial Park with an ordinance amendment. A few years ago, any warehouse larger than 75,000 square feet individually or 100,000 square feet on a total site must get a conditional

[00:55:38] use permit. So in this particular case, two buildings were opposed. One building's 125,000 square feet and one building's 108,000 square feet. And this is speculative development in the M2 zoning district. When the property was rezoned in 2000, it was approved with multiple proffered conditions. So if this property is approved, it'd have to adhere to the conditional use permit conditions as well as the proffered conditions. This is the sketch plan that shows the two buildings. North Lake Park Drive is on the left and then another cul-de-sac, Sunshade

[00:56:15] Lane, is on the right. And you can see the two buildings adjacent to one another. One side of these buildings will accommodate employee parking and then the truck parking and loading areas are on the opposite side of the buildings. There's landscaping along North Lake Park Drive as well as the perimeter of the site and then there's additional landscaping within the parking areas and this landscaping is conditioned as well so it's addressed and required by the recommended conditions. And then these are the elevations. It's a typical warehouse type building similar

[00:56:53] to what is already in the area. Because of the size of the warehouses, it did trigger local requirements for a traffic impact analysis. However, that analysis indicated that no turn lanes or additional improvements are warranted because of this property. Again, it's in the North Lake Industrial Park, which does have an improved road network to accommodate industrial traffic. There are some other warehouses that are similar, immediately adjacent and nearby on Lake Ridge Parkway. So for example, this existing building looks very similar to the elevations you saw for the proposed building, and it's also similar in size and scale. So there's precedent for this type of building in the area. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on this request.

[00:57:33] There were no speakers during the public hearing, and they ultimately recommended approval with conditions with a vote of 7 to 0. There are 10 recommended conditions by staff, and a lot of these relate to the site design and elements shown on the sketch plan. So the property can be used for warehousing distribution up to 233,000 square feet. A standard condition with industrial zoning request is that mechanical equipment must be screened from view. Monument type signs must be used. Sidewalks must be provided from the parking areas to the building entrances. And then the next several conditions relate to the landscaping shown on the sketch plan to ensure

[00:58:12] that landscaping is installed as the site develops, including the location of landscaping, and 30 percent of the landscaping must be native to the area and then the final condition is the standard condition with many of our conditional use permits that must adhere to all applicable development regulations that concludes staff's presentation the applicant's representative is here tonight to answer any questions the board may have but they do not have a formal presentation planned thank you any questions for mr pompey thank you sir the applicant present presentation sir let's record reflect the absence present does not have a presentation willing to answer

[00:58:51] Any questions the board may have any questions the African of the board. Very well. We're open to public hearing Is there anyone here to speak in favor of this proposal anyone anyone in opposition? Seeing none. We will close the public hearing. This is in the action district. Miss Pritchett. Thank you, mr. Chair Nothing makes me happier than to see business go where business belongs Lutron already has buildings in North Lake Park and they are good corporate citizens Their original building is a really nice addition to that area

[00:59:29] I'm told that those native plantings will include pollinators Which always makes me happy. So with that I move to approve CUP 2026 - 0 0 0 0 7 second We have a motion in a second any discussion all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye aye Any opposed motion carries mr. Pompeii this next planning public hearing and the last one scheduled for tonight is a request in the Beaverdam District for a conditional use permit to allow a small-scale

[01:00:05] solar energy facility capable of producing up to three megawatts of power. This particular property is located in the Beaverdam District, but it's just outside the town of Ashland off of Bluntsbridge Road. It is in the rural agricultural areas, as does name the comprehensive plan, so just outside the suburban service area. The property is zoned A1, and many of the properties immediately adjacent in the county are zoned A1. Once you get into the town and to the east side of Bluntsbridge Road there are some residentially zoned properties including the Ashland Park subdivision. Right now

[01:00:41] the front portions of the property are primarily open closest to Bluntsbridge Road and then once you get farther west and north closer to a creek there's more wooded property there. While the property itself is 101 acres. The cup acreage is 94 acres. There's an existing house on the property on the southeast corner. That is on the same parcel but is outside of the conditional use permit area and will remain as a residence. So again, the applicant is requesting this conditional use permit to allow a three megawatt solar energy facility based on the zoning

