[ Planning Commission on June 24, 2024.]
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I'D LIKE TO CALL THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FOR JUNE THE 24TH TO ORDER.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE THAT LEDGE OF AGENTS.
SUE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND SUE THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, THE INDIVISIBLE LIBERTY, JUSTICE.
JUSTICE FOR ALL THE, UM, FIRST THING I'D LIKE FOR THE COMMISSION TO DO IS, UH, MAKE SURE YOU GOT YOUR MICS ON.
WE'RE TALKING TO THE MICS BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO READ THE, UH, THE MINUTES.
UH, NEXT THING, UH, I'LL ASK FOR A ROLL CALL.
MR. PIERCE? PRESENT? MR. NEWBY? HERE.
THE, UH, NEXT THING IS THE ADOPTION OF THE MEETING AGENDA.
UH, SEVERAL CITIZENS CONTACTED ME AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD, UM, LIKE TO SPEAK ON, UH, ITEM TWO IN THE NEW BUSINESS.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF POSSIBLY WE MAY MOVE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA UP, UM, BEFORE THE NEW BUSINESS SECTION.
UM, WHAT'S THE, UM, PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? IS THERE A BOARD? IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY THAT WE MOVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT? IT'S OKAY WITH ME.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, WE MOVE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION OF THE AGENDA TO BEFORE THE NEW BUSINESS SECTION OF THE AGENDA.
PROBABLY MOVED A SECOND THAT WE MOVED THE, UH, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION ABOUT, UM, MEETING TO, UH, FOR THE NEW BUSINESS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAYING BY, BY SAYING, AYE.
SO, NA, CAN I GET A, UH, A MOTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE MEETING AGENDA? EXCUSE ME.
WE CANNOT HEAR FROM THE FANS BACK HERE IF Y'ALL, YOUR MICS CLOSER TO YOU.
THE FANS ARE OVERWHELMING TO SEE Y'ALL.
I A MOTION FOR THE, UH, THE ADOPTION OF THE MEETING AGENDA, MR. CHAIR.
I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE MEETING AGENDA WITH THE, UH, NOTED CHANGE.
SECOND, PROBABLY MOVE TO SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SECONDED BY SAYING AYE A.
THE CONSENT ITEMS, THE DISPOSITION OF THE MINUTES FOR JANUARY THE 29TH, IS THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR MOTION TO ACCEPT THEM AS PRESENTED, MR. CHAIR? YES.
UM, THE JANUARY 29TH MINUTES ARE NOT READY AT THIS TIME.
SO WE WANT TO, UH, DEFER THEM TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO THE JANUARY 29TH MEETINGS WILL BE DEFERRED TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
WE NEED A, UH, VOTE ON THAT OR HERE.
UM, SO THERE WILL BE, BE, UH, PRESENTED AT THE, UM, JULY MEETING, THE APRIL THE 22ND.
THE, THOSE, THOSE ARE IN YOUR PACKET? YES, SIR.
THERE ARE ANY NOTED CORRECTIONS TODAY, APRIL 22ND, MEETING MINUTES.
IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THEM AS PRESENTED.
SO, WHO, MR. CHAIRMAN SECOND PROBABLY MOVED TO SECOND THAT THE APRIL 22ND MEETINGS BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SENATOR, BY SAYING AYE.
THE, UH, NEXT THING ON THAT, UM, AGENDA IS OLD BUSINESS
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AND, UM, NOT HAVING ANY, SO WE'LL GO TO THE, UM, NEW BUSINESS.YOU, YOU NOW THAT BE LISTED AS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WAS YOUR AGENDA WAS A, WAS, UH, AMENDED TO BE PUBLIC COMMENTS? RIGHT.
BUT I THOUGHT WE WOULD, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL, ALL THREE OF THE NEW BUSINESS SETS.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, UH, THE MOTION WAS TO MOVE PUBLIC COMMENT PRIOR TO NEW BUSINESS.
SO NOW WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I JUST, BECAUSE MS. CHEEK EXPLAINED THAT HER, UM, THE, THE REASON WHY SHE MADE THAT MOTION TO MOVE PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER WAS BECAUSE CITIZENS HAD REQUESTED TO SPEAK ON A PARTICULAR MATTER.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR PURPOSES OF THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THAT THE, THE A ES PROJECT, THE SYCAMORE SQUARE PROJECT, IS HERE TONIGHT, NOT FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT OR FOR APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
IT IS HERE FOR A PRECURSOR STEP THAT IS PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2, 2232, WHICH REQUIRES THAT FOR PROJECTS OF THIS NATURE, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKE A DETERMINATION WHETHER OR NOT THE PROJECT IS, AND I'M QUOTING DIRECTLY FROM THE STATUTE SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD WITH THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT IS BEFORE YOU ALL TONIGHT.
UM, CERTAINLY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN, CAN SPEAK PROACTIVELY ABOUT THE PROJECT, BUT THAT IS NOT BEFORE, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION THIS EVENING.
THAT IS NOT WHAT IS BEING BROUGHT TO YOU ALL FOR ACTION THIS EVENING.
AND AS WE DISCUSSED AT OUR LAST MEETING, A PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED FOR A 2232 SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD DETERMINATION.
AND AT THE LAST MEETING, THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED THAT THEY WOULD, THAT YOU ALL WOULD NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ALL SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD DETERMINATIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON OUR AGENDA AS WELL TONIGHT.
SO THERE ARE TWO SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD DETERMINATIONS, UH, FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION BEFORE WE OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY COMMENT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL, UH, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
UH, FOR COMMENTS, UH, I'D ASK THAT YOU COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR DISTRICT YOU LIVE IN, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE MY OPINION.
I WAS RAISED IN SUSSEX COUNTY.
UM, I, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN IN SURREY FOR 20 YEARS.
I AM MORE OR LESS IN KIND OF A SHOCK THAT THIS IS EVEN IN A CONSIDERATION, THE SOLAR FARMS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T GROW ANYTHING.
THEY GROW THINGS, RIGHT, MR. BERRYMAN, RIGHT? OKAY.
THESE SOLAR FACILITIES DO NOTHING BUT DESTROY THE LAND.
OUR AGRICULTURE, THEY'RE DESTROYING OUR HISTORY, WHICH IS ALL OVER THIS COUNTY, ALL OVER.
ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTIES OTHER THAN J WELL, ACTUALLY, THIS COUNTY, CLAREMONT, SURREY, EVERYTHING.
YOU'RE DESTROYING OUR HISTORY.
THE SOLAR PANELS DON'T LAST LONG.
NOW THEY'RE STARTING TO USE CHEAPER SOLAR PANELS, WHICH IS, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERMS, THEY'RE NOT MADE OF A QUALITY, QUALITY TYPE OF, UH, GLASS, WHATEVER THEY ARE SUBJECT TO LEAK.
THESE NEWER PAINS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE SUBJECT TO CRACK, DUE TO ANY TYPE OF A STRESS.
AND THEN IN THE HEAT OR THE EXPANSION, EXPANDING CONTRACT, THEY'RE STILL GONNA, UM, LEACH OUT.
YOU CAN'T, PEOPLE HAVE SAID, OKAY, WELL, IN A HUNDRED YEARS, I'M LIKE, HOW DO YOU KNOW? A HUNDRED YEARS? THE FIRST SOLAR PANELS WERE IN 1986.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG OUR LAND IS GOING TO BE DAMAGED
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IF IT WILL EVER RECOVER.THE RUNOFF, THE ACCIDENTS, THE EROSION.
DON'T THINK ABOUT THE GREEN BACK IN THE WA IN THE POCKET, OKAY? 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT GONNA LAST LONG BECAUSE NINE OUTTA 10 OF THESE SOLAR FARMS PEOPLE DON'T LAST.
THEY GO UNDER, THEY GO BELLY UP.
AND I HAVE A REFERENCE TO A PERSON.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO HIM, THEN I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LET YOU KNOW WHO THAT PERSON IS.
BUT, UM, I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU DO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I DON'T THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT IS AGAINST THESE PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, A HALF A MILE, THAT'S NOTHING.
YOU CAN HAVE 'EM BACKED UP AND BACKED UP AND BACKED UP.
YOU'RE GONNA MAKE SURREY COUNTY ONE OF THE MOST HISTORICAL COUNTIES IN THIS NATION.
I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.
OTHERWISE, I WOULD NOT BE STANDING UP HERE.
WE JUST FOUGHT A HECK OF A BATTLE IN SUSSEX, AND FOR THE TIME BEING, WE WON.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA FIND A MAJORITY TO RULE THAT.
THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES FOR MONEY THAT THIS COUNTY NEEDS.
WE DO NOT NEED THIS FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT THEY'RE PROMISING.
UH, MY FAMILY AND I HAVE PARTNERED WITH A ES ON THE CAVALIER PROJECT THAT I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
AND THEY'VE DONE DONE EVERYTHING THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO.
WE'VE BEEN BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH 'EM.
AND YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY WILL OWN AND OPERATE THIS SOLAR FARM, AND IT SURELY IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO PUT THE BEST PRODUCT OUT THERE.
THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S NOT, THIS ISN'T A FLY BY NIGHT OPERATION HERE.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'LL CONTINUE TO OPERATE IT.
IT'S NOT LIKE A LOT OF SOLAR PLACES TO JUST GET BUILT AND VID IT OUT TO WHOEVER, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES SELLING THE ELECTRIC TO THE GRID.
AND, YOU KNOW, I RAISED COTTON, PEANUTS, AND SOYBEANS FOR A LIVING.
AND, UH, ALSO SELL SOLAR ENERGY FOR A LIVING TOO.
WE'VE, WE LEASED SOME LAND TO A ES AND THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE FARM.
I MEAN, WE'RE HARVESTING ENERGY AND THERE'S A BIG DEMAND FOR DIVERSIFIED ENERGY AS IT SHOULD BE.
JUST, JUST DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
A FARMER JUST WOULDN'T PLANT ONE CROP.
WE JUST BIG, WE'RE A BIG FAN OF THE SOLAR HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO A LOT OF OTHER LANDOWNERS.
AND ANYWAY, AND, YOU KNOW, AS HAS INVESTED HEAVILY IN THE PROJECT BUYING LAND FOR THE PROJECT.
SO THEY'RE NOT JUST GONNA BE A ONE AND DONE DEAL.
THEY'RE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.