[01:01:21] ordinance that's considered a principal small-scale facility, requires a conditional use permit, and like many other solar facilities, once it's constructed, it'll be primarily unstaffed with employees visiting for periodic maintenance. These types of facilities are based on comprehensive plan recommendations, the solar and energy storage policy recommendations, and the zoning ordinance, which has specific use standards. These were developed a few years ago to provide guidance on how these types of facilities should operate and look. This is a view of the site from Bluntsbridge Road. You can see it's open. You can see the existing home that will remain,

[01:01:56] and then this is the sketch plan that's required with any conditional use permit. Some of the key features, it shows the panels towards the middle of the property and the required perimeter buffers. Those buffers are required by ordinance and recommended by the Comments of Plan and Policy. The dark green is existing vegetation that will remain. The lighter green is a planted buffer, and the compound itself will be fenced, and you can see where the stormwater management ponds will be located at the rear of the property between the compounds and the required perimeter buffer the applicant would like to have the opportunity to log or timber that wooded

[01:02:35] property in the future if they choose to so with the sketch plan the area outside of the perimeter buffer and outside the compound could be timbered in the future that's permitted by right in the a1 zoning district but again those buffers must remain and the applicant submitted these renderings that show the view from Bluntsbridge Road once the required perimeter buffer is planted and as it grows over time. So again with this conditional use permit and the sketch plan the areas closest to Bluntsbridge Road will remain open field and then you'll have the planted buffer and then you'll have the panel. So with the distance and the buffer particularly over time as the vegetation grows

[01:03:15] these indicate there'll be minimal visibility from Bluntsbridge Road. So this particular project aligns with many of the policy recommendations. It's outside the suburban service area, it's outside of agricultural and forestal districts, and it has some of those design features that are recommended in the policy, recommended in the comprehensive plan, and required by ordinance. So 150 foot wide perimeter buffers, there is an RPA buffer of 100 feet at the rear of the property, and then again retaining that field in the front. The proposal includes the following plans which are required by the ordinance as well as the policy of decommissioning plan, a threatened

[01:03:54] endangered species screening and operations and maintenance plan. With facilities less than five megawatts, a siting agreement is optional. In this case, the applicant chose not to submit a siting agreement. If you do not submit a siting agreement, the planning commission must find that the facility is in substantial accord with the comprehensive plan. The planning commission did make that finding that it is in accord with the comprehensive plan. And although the applicant has not submitted a siting agreement. With the proposed conditions, they have agreed to a one-time payment as recommended in the policy of $26,070 per megawatt, and that payment's made prior to site plan approval.

[01:04:34] There was a community meeting held in April, and there was questions about how the property would be seeded and stabilized, the anticipated construction timeline, how the landscaping will be handled after decommissioning, and some questions about the lifespan of the facility. There are 14 recommended conditions in the staff report, and these align with the policy and the features shown in the sketch plan.

[01:04:56] Again, a facility that produces up to 3 megawatts of power is permitted in the cup area, that payment of $26,070 per megawatt prior to site plan approval, decommissioning in accordance with the plan that's submitted, maintenance in accordance with the plan that was submitted, landscaping provided with a performance agreement prior to site plan approval, land disturbance must be supervised by a third party as it occurs, The hours of clearing, grading, and pile driving activity are limited.

[01:05:25] Anti-reflective coating is required on the panels. Road conditions along Bunce Bridge Road must be checked before construction and after construction to make sure there's a damage caused by the trucks serving the construction of this facility. Lighting is limited in height and must have house-side shields.

[01:05:42] Coordination with fire and EMS. The cup will expire after five years unless construction begins. planning inspection must be done after the facility is completed to ensure that all these conditions and the features shown in the sketch plan are adhered to and then development will be in accordance with all federal and state regulations that's our standard language one thing that you all have your dais is we do recommend a change to condition 15 legislation regarding solar facilities is changing and any application submitted prior to july 1st 2026 has

[01:06:17] to meet the current zoning ordinance requirements that are in place. So this ordinance or this application was submitted prior to July 1st, 2026. So it has to meet our current zoning ordinance requirements. Staff just recommends with these changing legislative actions at the General Assembly that there be the specific sentence added to that last condition that it must comply with the current zoning ordinance regulations. The sketch plan already reflects these regulations.

[01:06:45] The conditions already reflect these regulations that are currently in effect and reflect the expectations of Hanover County, but this just adds clarity that we, as a community, if this particular request is approved, expect it to meet the currently adopted regulations.

[01:07:03] The Planning Commission held a public hearing. There were two speakers in support and two against. There was some support for the pollinators that are proposed as part of this project. It balances agriculture with development and stewardship of the land. The buffers were appreciated and will generate tax revenue with minimal demands on public services.

[01:07:25] Those in opposition were concerned about visibility, the timbering, and stormwater runoff. That concludes staff's presentation. The applicants are here tonight, and they do have a presentation planned. Very well. Any questions from Mr. Pompey? Is the applicant here?

[01:07:42] Thank you. We're all open to public hearing. The applicant's welcome to come forward. We have 20 minutes for a presentation the vice chair will keep that time Okay, please state your name and the entity you represent. Thank you for being with us Good evening chairman chairman Davis members of the board. My name is Esther Ruckelman I'm a development manager with hexagon energy as well as the lead developer on the Bluntsbridge solar project I want to thank you all for being here this evening and thank you. Mr. Pompey for your presentation

[01:08:14] Blunt's Bridge Solar is a proposed 3-megawatt project that is going to be sited on about 26 acres of a larger 100-acre parcel located just north of the town of Ashland. We designed the project to prioritize viewshed and environmentally friendly choices since maintaining the area's rural character mattered to both the landowners as well as all of the surrounding residents.

[01:08:36] This project will also bring benefits to the county, including tax revenue from both the land and the project itself, as well as participation in the state's shared solar program, which allows local Dominion Energy customers to subscribe to projects such as this one to receive discounts on their electric bill.

[01:08:52] For a quick introduction into Hexagon, we have over 10 years of experience. We're founded and headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, and we have over 10 years of experience developing small projects like these all across the Commonwealth, and we have several projects of this size and other varying sizes already in operation here in Virginia. It took a great number of people at hexagon to bring this project together. I've highlighted some of them including myself on the screen. Now for some background on the landowners since that's really where the story begins.

[01:09:22] Vincent and Diane Harris own this property. It's been in their family for several generations and they're here with us this evening. Currently their property is split between timber, their permanent residence, and row crops. Like many landowners with a property of this size, they've been approached on numerous occasions by various developers looking to buy their property to develop it into something like a housing subdivision. They did not want that. And they felt like a small project such as this one would allow them to retain ownership of their land, get a steady revenue stream for the next 35 years to help maintain that land without having to sell it, subdivide it, or develop it in

[01:09:59] such a way that would permanently alter the character of this neighborhood. They partnered up with us back in 2024 to help achieve this goal. Now, as I mentioned, this project covers approximately 26 acres of the larger 100-acre parcel. Those 26 acres include the panels that you see on your screen, as well as the stormwater ponds and the internal access roads. We had two top priorities when we were designing this project. The first was to minimize environmental impact, and the second was to minimize viewshed impact. I'll touch on environmental impact in just a moment, but I'll stay on viewshed for a brief moment. Our fence line, which is the dotted line

[01:10:36] that goes around our panels as well as around the stormwater facilities is about 180 feet away from the nearest property boundary to the north. I'm highlighting it on the screen right now. In most other areas though, the fence line is much farther away from property boundaries. So for example, the fence line is about 700 feet away from Blunt's Bridge Road to the east and about 550 feet away from the nearest residence. We were fortunate that over half of the property, as Mr. Pompey mentioned, is currently in mature timber, covering essentially the entire area

[01:11:09] that is to the west and north of our panels. The dark green areas on the map are the 150-foot-wide buffer of that existing vegetation that we're guaranteeing to protect for the lifetime of this project. Now, to the east of the panels and to the south of the panels, we will have to plant new plantings to be able to create that same sort of screening. Thankfully, the county's solar policy and zoning ordinance has very robust planting requirements to ensure that the project remains invisible throughout its lifetime. We are also per the conditions required to post a surety bond guaranteeing that the landscaping buffer is maintained for this project's lifetime.

[01:11:45] Now, as mentioned by Mr. Pompey, one question that came up during our planning commission hearing was about the wooded area that sits between our panels and the 150 foot wide vegetative buffer. It's labeled on the site plan as tree mass that may be timbered by landowner in the future.