AND IT'S A VERY, IT, VERY, UH, GOOD THING FOR THE COUNTY.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT MIGHT BE SOME LITTLE BIT OF CONSTRUCTION ISSUES, BUT HEY, THAT'S, THEY'LL GET THROUGH THAT.
LIKE THEY'VE BEEN GETTING THROUGH IT.
AND THERE'S NO DRAIN ON ANY COUNTY RESOURCE HERE.
YOU KNOW, ONCE THE POUNDS ARE UP, THEY'RE PRODUCING AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRUE NET GAIN FOR TAX REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY.
ANYWAY, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
I LIVE IN SMITHFIELD, VIRGINIA.
I OWN A FARM ON MILL SWAMP ROAD.
MY FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE FOR 384 YEARS.
I'M SURE THAT LAND HAS BEEN FARMED ALL OF THOSE YEARS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
IN FACT, THE LAST 19 YEARS IT'S BEEN UNDER MY LEADERSHIP SINCE MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY AT NINE SIX.
I, I DON'T LIKE TO SHARE FIGURES THAT MUCH WITH THE PUBLIC, BUT I, I TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF OFFENSE TO THE THEIR FIRST SPEAKER.
I TOTALLY BELIEVE THAT A PERSON SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT HE OR SHE WANTS TO DO WITH THEIR OWN LAND.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'VE HAD HAD THAT LAND FOR 384 YEARS.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, SINCE 2004, ONLY PART
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OF OUR OUR LAND WILL GO INTO THE SOLAR SYSTEM.AND THE RENT THAT HAS BEEN ON THE LAND FOR THE LAST 19 YEARS HAS GIVEN ME A LOSS OF $32,000.
I'VE MADE A PROFIT THREE YEARS OUT OF THAT 19 YEARS TOTAL.
IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS AND YOU LOSE MONEY LIKE THAT, HOW CAN YOU KEEP THAT BUSINESS AFLOAT? WE HAVE A HOME THAT WAS BUILT IN 1830 AND, AND IT'S, IT'S SORT OF LIKE ME AT 82 YEARS OLD.
THE HOUSE WILL BE 200 YEARS OLD IN SIX YEARS.
BUT THE FOUNDATION NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.
I CERTAINLY CAN'T PAY FOR IT FROM THE FARM INCOME.
AND IT'S NOT, NOT BECAUSE THE FARM DOESN'T PRODUCE GOOD CROPS, IT'S BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WORKING THE LAND CAN'T PAY FOR X NUMBER OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO MAKE A LIVING.
SO I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU GIVE CONSIDERATION TO APPROVAL TO GO FORTH SO THAT THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE THE LAND THAT THEY HAVE OWNED FOR YEARS TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WOULD DO WITH THEIR OWN LAND.
SUSAN CORELLO, UM, CLAREMONT DISTRICT.
I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND I FEEL FOR YOU.
UM, BUT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT STATES THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CITIZENS.
IF YOU HAVE LIVED ON WHITE MARSH ROAD OR BEACHLAND DURING THIS CONSTRUCTION, I WOULD SAY YOU WOULD SAY YOU DO NOT HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT IS CALLED SYCAMORE CROSSINGS, BUT IT'S STILL RAN BY A ES FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN UNDERSTOOD.
THERE IS A SIMMONS BROWN CEMETERY THAT'S LOCATED WITHIN THIS VICINITY.
I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAR IT IS BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THIS PROJECT IS, BUT IT'S KIND OF RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THE CURRENT PANELS ARE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THAT DISTANCES AND WHERE THE DISTANCE FROM MILL SWAMP BAPTIST CHURCH IS TO THESE LOCATIONS THAT ARE COMING.
UM, YOU HAVE DRIVERS FROM THIS PROJECT THAT'S GOING ON NOW THAT ARE NOT LICENSED.
ONE HIT A BUS AND WEEKS LATER ANOTHER RAN INTO A FIELD OF A FARMER, UNLICENSED.
WHERE'S THE CHECKS AND BALANCES COMING FROM? DO WE JUST SAY, AH, NOBODY REALLY GOT HURT THIS TIME.
WE'LL JUST LET IT GO, IS WHAT IT'S LOOKING LIKE.
IF YOUR CHILD WAS ON THAT BUS, I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT PER PERCEPTION PERCEPTION ON THIS PROJECT.
WHERE'S IT GOING? IT DOESN'T COME TO SURREY, I DON'T BELIEVE.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK DOMINION'S RELATED TO IT.
UM, THE NOISE FROM THESE, IF YOU'RE CLOSE TO THESE PANELS, IS ALWAYS SAID THAT THERE'S NO NOISE TO THEM.
IF YOU LIVE BESIDE THEM, YOU HEAR NOISE.
THE HOUSING SALES IN SURREY, I JUST SPOKE TO A REALTOR TODAY, AND THE HOUSING SALES IN SURREY HAVE DECLINED.
MOST OF HER PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY DON'T WANNA COME TO SURREY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHERE SURREY LIES IN ADDING MORE SOLAR PANELS.
SO THEY GO TO BUY A HOUSE AND THEN A COMPANY COMES NEXT TO 'EM AND WANTS TO BUILD A SOLAR PANEL.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SURREY.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO START LOOKING AT YOUR CITIZENS AND WHAT THEY GO THROUGH FOR THESE PROJECTS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PEOPLE COME AND THEY, THEY THROW OUT SOME BIG NUMBERS AND IT IS REALLY HARD TO SAY NO TO.
IT IS REALLY HARD TO SAY NO TO, ESPECIALLY A FARMER.
AND IT BREAKS MY HEART THAT A FARMER HAS TO GO THROUGH WHAT THEY GO THROUGH.
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TABS UP MS. COST.I'M FROM THE RIN DISTRICT, SO I HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVES ON WHITE MARSH ROAD AND TRAVELS BEACHLAND AND WHITE MARSH EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE.
I'VE ALSO LIVED ON MY FAMILY FARM FOR 39 YEARS, MY ENTIRE LIFE.
IN 2020, MY BROTHER AND I LOST OUR FATHER.
WE TOOK ON FARMING ON TOP OF OUR FULL-TIME JOBS BECAUSE FARMING IS OUR LEGACY.
WE COULD EASILY SAY, ALL RIGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, WELL, DOWN THE ROAD THEY HAVE SOLAR PANELS, SO LET'S CAVE AND GIVE IT, GET US MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND BE ABLE TO JUST LIVE.
THAT IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE HERE WANT TO BE.
I I AM THE ONE THAT ALSO HAS LIKE A MILLION WRECKS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE ROAD.
SO MOST EVERY DAY I COME HOME, I'M LIKE, OH, I WONDER IF THERE'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED TODAY.
I DRIVE EVERY DAY TO WORK AT ABOUT SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND ALL I MEET ARE TRUCKS COMING TO WORK ON THE PROJECT.
WHEN THIS WAS, UM, FIRST APPROVED THAT PROJECT, IT WAS TALKED ABOUT HOW SURREY WAS GONNA GET ALL OF THIS BUSINESS.
SURREY WAS GONNA GET ALL OF THIS STUFF COMING TO TOWN.
SMITHFIELD IS BENEFITING FROM HOTELS, FOOD BEING SPENT.
ALL OF THE, THE STUFF THAT THE WORKERS ARE SPENDING ON IS GOING TO SMITHFIELD AND ALL WHITE.
NO ONE IS STAYING HERE IN SURREY.
IF THEY HAVE CAMPERS, MAYBE THEY HAVE LOTS THAT ARE THERE STAYING THERE.
BUT SURREY, I MEAN, IS SURREY REALLY SEEING ANYTHING? SO TO TALK ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE, THAT'S ME.
THAT IS WHAT WE FIGHT FOR EVERY DAY.
AND I HOPE THAT I CAN PASS ON MY FARM TO MY SON AND TO MY NIECE AND TO MY NEPHEW TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY TO TRY TO SAVE WHAT MY GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS STARTED FOR US.
I GOT SOME PREPARED COMMENTS TONIGHT.
SHEA SURY DISTRICT, BUT JUST QUICKLY TO, UH, PEOPLE WHO OWN LAND AND WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THE VALUE OUT OF THEIR LAND BY HAVING AN OPTION LIKE SOLAR.
OTHERWISE, IT'S A PERFECT SITUATION FOR WHAT'S CALLED PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.
SOMETHING THAT I HOPE THE COUNTY WILL LOOK INTO BECAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL CAN GET THE VALUE OUTTA THE LAND, THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS THAT VALUE OUTTA THEIR LAND AND STILL KEEP THEIR LAND A FARM OR VIRGIN LAND.
SO BACK TO MY, UH, PREPARED COMMENTS.
FIRST OFF, I BEAR NO ILL WILL AGAINST THE APPLICANT WHATSOEVER.
UM, FOR AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE SOLAR PROJECT, THIS PROPOSAL SEEMS FAIRLY WELL CONCEIVED, BUT THOSE AREN'T THE QUESTIONS AT HAND TONIGHT.
UM, TONIGHT'S AGENDA STATES, SYCAMORE CROSS SOLAR LLC SEEKS DETERMINATION THAT THE PROPOSED UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PROJECT IS SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SURREY COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION HERE TONIGHT.
SO VIRGINIA CODE STATES AT ALL TIMES THE PUBLIC IS TO BE THE BENEFICIARY OF ANY ACTION TAKEN AT ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S YOUR OVERRIDING CONSIDERATION.
SUPERSEDING, EVEN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
DOES THIS PROJECT TRULY BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF SURY COUNTY? IS THIS PROJECT AND THE COST BENEFIT RATIO IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT THE CITIZENS DESIRE? UM, THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW ISN'T MERELY THAT THE CITIZENS WILL BENEFIT.
IF A GROUP OF US GRABS ONE OF YOU IN THE PARKING LOT TONIGHT AND TAKES A KIDNEY, SELLS IT AND GIVES YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE VALUE, I GUARANTEE YOU WILL NOT AGREE THE COST BENEFIT RATIO IS THERE.
SO ASK YOURSELVES, IS THIS PROJECT AND PROJECTS LIKE IT TRULY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF SURY COUNTY? THE SURREY COUNTY 2040 COMP PLAN ALSO PUTS THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS.
THIS PLAN IS FOR THE PEOPLE OF SURREY COUNTY.
THE MAIN GOAL OF THE 20 20 20 40 SURREY COMP PLAN IS TO ESTABLISH A DECISION, DECISION MAKING FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE COUNTY LEADERS AND OFFICIALS THAT'S Y'ALL IN THEIR ACTIONS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SURREY RESIDENTS.