[01:12:02] That area is covered in loblolly pines that were planted back in the 1970s with eventual harvest in mind. And some neighbors had concerns about whether timbering that area at any point throughout the project's lifetime could cause stormwater runoff or erosion control issues as it related to our project.

[01:12:18] The answer from our perspective is no. Our stormwater facilities, as they relate to the project, were designed to stand on their own merits. And so the existence of those trees or lack thereof will not impact their ability to function appropriately. However, despite Hexagon's confidence in this answer, the landowners, Supervisor Stoneman and I, did meet to try to find additional ways to try to address these concerns from these neighboring landowners, and we landed on what we felt like was a good compromise.

[01:12:46] The landowners are going to work to try to have that area timbered before construction, timbered and reseeded with new trees before construction of our project begins. That way, first off, two intensive land-disturbing activities are not occurring at the same time, And then secondly, those seeds have some time to establish and take and stabilize the ground cover west of our project before our construction begins.

[01:13:08] I'll also remind everyone, again, the timbering that we're talking about sits outside of our 150-foot-wide buffer, so that will not be impacted. Moving on, if you look at the map on the right-hand side, you'll see a red dot at the intersection of Ashland Park Drive and Bluntsbridge Road.

[01:13:25] That dot is where this photo was taken, and this photo is actually a rendering of what the vegetation should look like throughout the project's lifetime. It'll obviously get taller than this, but thanks to the extensive setbacks and the planting requirements of the county, the project should be well shielded from view.

[01:13:40] The last thing I'll touch on here is interconnection. So we plan to interconnect to distribution lines that run along the property right along the road. You can see them in that photo actually right there. And then they're going to distribute power across Hanover County running back to a local substation. This is not a transmission level project.

[01:13:56] It does not feed into the larger transmission lines that crisscross the state, and so the power is generated here, and it's also used here by businesses and residences. As I mentioned earlier, this project is also going to participate in the shared solar program. That program was created by the state legislature a few years ago, and it allows local Dominion energy customers who might not have the ability to put solar on their rooftops, but want to see the benefit of solar, subscribe to projects like ours to receive discounts on their electric bill.

[01:14:25] Moving on to environmental considerations, which was also our priority, with the help of third-party engineers, we developed a preliminary stormwater and erosion control design that shows that we can meet both state code and county standards. Our stormwater engineer is here with us this evening in case you have any specific questions.

[01:14:42] The final stormwater and erosion control plans will be submitted at site plan approval, but the county requirements here are also very robust. And then as you might have seen in the conditions, one of the conditions is that we will have to have a third-party engineer inspect the site weekly throughout the construction to make sure that any land disturbance activities are meeting erosion control standards. Beyond engineering, the site itself was also chosen to minimize some of these environmental risks. So first off, you'll notice that the project is avoiding all delineated wetlands. Those are further to the west on the property right over here. The other thing that I want to point out is that even though

[01:15:17] the panels are set back fairly well off of Bluntsbridge Road, there seemingly is more area for us to have set them back further if we were only prioritizing view shed on Bluntsbridge Road. But as you head from east to west on the property, as you follow my mouse, you'll see that right over here, the topographic lines start to get pretty close together. And that just means that the slope is getting pretty steep. So if we were to only prioritize the view of Bluntsbridge Road and push our panels further back, that would require us to build on steeper slopes and require more grading.

[01:15:49] and we just wanted to avoid that. We wanted to build on a flatter area. I just point this out because I want to emphasize that when we were designing where this was all going to go, we wanted to prioritize not just viewshed, but also environmental welfare of the property. And again, this map also just shows the areas on the property that have a greater than 6% slope.

[01:16:08] They're highlighted in purple. Just, you know, adding this in here to show just how flat the areas that we're putting our panels on are, just so we can avoid grading to the greatest extent possible. The last thing that I'm going to point out is that we do plan to use Virginia native and naturalized grasses as well as pollinator-friendly species as part of our underpanel vegetation.

[01:16:27] It's part of our vegetation management plan that we submitted as part of our application. The ground cover choice is going to help reduce soil erosion, help with on-site water management thanks to those deeper root systems, and then also create habitat for pollinator species and potentially open up the possibility for some beehives on the site after construction is complete. I've been actively engaged with the community throughout the development process, reaching out as early as September of 2025. That was two months before we submitted a permit application just so folks can have some input beforehand. I've really enjoyed getting to know this community. Consistently, people told me that they preferred this kind of development over this

[01:17:05] becoming a housing subdivision since they understood that this property is ripe for that kind of development. We hosted a community meeting back in April. About 15 people attended and as mentioned by Mr. Pompey, they asked questions about vegetation management, decommissioning, height of equipment. We also attended the Hanover County Public Schools Career Expo back in March. That was super fun, getting to know some of the teachers and students and just telling them how energy development in the United States works, and maybe some of them might be interested in general energy development in the future. I'm not going to go into detail on these next two slides. I've just included this to highlight our conformance with both the zoning

[01:17:43] ordinance, solar policy, and comprehensive plan. The county's comprehensive plan specifically calls out consideration of alternative energy sources, and a continuous theme throughout the comprehensive plan is maintaining the area's rural character while not impeding necessary development. I hope that this presentation has shown that we've prioritized those aesthetic considerations to fit seamlessly into this area while promoting economic development and a landowner's continued ownership of the property. This list shows the agency's reviews and studies that need to happen before construction can begin. Not going to go through each and every single one, just highlighting

[01:18:18] the level of diligence that needs to happen before that shovel can go in the ground. Construction is estimated to take approximately four to six months, and staff has recommended a few conditions to keep those disruptions minimized and controlled. Land disturbance activities, as I said, will be overseen by a third-party engineer at our own expense, and a bond will be posted with the county to make sure that roads are promptly repaired if they are impacted by construction. We'll also coordinate with the local school system to make sure that our delivery times do not overlap with school bus pickup and drop-off times to help ease some of that traffic. Once operational, this project becomes

[01:18:54] a quiet and invisible neighbor. Unlike more intensive development, this project can be decommissioned and a decommissioning bond will be posted before construction begins to make sure that money is set aside and then it will be updated on a regular basis to make sure that those funds remain adequate for decommissioning. We believe this project offers some real benefits to the county. Solar is a safe, well-established technology with projects like this one operating without issue all across the country and the state. The project generates revenue for Hanover County without drawing on county resources like roads, water, sewer, or schools. It aligns with the county's comprehensive plan and it protects the viewshed and is low impact to the community.

[01:19:34] And it lets the landowner retain ownership of the property and avoid further development for decades. Planning staff included 14 conditions, all of which we agree to. We've been collaborating with them for several months since november of 2025 and made adjustments to the project as needed we're going to continue to work collaboratively with the county moving forward and so we respectfully request your approval of our conditional use permit i'm happy to answer any questions any questions for the applicant would not take away from your time ma'am any questions for the applicant

[01:20:02] tina i have a question um could you explain to me um what exactly a the robust plantings look like The robust plantings. So the planting requirements require, we're basing them all off of the county requirements. They require a certain number of both deciduous and evergreen trees to be planted within a certain density. I don't remember the exact numbers, but within a certain density all along that 150 feet in front of the panels. On top of that, some of those have to be lower

[01:20:39] vegetation that remains fairly low. Some of it has to be able to grow a little bit higher. So it's a combination of Deciduous and Evergreen to make sure that even in the winter this project remains screened So I guess I will um take exception to your describing That it in our ordinance as robust because I think it's minimal and i'm concerned anything further for the applicant seeing none Thank you ma'am. Thank you. Is there anyone here to speak in favor?

[01:21:09] Yes, sir. Please come forward state your name the district that you live or the entity that you represent You have three minutes. Thank you, sir. Rob Wilhoite, Chickahominy district. I know y'all are shocked to see me up here supporting this but it is a good marriage of keeping agriculture in production and technology i've been told that they are going to have a hay operation for the daughter's horses and eventually they're going to do some apiary work there so agriculture will still be there

[01:21:43] the farm will stay there and they don't impact the environment so this is one i could definitely go rah rah rah to and hope y'all will approve it thank you thank you anyone further in support please come forward state your name the districts that you live or the entity that you represent thank you for being with us good evening members of the board and chairman davis my name is seth cogbill i'm with a non-profit in virginia called energy right um and we're dedicated energy education as well as this form of public engagement within the county um here tonight to just speak to the