ALL OTHER GOALS, THOSE RELATED TO HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE ENVIRONMENT AND OTHERS ARE MEANT TO FURTHER THIS PRIMARY PURPOSE.
SO WITHOUT READING ALOUD, OUR ENTIRE COMP PLAN, WHICH I REMIND EVERYONE, IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT.
YOU'VE ONLY ONE REAL QUESTION ANSWERED TONIGHT, WILL THIS PROJECT IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SURREY COUNTY RESIDENTS? AND IF IT DOES NOT, THEN THE ANSWER TO THE AGENDA ITEM IS CLEAR.
ASK YOURSELVES, WILL THIS PROJECT PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL, FORESTED, AND NATURAL LANDS THAT FORM THE BASIS FOR MUCH OF THE COUNTY'S IDENTITY? DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE COMP PLAN? WILL IT PRESERVE A HEALTHY AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY? ANOTHER DIRECT QUOTE, WILL IT FURTHER DIVERSE AND EXCEPTIONAL NATURAL RESOURCES AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF OUR COMP PLAN AS LISTED AS QUOTE, IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS TO PRESERVE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, ALL OF YOU.
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ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF NOT, I'LL MOVE INTO OUR NEW BUSINESS AGENDA.THE, UH, FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD DETERMINATION 20 24 0 1.
AND MR. RE, MR. BROCK, COULD YOU CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES.
YOU SAID YOU SAID CLOSE THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE CLOSED.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TONIGHT.
WE DO HAVE TWO ITEMS, UH, FOR YOU THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT, UH, ONE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERESTING, UM, THAT YOU HAVE NOT, I DUNNO IF YOU'VE SEEN MANY OF YOU NOT HAVE NOT SEEN SUBSTANTIAL COURT DETERMINATIONS, UH, WITHOUT BEING ATTACHED TO SOLAR.
BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT WE PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT.
THAT IS, UM, A DETERMINATION THAT HAMPTON ROAD SANITATION DISTRICT IS SEEKING, UM, FOR THE PROPOSED SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO BE A SUBSTANTIAL COURT WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE PROJECT PROCESS BEFORE US, UH, BEGAN WHEN THE APPLICANT BEGAN SEEKING A, UH, SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR, UM, A PROJECT, UH, GOING DOWN HOG ISLAND.
IT IS, IT, THE PROCESS IS TO CLOSE THE EXISTING DOMINION ENERGY SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT LOCATED ON THE SITE OF THE DOMINION SURY POWER STATION, THE NUCLEAR PLANT WITHIN SURY.
IT IS TO CONVEY THAT FLOW ULTIMATELY TO THE WASTEWATER ENHANCEMENT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IN SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA FOR TREATMENT VIA SIX INCH FORCE MAIN.
THERE WILL BE A 20 FOOT WIDE PERMANENT EASEMENT ALONG PRIVATE PROPERTIES ALONG HUG ISLAND ROAD AND THROUGH POWER LINE EASEMENTS OVER SEVEN MILES.
AND AGAIN, THE SITE POINT HAS BEEN FILED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT.
HERE'S A DEPICTION OF WHERE THIS IS LOCATED.
UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT IS, UH, A LONG A ALONG HOG ISLAND.
THIS POINT OF VIEW RIGHT HERE, REFERENCE POINT HERE IS, UH, COMING FROM THE DOMINION POWER STATION.
UM, AND IT TAKES ON THE, UH, SHAPE OF THE, UM, TRANSMISSION EASEMENTS AND, AND, AND PROPERTY LINES ALONG HOG ISLAND.
UM, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TALKS ABOUT HRSD WITH, UH, AS EARLY AS 2016, UM, HR COUNTY WAS ADDED TO THE HRSD SERVICE TERRITORY.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, THIS PROGRAM IS IN SUPPORT OF THE HRSD SWIFT PROGRAM AND THE SWIFT PROGRAM IS, IT IS, UH, IT'S CALLED THE SWIFT FOR SURE, IT'S SUSTAINABLE WATER INITIATIVE FOR TOMORROW.
IT'S THE INNOVATIVE WATER TREATMENT PROJECT E IN EASTERN VIRGINIA.
DESIGNED TO FURTHER PROTECT THE REGION'S ENVIRONMENT, ENHANCES SUSTAINABILITY OF THE REGION'S LONG-TERM GROUNDWATER SUPPLY AND HELP ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES SUCH AS CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION, SEA LEVEL RISE AND SALT WATER.
THE PROJECT WILL TELL WILL TAKE HIGHLY TREATED WATER THAT WILL OTHERWISE BE DISCHARGED INTO ELIZABETH JAMES OR YORK RIVERS, AND PUT IT THROUGH ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF ADVANCED WATER TREATMENT TO MEET DRINKING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS.
AND THE SWIFT WATER WILL THEN BE ADDED TO THE POTOMAC AQUIFER, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF GROUND WATER THROUGHOUT EASTERN VIRGINIA.
UM, THE WATER THAT IS BEING TREATED RIGHT NOW GOES DIRECTLY TO THE JAMES WATER.
UM, WE DO HAVE HRSD REPRESENTATIVES, UM, WITH US TONIGHT, AND THEY DO HAVE A PRESENTATION, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND ME, THEM PRESENTING TO YOU.
I AM, UM, HRS D'S LEGAL COUNSEL.
AND I HAVE SAM MCADOO WHO'S GOING TO DO A PRESENTATION TO YOU TONIGHT.
I AM THE, UH, CHIEF OF SMALL COMMUNITIES.
I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION OF ALL THE WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN SURREY COUNTY, IN MIDDLE PENINSULA IN EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA.
UH, WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT, UH, CHRIS SCHWARTZ AS WELL.
HE'S OUR, UH, PLANNING MANAGER.
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A LOT WITH OUR LOCALITIES AND, UM, OVERALL, UH, DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PLAN.AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ANN COPELAND HERE.
SHE IS OUR PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH A KIND OF A QUICK RUNDOWN OF, UM, WHAT THIS PROJECT ENTAILS, AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN ANSWER ALONG THE WAY, UM, PLEASE LEMME KNOW.
UM, SO THIS IS GONNA BE A SEVEN MILE TRANSMISSION FORCE MAIN.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS A, BASICALLY A PRESSURIZED WASTEWATER PIPELINE.
UM, REALLY JUST DESIGNED TO TRANSPORT FLOW FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A HIGH PRESSURE MAIN.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT REALLY WE CAN HAVE A LOT REALLY ANYTHING TIE INTO EXCEPT FOR LARGE PUMP STATIONS THAT HAVE THE FLOW AND HEAD CAPACITY TO TIE INTO A LINE LIKE THIS.
UM, THIS PROJECT STARTED BACK IN 2019, UM, BETWEEN HRSD AND DOMINION.
THEY, THEY HAD FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE DOING A TRANSMISSION MAINE THROUGH THE COUNTY, UM, AND REACHED OUT TO HRSD ABOUT A, BASICALLY A, A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT, THAT DOMINION OWNS, UM, THAT WAS IN NEED OF SERIOUS, UH, SERIOUS, BASICALLY A COMPLETE REBUILD.
UM, THE COST OF THAT REBUILD FOR THE TREATMENT PLANT WAS ROUGHLY ABOUT THE SAME COST AS THE TRANSMISSION PIPELINE.
AND IT ALSO ELIMINATE HAVING DOMINION HAVING TO HAVE BASICALLY NUCLEAR CHEMISTS RUN A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH IN THE LONG TERM IS PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA.
UM, SO OVERALL, THIS WAS, UH, PLANNED OUT AT THE MOUNT RAY PUMP STATION, UM, WHICH IS, YEAH, RIGHT OFF MOUNT RAY DRIVE AND ROUTE 10.
AND, UH, THE OVERALL PROJECT COST IS ABOUT ROUGHLY $9 MILLION.
AND DOMINION IS ENTIRELY PAYING FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS BASICALLY AN RI IS AN EXISTING SERVICE AREA BECAUSE IT WAS SERVED BY, IT'S SERVED CURRENTLY BY A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, AND THE BENEFIT OF CLOSING THAT PLANT, UM, WE'LL GO OVER HERE LATER SLIDE.
SO IN THIS SLIDE HERE, THIS SHOWS THE YELLOW STAR, UM, IS THE, OH, SORRY, IS THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF DOMINION'S TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, AND THAT KIND OF PICTURE UP IN THE TOP RIGHT IS KIND OF ZOOMED IN AREA.
SO THEY, RIGHT NOW, UM, THE, THE DOMINION ENERGY FACILITY IS SERVED BY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT DISCHARGES DIRECTLY INTO THE, UH, HOT WATER DISCHARGE CANAL AND GOES RIGHT INTO THE JAMES RIVER.
SO BY DOING THIS PROJECT, WE CAN ELIMINATE THE OUTFALL, UM, AND THEN BASICALLY TAKE THE NITROGEN PHOSPHORUS FROM OUTSIDE OF THAT, THAT WATERSHED, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE PRIME POLLUTION SOURCE FOR, FOR HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS AND DECREASED DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN THE RIVER AND TRANSPORT THAT FLOW TO THE NASM WATER TREATMENT PLANT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, UH, WHICH IS, UH, BEING UPGRADED CURRENTLY TO A SWIFT FACILITY.
SO BASICALLY WE TREAT THAT WATER TO DRINKING WATER QUALITY AND INJECTED THOUSANDS OF FEET BELOW THE GROUND.
AND WE WERE BASICALLY, THAT THAT FACILITY IN THE JAMES RIVER TREATMENT PLANT ARE THE TWO SWIFT FACILITIES THAT ARE BEING BUILT CURRENTLY.
UM, I WANNA SAY NANSEN IS 2027 ROUGHLY.
SO WE'RE ABOUT TWO, THREE YEARS AWAY FROM HAVING THAT FACILITY ACTUALLY DOING A FULL BLOWN, UM, DISCHARGE.
BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A, UH, BASICALLY A, A LAB SET UP RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE DOING PILOT DISCHARGE CURRENTLY INTO THE AQUIFER.
UM, SO THAT FLOW BASICALLY FROM ALL SURREY COUNTY WILL EVENTUALLY, UNLESS WE HAVE A MAJOR STORM EVENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, TO WHERE WE HAVE TOO MUCH FLOW THAT WE COULD, WE COULD DISCHARGE INTO THE AQUIFER, THAT FLOW WOULD STILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND THEN BE DISCHARGED TO THE JAMES RIVER.
BUT DRY WEATHER DAYS AND NORMAL FLOWS, NOT A DROP OF THAT WATER WILL, WILL GO INTO THE JAMES RIVER.
SO OVERALL REQUESTS AND CONCLUSION.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT OF INVESTMENT IN THE EXTENSION OF THE SEWER LINE AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND HSD WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT EXTENSION FOR SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD, UM, DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO THE, UH, 15.2, 2232 CODE OF VIRGINIA.
AND THIS LAST SLIDE, THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE, UH, MEB WHO LAID THE SAME PIPELINE THAT RUNS SURY ALL THE WAY TO SMITHFIELD.
UM, THEY'RE DOING THIS, THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING THIS WORK FOR HSD AND DOMINION.
AND THIS OVERALL JUST KINDA SHOWS THE, BASICALLY THE PIPELINE ROUTE, WHICH, UH, ALMOST ALL OF IT IS BASICALLY A DOMINION HIGH VOLTAGE, UM, EASEMENT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE GOING ACROSS PRIVATE PROPERTY AND STATE GAME LANDS, BUT 90% OF THIS PROJECT'S GOING TO BE WITHIN THAT EXISTING HIGH VOLTAGE EASEMENT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE MATERIALS HAVE BEEN ORDERED.
AND RIGHT NOW THE PLAN IS TO START CONSTRUCTION ROUGHLY SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
I, I HAVE, EXCUSE ME, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU PRESENTED THE,
[00:35:01]
UM, URAS GOING DOWN HOG ISLAND ROAD, SO THIS IS NOT GOING DOWN HARD ISLAND, THIS IS NOT GOING DOWN HOG ISLAND ROAD.IT'S GOING DOWN THE TRANSMISSION LINE, SIR.
SO IT'S GOING TO CROSS HOG ISLAND ROAD.
IT'S GOING TO BASICALLY, YOU GONNA, IT'S GONNA PARALLEL HOG ISLAND ROAD UNTIL YOU LEAVE THE DOMINION FACILITY, RIGHT? AND THEN IT'LL CROSS HOG ISLAND AND GO OUT TO THE TRANSMISSION ROAD, RIGHT? RIGHT.
BECAUSE AT FIRST I WAS UNDER THE, UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS GOING TO COME RIGHT DOWN HOG ISLAND ROAD.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE THOUGH.
AND A MAJORITY OF THIS PIPELINE, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY MARSHES ALONG THAT EASEMENT, UM, ANYTIME YOU A MARSH LIKE THAT, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT CONSTRUCTION WISE, VERY EXPENSIVE AND DIFFICULT TO OPEN CUT.
SO A LOT OF THAT PIPELINE WILL ACTUALLY BE DIRECTIONAL DRILLS.
SO IT'LL BE 10,000 FOOT SECTIONS, BASICALLY GOING 20 TO 30 FEET BELOW GRADE AND THEN COMING UP TO CONNECTING POINTS, UM, TO AVOID THOSE WETLAND AREAS.
SO THAT'S THE, GONNA BE THE LESS LEAST IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT OVERALL.
ANYBODY GOT ANY, UH, QUESTIONS? I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA AS, UM, MR. BROCK IS.
SO THIS LIST OF PEOPLE THAT SHOWS THE PARCELS, UM, HAVE THEY ALL SIGNED EASEMENTS? WE KNOW WE ARE WITH IT.
ALL THE, ALL THE PEOPLE ON THAT LIST HAVE BEEN CONTACTED, REQUESTED EASEMENTS, UM, ROUGHLY HALF HAVE ALREADY NEGOTIATED AND, AND SIGNED EASEMENTS.
AND WE'RE STILL NEGOTIATING WITH THE REST.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THEM ALL YET, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
UH, AND THE STATUS OF THAT, SO ON THESE PROPERTIES, ARE THERE, THERE'S HOUSES, THERE'S BARNS, OR I MEAN, I, I JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE PROPERTY.
SO THERE'S, IT'S AN ASSORTMENT OF, OF PROPERTY USES OUT THERE.
THE MOST OF THOSE PROPERTIES THOUGH, YOU SEE THAT LONG STRETCH THAT'S IN THE TRANSMISSION LINE OF THE DOMINION, UH, DOMINION ENERGY, UHHUH,
SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN IMPACTED BY AN EASEMENT.
AND WE'RE ASKING FOR RIGHT BESIDE IT, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT.
SO IT'S KIND OF SO YOUR, WILL YOUR EASEMENT EXTEND PAST THEIR EASEMENTS OR WILL IT ALWAYS BE WITHIN THE DOMINION POWER LINE EASEMENT? OH, WE, WE ARE COMPLETELY IN THE DOMINION TRANSMISSION LINE.
SO IT WILL BE EASE, UH, THEY CALL IT A RIGHT OF WAY EASEMENT RIGHT AWAY.
DEPENDS ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW, BUT IT'S WITHIN DOMINIONS ALREADY.
SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE OWNED A PARCEL OUT THERE, AND WHENEVER DOMINION BUILT THOSE TRANSMISSION LINES HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO AND THEY BOUGHT AN EASEMENT FROM YOU, NOW YOU GET TO SELL THAT SAME EASEMENT AGAIN.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BUY AN EASEMENT FROM 'EM AS WELL.
SO ALL BUT NOT ALL OF THEM FALL WITHIN THE POWER LINES, IS THAT RIGHT? NOT ALL OF THEM.
THERE'S TWO VERY CLOSE TO THE WELL ON DOMINION PROPERTY THAT, UH, DOMINION IS GONNA SIGN THE EASEMENT TO US.
THE PAR PUMP STATION SITE ITSELF, UH, RIGHT THERE ON THE SAME PARCEL THAT THE WASTEWATER PLANT'S ON IT BELONGS TO DOMINION AS THEIR PROPERTY.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GIVE US A, AN EASEMENT FOR THE PUMP STATION SITE.
AND THEN THE, THE, THE FORCE MAIN ALONG ON THE SHOULDER OF HOG ISLAND ROAD UP, THAT'S ALSO ON DOMINION PROPERTY.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GIVE US THAT EASTMAN AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE IN THE WORKS TOO.
SO AS FAR AS ANY PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS, YOUR EASEMENTS ARE THERE, IS THERE ANY, ARE THEY CLOSE TO ANY HOUSES OR, LIKE I SAID, BARNS OR, OR DO YOU HAVE TO CONTEND WITH ANY OF THAT, OR IT'S ALL THIS, UH, TO, WE DIDN'T RING THE JOHNS WITH ME, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW CLOSE ANY OF IT IS.
UM, BUT IT'S PRETTY FAR BACK, MS. SHE, I GOT A QUESTION.
I MEAN, I, I PROBABLY CAN HELP ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
THE TRANSMISSION LINES, THERE'S NO BUILDINGS RIGHT UNDERNEATH, THERE'S TRANSMISSION.
BUT ONES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION THERE, THEY, THERE'S NOT NO, ON THAT PROPERTY, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT, IF YOU'RE THINKING LIKE 50 FOOT AWAY FROM IT OR A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM IT, YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE A HOUSE A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY, BUT LIKE 50 TO A HUNDRED FOOT, I'M, I'M, IT MAY NOT BE ANY OF THAT.
I MEAN, IT'LL GO, IT MIGHT GO THROUGH SOME FARM LAND.
'CAUSE THE TOWELS WERE SITTING THERE AND THEY FARM UNDERNEATH.
NEATH OF IT, BUT NO, NO HOUSES.
I'VE BEEN THERE LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW WHEN, WHEN THAT TRANSMISSION LINE WAS PUT IN, RIGHT, THERE
[00:40:01]
WAS ONE HOUSE THAT IT AFFECTED AND, AND DOMINION BUILT THOSE PEOPLE WHEN WE HOUSE.SO, BUT THERE'S NO, NO, UH, HOUSES OR, OR ANYTHING.
SO THERE'S NO REALLY ANY NEW RESTRICTIONS YOU'LL PUT ON THE LAND.
AND FOR, UH, FOLKS, IT'S, YOU'RE GONNA JUST PUT IT RIGHT THERE UNDERNEATH THE POWER LINES, RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE POWER LINES.
I'LL BUMP INTO ANYBODY'S HOUSE.
AND HOW DEEP WOULD THEY USED TO BE IN THE GROUND? UH, THE MINIMUM DEPTH WOULD BE THREE FOOT OF COVER.
AND LIKE SAM WAS TALKING ABOUT IN ALL THE WETLAND AREAS, WE GONNA HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILL, AND THAT'S DEEP 20, 20, 30 FEET DEEP.
AND, AND THE, THE PIPELINE THAT WE DID CONSTRUCT DOWN THE, WE BASICALLY, THE PIPELINE THAT SERVES IN SURREY COUNTY NOW GOES DOWN THE EXISTING DOMINION EASEMENT TO MOUNT RAY AND THEN GOES DOWN ROUTE 10 AND YOU CAN STILL FARM OVER THAT PIPELINE.
WE PUT BOLLARDS AROUND ANY ASSETS THAT COME TO GRADE, AND WE JUST ASK THE FARMERS NOT TO DO ANY HEAVY PLOWING, WHICH THOSE FARMERS NOWADAYS, YOU KNOW, UNLESS YOU, UNLESS YOU'RE PUTTING IN DRAIN TILE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU WOULD NEVER HIT IT.
WELL, THEY WERE UP TO 18 INCHES, YOU KNOW, FOR CORN.
AND ALSO, YEAH, AND ANY, ANY PIPE ANYWHERE THAT WE DO HAVE, ANYTHING THAT COMES TO GRADE WOULD BE PROTECTED BY BOLLARDS AND MARKERS.
SO WE WOULD MAKE IT VERY VISIBLE, BUT IT, IT WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING IF BASICALLY, IF YOU CAN DO IT IN DOMINION, POWER LINE EASEMENT AS FAR AS FARMING GOES, THEN YOU CAN DO IT IN OUR EASEMENT AS WELL.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING IS AT MOUNT RAY, THAT WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT MOUNT RAY MM-HMM MM-HMM.
SO, SO, I MEAN, ONE GOES THAT WAY TO GET TO THE TAIL OF, SIR, I GUESS IT'S FOR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING HERE.