[01:22:20] role of distributed solar that this project ties into. But first, I want to just back up and just talk about these projects and what they bring to the table. In general, solar provides a pathway to meet our state's growing energy needs while upholding landowner property rights and an appropriate environmental safeguards as well. The participating landowners in this project have voluntarily chosen to work with the developer and the developer has been transparent with surrounding landowners about their efforts to mitigate potential impacts to the neighboring properties. These projects also deliver broader public benefits. They diversify our energy supply,

[01:22:56] strengthen grid reliability, and generate new tax revenue without adding residential population or new demands on schools and other public services. What Distributed Solar does and how it sets apart itself, rather than feeding into high-voltage transmission lines, as Esther mentioned, these facilities connect directly to the local distribution line system. This makes fuller use of the infrastructure that the county and the utility has already invested in and it can reduce the need for costly transmission upgrades. It also means these projects can typically be sited and brought online faster than large remote facilities because those depend on significant

[01:23:34] new transmission bailout. All in all, it helps Hanover keep pace with growing energy needs in our community and lowers the reliance on regional infrastructure timelines and any other unnecessities, I guess you could call it, but I also just say that Dominion's shared solar program is something else that I saw that this ties into, and just for a little context, if you google just how many homes this could benefit, it's typically between 450-600 homes that can subscribe to that program, and that knocks off, it's a subscription base, so residents receive a letter in the mail,

[01:24:10] typically once the site's online or is approaching that, I guess that switch-on date, but it will reduce bills for those families that subscribe by about 10 to 15 percent which is a huge cost savings essentially you're indicating a few bills per calendar year and so all in all it's it's a direct revenue recoupment system I guess you could call it but just hope you consider this project and the merits that it brings to the county thank you for your time thank you for being here anyone else in support anyone in opposition support or opposition sir yes sir please come

[01:24:44] forward. Thank you for being here. My name is Vincent Harris. I'm one of the owners of the property. I live in the Beaver Dam District. I don't want to be redundant because I suspect many of you have already seen my presentation from the Planning Commission through video perhaps, but I am very much in support of the project because as has been already said, our goal was to try to keep the farm three, four times a week.

[01:25:23] We receive mail, telephone calls, asking us to sell our property for a subdivision. The property has been in my family since before the Civil War, and we wish for it to stay that way.

[01:25:39] We are presently using it for agriculture and timber. We will continue the timber portion, and we will continue some of the agriculture As the previous person spoke about, our daughter-in-law has a horse and she wants us to raise hay on 10 or 15 acres.

[01:26:00] And we hope to do that once the project is finished. I really appreciate the details that Hexagon has gone through and the communication that they have provided to anyone who will listen, anyone who has questions.

[01:26:21] I think their plan is very, very good, and I'm convinced that it meets all of your requirements, and it certainly meets our requirements. And I will, in a moment, I'll get out and let my wife come up, who's going to give you a little bit of the history of how we got where we are.

[01:26:44] But I do hope that you will consider this carefully and approve this so that we can move on with this project. Thank you for your time. Thank you, sir. Anyone else in favor? Yes, ma'am.

[01:27:00] Thank you for being with us.

[01:27:11] Hello. Thank you for giving me some time to give you a little history about this farm. A little history about Cross Creek Farm. Joseph Franklin Cross, born in 1834, died December 10, 1903.

[01:27:32] And his wife, Virginia England, Jenny, who was the daughter of P.H. England. And if you know anything about Ashland, you probably know the last name, Ingle. They married April the 8th, 1869. She died October 28th, 1920.

[01:27:51] Joe and Jenny bought the farm somewhere around the 1860s. They are buried in the family cemetery on our property. The original homestead site is still visible on our property.

[01:28:10] Their son, one of their sons, Eddie Clifton Cross, was born in 1883. He was deeded the farm in 1924 by his siblings. He married Murlach Collins, a neighbor girl who lived on the farm next door.

[01:28:29] In 1925, Eddie died in 1949. His widow died in 1974. Vincent and I were the next caretakers of this farm that has been in our family since the 1860s.

[01:28:51] That's 157 years, and we want to pass this farm down to our children and to our two grandchildren, their brothers. We need your support for this Blunt's Bridge Solar Farm project to allow this farm to be self-sustainable for future generations of the cross-family descendants.