UM, I'LL BORROW SOME LAND WHERE THE PREVIOUS PIPELINE WENT THROUGH.
UM, I HAVEN'T MADE A CROP ON THAT LITTLE STRIP OF LAND IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.
IS THERE ANY KIND OF GUARANTEE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THE AGRICULTURAL LAND BACK LIKE IT WAS WITH THE TOP SOIL ON TOP? I THINK WHAT THEY DID IS JUST LEFT CLAY AND EVEN SOME ROCKS ON TOP, UH, A COUPLE OF FIELDS OFF ON.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE LANDOWNERS THINK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE SIGNING THESE EASEMENTS.
BUT I MEAN, I, I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND.
I BELIEVE EVERYTHING'S SUPPOSED TO BE BACK TO, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PUT IT BACK.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'VE GOT A FROWN ON MY CASE.
SUPPOSED TO HAVE PUT THAT ROUGHLY WHAT AREA YOU, WHERE WERE YOU FROM? UH, BEACHLAND CROSSROADS.
YEAH, WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED THERE.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT OR CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE THAT SOMEBODY DIDN'T OKAY.
GET BACK AND RECLAIM PROPERLY.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PUT THAT DOWN.
I'LL CALL THEM IN THE MORNING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WHAT IS THE DIAMETER OF THE PLATE? IT, IT'S A SIX, SIX INCH DIAL.
IF NOT MR. WADE, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
JUST A REMINDER, I CAN, EVERYBODY KEEP TALKING TO THE MIC.
UM, I, I, I NEED THAT REMINDER FOR MYSELF TOO.
UM, MR. WADE, I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT IT, IT WAS FOR MR. WADE.
SO, UM, ON PAGE SEVEN, THIS COMES OUT OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP.
IT TALKS ABOUT AREAS OF FILE MILES EXISTING AND AREAS OF PROPOSED.
AND THIS IS LETTING YOU SEE THAT IT IS, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS NOT SHOWN ON THAT, ON THAT MAP.
SO THEREFORE THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH.
BUT THIS MAP SHOWS A PROPOSED AREA.
IS, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE? YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE, ARE YOU JUST GONNA ADD, I MEAN, IS THIS PROPOSED AREA STILL RELEVANT? WE'RE, THIS IS FROM 2020, SO, AND WE'LL PROBABLY AT SOME POINT WHEN WE DO UPDATE OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE WILL PROBABLY TALK WITH HRSD ABOUT THEIR PROPOSED AREAS OF CHANGE, BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT'S GONNA CHANGE.
UM, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE CAN'T, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AT THIS POINT.
EVERYTHING IN YELLOW HAS BEEN INSTALLED, EXCEPT ORIGINALLY
[00:45:01]
IT WAS GONNA GO ALL THE WAY TO THE AREA AND PIPELINE.SO THIS, THIS AREA THAT'S PROPOSED IS ACTUALLY COMPLETED EXCEPT FOR THAT.
AND YOU JUST HAVE TO UPDATE IT WHEN YOU DO, WE DO HAVE TO UPDATE IT.
UM, BUT IT, IT, THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER PUBLIC PROCESS.
UM, SO WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU DO HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS, UM, DETERMINATION FOR THAT, UM, STAFF FOUND THAT THE, THERE IS LANGUAGE WITHIN THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN THAT SUPPORTS THIS.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE WERE MISSING BEFORE JUST DOING AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF IT WITH THEIR SITE PLAN WAS THE MAPPING AREA, WHICH IS BEFORE EACH NIGHT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE CONFERENCE, THE SECTION 2232 REQUIRES THAT THERE BE A MASTER PLAN FOR IT.
IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE LOCATION FOR THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, UH, REQUEST A DETERMINATION THAT THIS A COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BASED ON THE CURRENT LANGUAGE AND THE TRAJECTORY, UM, OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
UM, AS YOU SEE, THERE IS SOME, THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT SUPPORTS, I THINK HRSD POINTED IT OUT, UM, ABOUT, ABOUT THE SWIFT THAT, UM, ABOUT PLACING, UH, TAKING, UH, THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE, UM, POLLUTANTS AND ACTUALLY TAKING THOSE AWAY FOR, TO ACTUALLY PROMOTE IT TO, UM, CLEAN IT, CLEAN THE WATER SO MUCH THAT THEY CAN BE PLACED BACK INTO THE AQUIFER INSTEAD OF DUMPING INTO THE JAMES IS, IS WHAT IT'S DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, FOR STAFF, WE DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, OR I RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO WE WE'RE JUST APPROVING THAT THIS IS IN SUBSTANTIAL COURT.
THAT IT IS IN SUBSTANTIAL COURT.
IS THIS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OR JUST APPROVAL? THIS IS AN APPROVAL.
THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS IS THE, IT STOPS WITH YOU ALL.
ALRIGHT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THEN FOR YES, MR. MR. DROP SECOND.
EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD JUST, UH, CLARIFY THE RESPONSE TO THE LAST QUESTION.
UH, SO IF SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD DETERMINATIONS ONLY HAVE TO GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SO IN THAT RESPECT, THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU ALL.
HOWEVER, IF, UM, IT IS PERMITTED FOR THE APPLICANT TO APPEAL A DENIAL OF A SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD DETERMINATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT POINT.
I MAKE A BROKEN, UH, A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD DETERMINATION.
AND SECOND THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD DETERMINATION 20 24 0 1.
AND, UH, I'LL ASK THAT WE DO A ROLL CALL.
THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, SUBSTANTIAL COURT DETERMINATION FOR 20 24 0 2.
MR. WADE BEAR ONE, ONE MOMENT.
[00:50:03]
ALRIGHT.SO BEFORE US TONIGHT, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, SYCAMORE CROSS SOLAR, WHO'S, WHO'S REQUESTING A DETERMINATION THAT THEIR PROPOSED UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PROJECT IS SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SYRIA COUNTY CONFERENCE OR PLAN.
THIS PROJECT IS COMPOSED OF SIX PARCELS, THREE OF WHICH WILL BE USED FOR PANELS AND THREE OF WHICH WERE U USED TO CONNECT THE PARCELS TOGETHER.
THIS IS A VICINITY MAP THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, THE AREA SHADE AND LIGHT BLUE ARE THE PARCELS.
UM, AND THE AREAS, THE, UH, THE BLUE LINES YOU SEE ARE THE, UH, ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES.
WE PROVIDED A REVIEW OF THE ENERGY PROJECTS AMENDMENT STRATEGIES, UM, AND THOSE STRATEGIES INCLUDE, UM, THE COUNTY SUPPORTING DISTRIBUTED ENERGY FACILITIES.
THE COUNTY SUPPORTS PRESERVING AGRICULTURAL CHARACTER, ELIMINATING THE SUM OF ALL PROJECT SITES AREAS.
UH, WE REVIEWED A STRATEGY THREE, THE COUNTY WOULD CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FOR NEW UTILITY SCALE SOLAR FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY SCALE ENERGY FACILITIES PROVIDE.
THEY MEET THE VARIOUS CRITERIA, UH, NOT LOCATED IN A RESIDENTIAL TRAILERS OR RESIDENTIAL INVESTMENT AREAS.
THIS PROJECT IS NOT, UM, THE CENTRAL OF THE PROJECT SITE IS WITHIN ONE MILE OF EXISTING HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES.
UM, THIS PROJECT IS, UM, USING THE, UH, EXISTING, UH, FOOTPRINT OF CAVALIER A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED CAVALIER SOLAR.
UM, AS A PORTION OF THE PROJECT, THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROJECT WOULD BE LOCATED WITHIN OLIVE, WHITE, OF WHICH THE SENSE ORDER, THAT PROJECT WOULD BE AN OLIVE OF WHITE, WHICH WOULD BE MORE THAN THE ONE MILE, WHICH IS WHY WE, WE DO HAVE IT HIGHLIGHTED IN RED THERE.
UM, ONE OF THOSE REVIEWS, NO PART OF THE CRIPT PROJECT IS WITHIN ONE ONE HALF MILE OF THE HISTORIC SITES.
WE DID NOT SEE ANY HISTORIC SITES WITHIN THE HALF MILE, UH, OR, OR ANY WITHIN A, UH, NOT A HISTORIC OR SIGNIFICANT VIEWSHED NOR WITHIN 750 FEET OF A PLACE OF WORSHIP OR A, A CEMETERY.
UM, IT, WE DID FIND THAT IT UTILIZES BEST PRACTICES AND MAINTAINING BIODIVERSITY AND SOUL QUALITY.
UM, THE PROJECT THAT'S PROPOSED WOULD BE SCREAM OF VEGETATION.
THERE, THERE IS EXISTING VEGETATION WHERE THE PROJECT IS PROPOSED, UM, UH, NOISE GENERATING EQUIPMENT INSTALLED WITH SOUND DAMPERING EQUIPMENT AND OR LOCATED A MINIMUM OF 750 FEET AWAY FROM AN ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL OR MIXED USE PARCELS TO ELIMINATE NOISE IMPACTS.
UM, OVERALL, UH, AFTER EVALUATING FROM STAFF, I THINK THERE'S A, THERE'S A JUDGMENT CALL WITH THE P COMMISSION FEELS AS THOUGH IT'S APPROPRIATE THERE.
UM, AGAIN, THERE IS A, THERE IS A SECTION THAT SAYS, TALKS ABOUT, UM, UH, NOISE.
UH, THEY, THEY HAVE SET A, A, A DISTANCE OF A SE A 50, I'M SORRY, 500 FEET FROM THE, FROM THE, UH, RESIDENCE.
UM, BUT THEY ALSO, IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO INCLUDE NOISE DAMPENING, UH, EQUIPMENT AS WELL WITH THEIR SITE TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF THEIR APPLICATION.
UM, THE PROJECT SITE COULD PAUSE WITH OR EXCEEDS ORIGINAL SET CONTROL REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND THE PROJECT SITE IS AT LEAST A HALF, HALF MILE FROM ANY EXISTING COMMUNITY SCALE OR UTILITY SCALE PROJECT SITES.
UM, THIS PROJECT, AGAIN, IS USING THE SAME FOOTPRINT AS, UM, THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED SITE.
UM, BUT IT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY ON, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, AREA OF THE PROJECT.
BUT THE, THE PROP, THE PARCELS ARE SIMILAR TO ONES THAT WERE REZONED.
UM, WITH THE CEP OF CA FOR CAVALIER STRATEGY FOR, UM, THE ACCOUNTING WILL REQUIRE CONFORMANCE WITH, UH, THE VMSP, THE ES AND P REGULATIONS FOR UTILITY SCALE AND COMMUNITY SCALE SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY PROJECTS.
SOLAR PANELS WILL BE CONSIDERED UNCONNECTED IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AND WATER QUALITY QUANTITY AND WATER QUALITY CALCULATIONS.
UM, AS OUT OUTLINED HERE, UM, THE SOLAR PANELS ARE BE CONSIDERED UNCONNECTED IMPERVIOUS AREAS AND WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY.
UM, THE APPLICATION LACKED THAT WE AS STAFF, WE DID ASK THEM TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, THEY, THEY DID SAY THAT THEY COULD NOT MEET THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID CONSIDER IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS TO ADDRESS, UM, STORMWATER REGULATIONS, UM, TO, FOR IMPERVIOUS, UNCONNECTED IMPERVIOUS AREAS.
UM, AGAIN, THE, THE, THE TEXT THAT THE APPLICANT DOES PRESENT STATES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BASED UPON
[00:55:01]
DEQS MEMOS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE.HOWEVER, AS AS STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE HAVE ASKED THAT ANYONE COMING BEFORE US, EVEN IF THEY ARE COMING AFTER THE, THE, UH, BEFORE THE PJM CONNECTION DATE, THAT THEY WORK WITH US WITH CONDITIONS TO, UH, PROVIDE, UH, UN CONDUCTED PREVIOUS AREAS.
UM, WE, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT TODAY.
AND THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE DO HAVE THAT HIGHLIGHTED IN RED FOR YOU TONIGHT.
UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE YOUR, YOUR FINAL, YOUR FINAL REVIEW.
WE BROUGHT FORTH SOME STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES HERE.
UH, MITIGATING THESE, UH, MITIGATING MOST OF THE IMPACTS HERE, UH, WAS A STRENGTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PREVIOUSLY CONTEMPLATED SOLAR DEVELOPMENT AREAS.
UM, THE WEAKNESSES WE SAW TONIGHT, UH, WITH AN APPLICATION WAS NOT CONSIDERING SOLAR PANELS AS IMPERIAL SURFACES FOR PURPOSES OF STORMWATER REVIEW AND NOISE MITIGATION.
AND I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE THE STAFF REPORT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT THAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE DIFFERENT AREAS, UH, FOR AND, AND TOTALITY FOR WEAKNESSES, UH, THAT YOU, THAT YOU CAN REVIEW AMONGST YOURSELVES.
UM, BUT IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'M THERE FOR THAT.
BUT WE DO ALSO HAVE A APPLICANT TO PRESENT TO YOU AS WELL, MR. CHAIR.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WADE? LEMME GET MY EASY ONES OUT REAL QUICK.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, WE, WE WERE VERY ADAMANT THAT WE WANT THE IMPERVIOUS SOIL, THE STORM WATER.
THEY, THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THEY WERE GONNA TRY IT.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE SAYING NOW THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA WORK WITH US.
THEY WANT US TO SAY, HEY, WE STARTED OUT WITH THIS AND THAT'S HOW WE STARTED.
SO Y'ALL JUST NEED TO LET US GO WITH WHAT WE STARTED WITH.
AM I UNDERSTANDING IT? I THINK, SIR, AND I THINK THE APPLICANT BE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES ON THAT, BUT FROM WE, WE, WE HAVE TRIED TO NEGOTIATE, I THINK TALK ABOUT THAT.
I THINK, UM, WE HAVE, WE'VE SHARED WITH THEM, I THINK AT, AT SEVERAL LEVELS THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE WANTED TO, AS SURREY COUNTY, WE WANT TO THEM TO LOOK AT.
UM, BUT THEY, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ANSWER TO THAT.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG ISSUE WITH US WITH YES SIR.
LANDOWNER GETTING WASHED OUT, ADJOINING LANDOWNERS GETTING WASHED OUT BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T DOING IT BY THE, AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD ON THE DECOMMISSIONING AM AM I REMEMBERING CORRECTLY THAT THIS IS THE GROUP THAT WHEN THEY DECOMMISSION SURREY COUNTY IS THE OWNER OF THE YOU SOLAR PANELS AND WE HAVE TO RESELL 'EM TO GET OUR MONEY BACK.
SO THAT, THAT PART OF THE PROCESS, WE PROBABLY WOULD REVIEW AT CUP BECAUSE IT'S NOT COVERED IN, IN THE, IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR REVIEW.
UM, IF IF IT, IF THE PROCESS PROCEEDS, WE WOULD REVIEW THAT AT, AT CP.
BUT THE PREVIOUS PROJECT, THE CAVALIER SOLAR FARMS, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN NOW, IS THAT THE END OF THE PROJECT, THEY PUT UP A BOND, BUT WE'RE STUCK WITH THE SOLAR PANELS.
WE HAVE TO SELL 'EM OFF TO GET THE MONEY TO HELP.
SO THE, THE, THE WAY, THE WAY THAT IT WORKS FOR CAVALIER, THIS IS FOR EVERYONE HERE TOO TO, IS THAT, UH, THE, THE CURRENT SITUATION WITH CAVALIER IS, UM, THAT THERE IS NO BOND IN PLACE THAT WE HAVE TO GET THE SALVAGE VALUE OF THE, BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THE PANELS EXCEEDS WHAT THE BOND WOULD BE.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT IS LANGUAGE, I THINK YOU ALL WERE LOOKING AT AMENDING AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS THE CASE NOW, IS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SELL THOSE PANELS TO GET THOSE, TO GET THE MONEY TO REMOVE THEM.
AND, AND I GUESS WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU'RE SAYING THAT TODAY IF WE HAD TO DECOMMISSION ONE OF THESE CAVALIERS OR EVEN THIS PROJECT, WE, SHE'S SHAKING HER HEAD LIKE YEAH, I, I, I THINK, I THINK WHAT MS. MS. PERKIN AND SPEAK, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK WE'RE LEADING DOWN THAT THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL COURT DETERMINATION.
BUT, AND THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE THE PATH FOR THE CP.
BUT CAN I STILL ASK MY QUESTION?
IF, IF WE DECOMMISSION TODAY, I KNOW, I KNOW THIS, I KNOW MS. PERKINS'S GOING TO TELL ME
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO RECRUIT THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS? I MEAN, I DON'T,
[01:00:02]
MR. I CAN, I KNOW, I KNOW.I'M JUST, I'M THINKING NO, NO, NO, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND, AND I, I, I DO NOT MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF AT ALL, BUT I DO WANT TO DRAW THE DISTINCTION THAT THAT MAY BE THE, THE SCENARIO WE ARE IN FOR THE CAVALIER PROJECT.
BUT THAT IS NOT A GIVEN FOR THIS PROJECT.
IF THIS PROJECT WERE TO PROCEED, THERE ARE, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE GAINED, BOTH THE APPLICANT AND THE COUNTY HAVE GAINED A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE FROM THE CAVALIER PROJECT AND THE BOND REQUIREMENT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SPECIFICALLY BEING LOOKED AT FOR THIS PROJECT, SHOULD, SHOULD THIS PROJECT PROCEED.
SO I, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME TO MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE SAME, UH, SITUATION WE'RE IN FOR CAVALIER WILL BE THE SAME SITUATION THAT WE WILL BE IN FOR SYCAMORE CROSS SHOULD THIS PROJECT BE APPROVED.
WELL, SO IF WE JUST, I'M JUST GOING ON WHAT'S WRITTEN HERE.
IT SAYS THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED PROPOSED CONDITIONS CONSISTENT WITH DECOMMISSIONING REQUIREMENTS.
HOW, HOW CAN THIS COMMISSION EVEN MAKE A, A DETERMINATION IF, WHY IS THIS INCLUDED IF WE CAN'T SEE IT AND THAT IT DOESN'T APPLY? AND I I'M SORRY, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HELP ME WHO, WHO WE ARE HERE? I WHAT WHAT ARE WHAT PAGE IS THAT ON THIS? OH, I'M ON PAGE 12.
STRATEGY EIGHT TALKS ABOUT, I UNDERSTAND SINCE THE COUNTY WILL STRENGTHEN ITS REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEN THE INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR US SAYS THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED PROPOSED CONDITIONS CONSISTENT WITH DECOMMISSIONING REQUIREMENTS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND MS. CHEEK, I'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THOSE CONDITIONS MEMORIZED.
AND I'M ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THE CITING AGREEMENT.
AND THE CITING AGREEMENT IS ANOTHER VEHICLE BY WHICH SOME OF THESE CONCERNS CAN BE ADDRESSED.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT DOESN'T APPLY TO OUR DETERMINATION TONIGHT? NO, NO, NO.
IT DOESN'T LIKE YOU TO GET, WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU WANNA LOOK INTO IS SPECIFIC CONDITIONS YOU WOULD GET INTO IN THE CEP, AFTER, AFTER, AFTER WE LOOK THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU WOULD GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.
YOU MAY BRING IT BACK FORTH AS, AS A WORK SESSION ITEM, UM, TO REVIEW SOME OF THOSE CONDITIONS THAT YOU FEEL MAYBE, MAYBE, UH, THAT YOU NEED TO BE, HAVE MORE REVIEW AND MORE, UM, RESPONSIBLE ANSWERS TO, TO, TO GET TO.
I THINK YOU WANNA LOOK AT THE CEP CONDITIONS.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT WITH A, WITH A, WITH, AT A HIGH LEVEL VIEW, WITH A SUBSTANTIAL COURT.
IS DOES IT, DOES IT GENERALLY, AS IT SUBSTANTIALLY IN A, IN A, IN A HOLY VIEW, DOES IT SUBSTANTIALLY MEET THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? I THINK YOU, YOU HAD TO LOOK AT AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONDITIONS, THE CONDITIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TO YOU ALL.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
THOSE CONDITIONS WERE GIVEN TO YOU, UM, AS, AS A, AS A BODY.
BUT WE DID NOT, WE DID NOT GIVE THEM TO YOU.
AGAIN, THE WHOLE, THAT WHOLE PACKET WAS ABOUT 150 PAGES THAT I THINK YOU ALL YOU HAD BEFORE.