[01:29:18] Thank you. We really appreciate your support. Thank you for being with us, ma'am. Anyone else in support? Anyone in opposition? Seeing none, we will close the public hearing. Mr. Stoneman, this is in your district, sir.

[01:29:34] I don't suspect that the applicant had any rebuttal. There's nothing to rebut, but just for the record, There's no rebuttal. Mr. Stone. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Well, I'd like to thank staff for their presentation. And Ms. Reckleman, I just want to commend you. Our first meeting, I was probably less than encouraging. And so you worked diligently. You've had a comprehensive approach to this project from the beginning. And then your presentation, for me, I thought was pretty

[01:30:07] exceptional so i appreciate that uh you got a lot in in a short amount of time and brevity is a high value for me um so i do appreciate that um i do think there's some things like say it conforms to the comp plan um substantial setbacks from blunts bridge road um i think are important um i like the fact that you're going to continue to to do agricultural um activities on the property uh makes it makes that a plus uh just you know like see people be able to use their property to the and best value and uh i have a lot of respect for that uh so in the interest of brevity i'm going

[01:30:44] to move that uh the board of supervisors approve cup 2025-00023 as submitted with recommendation recommended conditions second we have a motion and a second in the discussion miss devil thank you mr chair um mr harris mr miss harris um my heart goes out to you for wanting to keep your farm And I want you to keep your farm.

[01:31:06] But I still take a stand that the screening that's shown is going to be very disappointing for the people that live across the street. And I'm not really sure how we could show graphics three years, five years, 15 years when we haven't identified exactly what we're going to plant.

[01:31:30] So that was evergreen screening, and that's not what's in our ordinance. But aside from that, I will be supporting this project because it's more important that we preserve your family's farm and preserve your ability to keep agriculture.

[01:31:48] So that's my statement, and we'll see how it looks in 10 years, and we'll talk then. I'll call you, Esther. Very well. Any further comments? Yes, Mr. Chair. Ms. Pritchard. Thank you, Mr. Chair and Mr. Stoneman. Well, this is not in my district as the crow flies. It is less than a half a mile from my home I have walked the property with miss recommend and this is of all the of all the solar facilities We've talked about this is the poster project for our policy

[01:32:21] There is good planting there is good location in the middle of a field so that there's real site Sight line Sight distance. There's there's great screening. You can't see this from the road I've walked every bit of this pilot every bit of this property and when when the plantings are done, you won't be able to see this I just cannot commend everybody who worked on this enough. I think mr. Stoneman I'm on this road almost every single day and I look forward to seeing you be able to keep

[01:33:01] This lot land in its rural nature and I saw the gravestones on your property. I know the crosses I'm right off of England Street Congratulations for all your hard work everybody involved and thank you Rebecca for all the time I mean, I'm sorry for all the time Esther for all the time that you spent taking us around the property I appreciate it anything further. Yeah, I think this is a poster project for many folks. We see this often particularly with solar, folks who want to preserve their farmland

[01:33:36] and use a portion thereof for revenue in order to support those operations and have a legacy to pass their heritage land down to future generations. And so the time that was taken to make this project come to the board at this point was extensive.

[01:33:57] And so I appreciate all the hard work of folks who did that. hopefully if this and I'll be supporting the project and hopefully if this project does pass we'll be able to use this in the future for for the case study one objection I had but it won't affect my vote I was sure hoping when I saw that tie that that was gonna be burgundy and orange but it wasn't and while I opposed the tie I will not affect my vote so I'm somewhat of a Cavalier fan unless they're playing tech so with that we have a motion which has been properly

[01:34:36] second I will now call for the vote Board of Supervisors all those in favor please indicate by saying aye aye aye any opposition motion carries congratulations are there any announcements from board members yes sir miss Pritchard I'd like to remind you that this Saturday is at the crack of dawn is the Ashland half marathon sponsored by sports backers and with two terrific participants dr. Brown and mr. Kilduff will both be running in that race and I don't know if I can in good conscience invite anybody to come out at seven o'clock in the morning but please later on come and see them before

[01:35:12] they're done anything further miss Pritchard has retired and now doesn't understand that there are two seven o'clock in a day and I appreciate that I do not have a relationship with numbers with seven I'm mr. County administrator mr. County attorney there's nothing further this board will adjourn until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9th in this boardroom. This board is adjourned.

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