BUT WE JUST GIVE YOU A REVIEW OF THE, THE AC THE APPLICATION AT THIS POINT FOR SUBSTANTIAL REVIEW OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHILE REVIEWING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ALONG WITH THE ENERGY PROJECTS AMENDMENT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE JUST GAVE YOU TONIGHT TO REVIEW.
BUT I, I, I THINK I, I'M THINKING WHAT I'M TRYING TO PICK UP FROM YOU, MS. CHEEK, IS, IS, IS THAT NOT STILL IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS? IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
IS THAT, IS THAT STILL NOT IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS TOO? CORRECT.
YOUR QUESTION TO ME IS, IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS.
AND THAT'S WHERE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING FROM SOME OF THESE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ARE ANSWERED, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE ADDRESSING NOISE.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY HAVE OFFER OR IN, IN THEIR CONDITIONS OF HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH THEY'RE SET BACK OFF THE PROPERTY OR BUFFERING OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE ADDRESSED, WHICH ARE A PART OF THE REVIEW.
SO, SO YES, THEY, THEY ARE INVOLVED.
THEY, IT WOULD BE HARD, OR I'VE ALWAYS FOUND THAT WHEN YOU BUY A CHICKEN, IF YOU GET MONEY UP FIRST, YOU'VE GOT YOUR MONEY.
ONCE YOU GIVE THE MAN THE CHICKEN, HE MIGHT NOT WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL THE MONEY.
NOW, I'M, I'M JUST THINKING IF THEY WERE, IF THEY WERE INTENT ON DOING WHAT THEY KNOW IS OUR WISHES, 'CAUSE WE PUBLISHED IT, IF THEY WERE INTENT ON DOING WHAT OUR WISHES ARE, THEY WOULD'VE PUT IT IN HERE.
I MEAN, IF I'M GOING TO SELL SOMETHING, I, SURE, I'M GONNA TELL YOU I'M DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
SO TO ME, IT KIND OF MAKES ME FEEL THAT THEY, THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED, THEY'RE INTERESTED IN STICKING US WITH SOME SOLAR PANELS.
[01:05:01]
ANYWAY, THAT'S, SURE.THEY SAID, THAT'S JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION.
I, I, I THINK, I THINK YOU MIGHT WANNA HEAR THE APPLICANT ON THIS INSTEAD OF HEAR FROM US
UH, CHAIRMAN BROCK, UM, INFO PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.
I'M SENIOR DIRECTOR OF A S UM, WORK OUT OF RICHMOND.
UH, AND WE'RE HERE TONIGHT, UH, SEEKING A SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD DETERMINATION FOR THE, UM, SYCAMORE CROSS SOLAR PROJECT.
AND WE ARE IN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE STAFF REPORT AND HORSE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE PROJECT IS IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, BUT WE ALSO THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT FOR THE COUNTY FOR THREE REASONS.
UH, FIRST, IT'S PROPERLY CITED ON PARCELS ALREADY ZONED FOR SOLAR, UH, FULLY SCREENED AND IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOLAR ZONING ORDINANCE.
UH, SECOND, IT HAS SUBSTANTIAL FISCAL BENEFITS FOR THE COUNTY, UH, AND ITS CITIZENS.
AND THIRD, WE HAVE AN ENHANCED CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PLAN TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DURING CONSTRUCTION, WHICH SHOULD MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO COUNTY RESIDENTS.
UM, AND YET, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, CONDITIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO GET A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL, THAT'S JUST THE FIRST STEP.
AND THIS HAS TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE CUP APPROVAL PROCESS WHERE YOU ALL CAN GIVE US FEEDBACK AT CONDITIONS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK, ON A ES FORTUNE 500 COMPANY, 9,000 EMPLOYEES, UH, HEADQUARTERED IN ARLINGTON.
WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES, UM, PROJECTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND WE HAVE, UH, ALMOST A THOUSAND, UH, MEGAWATTS HERE IN VIRGINIA ALONE.
AND A BIG, UH, PRESENCE UP IN RICHMOND.
UH, THIS IS THE WHOLE PROJECT, UH, AND YOU'LL SEE ONLY 19 MEGAWATTS IS IN SURREY.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THE YELLOW LINE ON THAT MAP.
THAT'S THE COUNTY LINE BETWEEN SURY AND IOWA WHITE.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF OLIVE, WHITE, SOUTH, SOUTHWEST CORNER OF, OF, UH, SURREY 125 FENCED ACRES TOTAL, UH, IN SURREY.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ON, UH, IT'S DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO EXISTING SOLAR AND ON PARCELS ALREADY ZONED FOR SOLAR.
SO HERE ARE SOME CLOSEUPS OF THE THE THREE AREAS WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING THE ADDITIONAL SOLAR.
YOU CAN SEE IN, UH, IN GRAY THERE.
THAT'S THE EXISTING SOLAR FACILITY, UM, ON THE EAST SIDE OF MILL SWAMP.
THEN YOU HAVE IN BLACK THERE, THAT IS THE, UH, PROPOSED AREA FOR SOLAR.
AND THAT AREA WOULD HAVE, UH, FULL EXISTING SCREENING THERE.
THEN YOU HAVE, UM, A, THIS IS THE MULLET DRIVE AREA.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF SMALL ARRAYS THERE IN BLACK WITH THE, THE, UM, THE SWAMP ON ONE SIDE AND, UM, PRETTY HEAVY COVER THERE.
AND THEN ANOTHER SMALL POCKET, UH, RIGHT ALONG BEACH ON THERE ON THE, UM, THE WEST SIDE OF BEACHLAND NEAR THE EXISTING HIGH VOLTAGE LINES.
SO, UM, ALRIGHT, I WANNA START REAL QUICK.
JUST GO OVER THE BASIC TENANTS OF THE SURY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, FIRST LAND YOU SHOULD INDUCE INVESTMENTS, UH, INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
UH, SECOND, THAT INVESTMENT IN SUBSEQUENT TAX REVENUES SHOULD BE USED TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IN RURAL JURISDICTIONS THAT ALLOW PROSPERITY AND RURAL PRESERVATION TO COEXIST.
UH, THIRD, THAT INVESTMENT SHOULD BE STRATEGICALLY CONCENTRATED.
AND FINALLY, THAT INVESTMENT SHOULD NOT BURDEN THE COUNTY.
THIS PROJECT MEETS THOSE FOUR MAIN GOALS THROUGH TAX INCITING REVENUE AGREEMENT BEING THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED AND CITED, UH, AND NOT BURDENING COUNTY RESOURCES.
AND IT'S A RARE AND INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY TO HARMONIZE THOSE GOALS.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS, THIS MAP IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WAS CREATED DURING THE CAVALIER PROCESS.
WE WERE REQUIRED TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE MAP.
SO WHAT YOU SEE THERE IN THE LIGHT PINK, UH, IS APPROVED IN EXISTING SOLAR USE.
AND THEN, UM, THE BLOW UP THERE AND YOU GOT THE AREAS OUTLINED IN BLACK.
UM, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, THE SYCAMORE CROSS, UH, ARRAY TO GO.
AND SO IT'S ALREADY ON, IT'S ALREADY APPROVED IN
[01:10:01]
THE COMP PLAN MAP, UM, AND ON, ON PARCELS THAT ARE ALREADY ZONED FOR SOLAR.OKAY, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH, UNLESS Y'ALL REALLY WANTED ME TO.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EVERY, UH, COMP PLAN ITEM, BUT, UH, FOCUS ON THE ENERGY PROJECT AMENDMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, WE ALSO AGREE WITH HORACE THAT, UH, THE PROJECT IS IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD.
AND, UM, SO LET'S DIVE INTO STRATEGY CRITERIA THREE FOR THE NEW UTILITY SCALE SOLAR FACILITIES.
FIRST, UH, IS FOR THE OID OF THE PROJECT TO BE WITHIN ONE MILE OF A HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINE.
UH, OUR PROJECT IS WITHIN TWO MILES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, THAT PROPOSED ARRAY IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO EXISTING FACILITIES THAT ARE ALREADY ZONED FOR SOLAR.
UM, BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T NEED ANY MORE HIGH VOLTAGE LINES.
UH, SO WE BELIEVE THIS MEETS THE INTENT OF THE PROVISION.
SECOND, UH, IS THE REQUIREMENT THAT NOISE GENERATING EQUIPMENT BE INSTALLED 750 FEET FROM PARCEL BOUNDARIES TO ELIMINATE NOISE IMPACT? WE PROPOSE A CONDITION THAT COVERS THE INTENT OF THIS REQUIREMENT BY HAVING THE EQUIPMENT LOCATED AT LEAST 750 FEET FROM RESIDENCES AND ALSO PROPOSED NOISE THRESHOLDS AT PROPERTY BOUNDARIES.
SO WE, WE BELIEVE WE MEET THE INTENT OF THIS PROVISION.
AND THEN THIRD IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE PROJECT TO BE OVER, UH, 0.5 MILES FROM EXISTING UTILITY SCALE FACILITIES.
IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE INTENT OF THIS STRATEGY, UM, IS TO MINIMIZE THE DENSITY OF SOLAR THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, AND SO BY CO-LOCATING ON PROPERTY THAT ALREADY HAS SOLAR FACILITIES AND IS ZONED AND APPROVED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR SOLAR, WE BELIEVE WE'RE MEETING THE INTENT HERE.
SO FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT HERE.
A BIG THING THAT MAKES THIS PROJECT DIFFERENT FROM CAVALIER, UM, NOT ONLY IS ONLY A, A RELATIVELY SMALL PORTION IN SURREY.
UM, YOU, THE, THE TRAFFIC WILL BE COMING OFF FOUR 60 THROUGH PROCTOR'S BRIDGE ROAD.
UM, SO BASICALLY THROUGH SOUTHAMPTON AND ISLE WHITE INTO THE MAIN PROJECT SITE.
SO IT'S KIND OF THE INVERSE OF WHAT, WHAT, UM, HAS TAKEN PLACE ON CAVALIER.
UM, SO THERE SHOULD NOT BE SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC COMING THROUGH SURREY.
UM, AND IF YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP THERE, YOU SEE FOUR 60 IS THAT, UH, YELLOW ROAD THERE, AND THE BLUE LINE WILL BE THE MAIN ROUTE INTO THE PROJECT SITE INTO ISLE WHITE.
UH, AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, AND LET ME JUST GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES FOR, UM, FOR THIS, THE LARGEST AREA THAT WE'RE, UH, BUILDING WOULD BE BUILDING IN SURREY.
WE WOULD ACTUALLY, WE WOULDN'T USE A MILL SWAMP THERE.
WE WOULD BE, UM, COMING FROM THE SOUTH THROUGH THE SITE AND DO A, A TEMPORARY, UH, BRIDGE TO GET INTO THAT AREA TO AVOID TRAFFIC ON MILL SWAMP.
UM, ANOTHER THING, UH, THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN WILL BE A CUP CONDITION, UM, THAT, THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THROUGH THE CUP, UH, WITH LIMITS TO CERTAIN VEHICLES AND CERTAIN ROADWAYS.
UH, AND ANOTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS, UM, HIRING EITHER PRIVATE SECURITY OR POTENTIALLY, UM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OFF DUTY TO HELP US PATROL THE AREAS WHERE THERE'S GOING GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC.
AND YOU KNOW, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW TRAFFIC FROM CAVALIER HAS BEEN IMPACTFUL TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND WE'RE COMMITTING, UH, COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THAT AS THE CONSTRUCTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS WINDING DOWN, BUT WE DO HAVE TWO UPDATES FOR YOU.
UM, FIRST IS THAT, UM, AGAIN, WE, WE, WE ARE LOOKING TO GET THE SURREY COUNTY SHERIFF'S, UM, POSSIBLY ON THE GROUND, UH, AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM ON THAT, UH, BUT TO GET THEM TO HELP WITH THE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AS THE CONSTRUCTION WINDS DOWN.
AND THEN, UH, WE WILL ALSO SOON START THE REPAIRS OF BELLEVUE BEACHLAND, UH, MILL SWAMP AND WHITE MARSH, WHERE WE'RE FIXING THE SHOULDERS, UM, FIXING THE INTERSECTION OF WHITE MARSH AND BEACHLAND, UM, AND FILLING POTHOLES AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, REPAIRING ANY DAMAGE THAT, THAT CAME FROM THE PROJECT.
SO THAT WILL BE STARTING UP SOON.
SO, BACK TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS IN THIS FOR THE COUNTY AND THE CITIZENS? UM, I THINK IT'S A, A, A PRETTY LARGE AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE, UM, FROM A SMALL AMOUNT OF DEVELOPED LAND.
SO WE'RE TALKING 125 ACRES, AND THIS IS LOOKING AT BRINGING IN, UM, OVER 4 MILLION
[01:15:01]
BUCKS, UH, THAT WE, WE THINK THAT'S, I THINK IT'S 73 TIMES THE EXISTING LAND USE FOR REVENUE.UM, AND THAT COULD BE USED FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT WHATEVER THE COUNTY NEEDS IT FOR.
AND AGAIN, REMEMBER, NO COUNTY SERVICES ARE NEEDED FOR THIS PROJECT.
UH, PROJECT ENHANCEMENTS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING HERE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, SHEEP GRAZING, UM, AND THEN VEGETATION FORAGING, UM, TO TRY, INSTEAD OF JUST CUTTING THE GRASS WITH THE MOWER, UH, WE'RE GONNA USE SHEEP, BUT ALSO TRY TO HARVEST SOME OF THAT AND, AND USE IT AS LIVESTOCK FEED.
SO WITH THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO THINK THE PROJECT COMPLIES, UM, WITH OR, OR, UH, WE ASKED FOR A RECOMMENDATION OF, UH, SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD FOR THE SYCAMORE CROSS PROJECT.
UM, IT COMPLIES WITH OR MEETS THE INTENT OF ALL APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMP PLAN ENERGY AMENDMENT, BUT ALSO IT'S ALREADY LOCATED AND ZONED ON EXISTING, UH, INDUSTRIAL PARCELS WITH THE COMP PLAN, AMEND, UH, MAP ALREADY AMENDED, UM, AND IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO SOLAR, UH, USE.
SO, UH, AND WITH THAT, I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE GREG CRESWELL HERE, WHO'S THE PROJECT MANAGER AS WELL, AND IS ALSO WORKING ON THE CAVALIER PROJECT, SO WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I GOT SOMETHING, BUT I, KENNY, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START,
DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY, UM, QUESTIONS, MR. ASS, YOU MENTIONED 4 MILLION FOR THE COUNTY REVENUE OVER THE COURSE OF HOW MANY YEARS? SO, UM, WELL, THAT'S BETWEEN THE M AND LEMME GO BACK TO THE SLIDE HERE.
SO PROJECT LIFE'S 35 YEARS, UM, BUT AS YOU SEE HERE, HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN.
UM, SO IN THE, UH, THE, WHAT I'LL CALL UPFRONT PAYMENTS FROM THE CITING AGREEMENT, SO THAT'D BE IN THE FIRST YEAR OR TWO AS, UM, 1.5 MILLION.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN THERE UNDER ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS.
SO THAT'S TACKED ON TOP OF THE M AND T TAX AT 800,000, AND THEN THE REAL ESTATE TAX AT OVER 400,000.
SO IT IS A BIG CHUNK OF IT IS UPFRONT.
SO IT IS OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S, BUT SOME OF IT'S FRONT, BUT IT'S 4 MILLION OVER 35 YEARS.
WITH, UH, 1.5 MILLION IN THE FIRST, UH, ONE TO TWO YEARS.
SO, UH, WHO'S GONNA DO THE SHEEP GRAZING? UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A COMPANY WE USE, UM, IN SPOTSYLVANIA AND IN CHARLES CITY COUNTY.
UM, IT, WE, EITHER WE USE THEM OR IF THERE'S SOMEBODY LOCAL, UM, IT'S, THEY'RE IN PRETTY HIGH DEMAND THESE DAYS, SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO FIND THEM.
MR. MR. CHAIR? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M OUT TO ORDER FOR ASKING THIS QUESTION, BUT WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT IN THE OLIVE WHITE PORTION? UH, WE'VE BEEN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN WE GO IN FRONT OF THE BOARD, UH, JULY 11TH.
SO WHERE THIS, UH, IT'S MUCH FURTHER BEHIND IN, SORRY, WAS IT APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN IOWA? NO, IT WAS NOT.
I'VE GOT A, JUST A GENERAL QUESTION.
UM, A ES, DO THEY OWN SYCAMORE CROSS SOLAR? YES.
UM, DO YOU OWN THE ONE, UH, LANDOWNERS NEW, NEW, WHAT IS IT? NEW SUSTAINABLE, UH, SU NEW SUSTAINABLE PROPERTY OWNER.
DO YOU OWN THAT? YES, CORRECT.
SO, AND WE TALK ABOUT OUR COMPREHENSION PLAN, THE, THE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS.
ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, YOU MADE A COMMENT THAT WE, WE GONNA START NEXT WEEK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN MISSOURI ABOUT DOING THE, UH, FINAL STAGES OF THIS THING.
SO WHERE HAS THAT COMMUNICATION BEEN ALL YEAR FOR, AND I'M ASKING THAT,
[01:20:01]
OR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, I'M ASKING THAT FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.I, I WISH WE WOULD'VE STARTED IT FROM THE BEGINNING.
UM, WE, WE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD TO DO THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, HINDSIGHT'S 2020 AND, AND, AND I GUESS FURTHER TO THAT IS WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU KNOW TO THE END OF THE FACILITY, YOU WANNA INVOLVE THEM FOR TWO WEEKS A MONTH.
UH, WE'RE STILL DISCUSSING WHAT THEIR CAP CAPACITY WOULD BE, BUT IDEALLY WE'D HAVE THEM ON FOR DECENT CHUNK OF EVERY DAY THAT THERE'S SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY.
SORRY, I, I CAN JUST SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY BECAUSE, UH, UH, GREG CRESWELL, PROJECT MANAGER WITH CAVALIER AND SYCAMORE CROSS, BUT I COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.
SO PROJECT UPDATE ON CAVALIER, WE HAVE PROBABLY 30 DAYS OF DELIVERIES, LIKE MAIN DELIVERIES, MECHANICAL AND PANELS LEFT.
SO THAT'S A PRIME PART OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT.
BUT WE ALL ALSO CAN WORK WITH THEM.
SCHOOLS START BACK UP IN AUGUST, WE'LL STILL HAVE ACTIVITIES ON SITE, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE POLICE PRESENCE AVAILABLE.
IF THAT'S THE DETERMINATION THAT THIS IS GONNA WORK BEST, THEY HAVE THE WORKFORCE AND THE STAFF TO ASSIST US, THEN WE CAN GET THEM ON BOARD.
UM, THEN WE WOULD CONTINUE WITH THEM UNTIL THE PROJECT REACHES, UH, COMPLETION, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE THIRD, PROBABLY THIRD QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.
SO IT, IT WOULD BE MORE THAN JUST A FEW WEEKS.
COULD YOU JUST CONFIRM AGAIN, ARE THE PROJECT CAVALIER PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETE IN 30 DAYS? NO, NO, NO, JUST DELIVERIES.
SO DELIVERIES OF ALL THE MECHANICAL, SO THE RACKING SYSTEMS, UH, MECHANICAL WIRING, UM, AND THE PANELS.
SO ALL THE DELIVERIES, LIKE YOUR 18 WHEELERS THAT GO THROUGH THE MOUNT EBO STATION, ABOUT 30 DAYS, THAT'S ALL THAT'S LEFT ON THAT.
AND FROM THERE, THE REST OF THE WORK YOU'LL SEE WOULD BE LIKE DELIVERIES OF CIVIL, SO RECEIVING, UM, IN, IN THE FALL WHEN THE WEATHER GETS RIGHT, THEN WE START FINISHING UP ALL THE VEGETATIVE MAINTENANCE, PUTTING IN THE VEG BUFFERS.
SO YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF, UH, DELIVERIES THEN, BUT NOT 18 WHEELERS, NOT EQUIPMENT.
SO WHAT'S THE PROJECTED OPERATIONS DATE FOR THE CAVALIER PROJECT? UH, COMPLETION IS, UH, OCTOBER.
AND THAT'S OPERATION STAR, CORRECT? YEAH.
YOU HAVE PORTIONS OF IT THAT ARE, IF YOU WANNA SAY ENERGIZED AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT COD, UH, WHICH WE CALL COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT WOULD BE OCTOBER 25 OR 24 24.
SO YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'LL NEED THE SHERIFF JUST IN, UH, REGULAR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THE EMPLOYEES DURING THE CONTRACTORS, NOT JUST THE BIG RIGS DURING OPERATION? NO.
I THINK IF IN 30 THE NEXT, IF THEY COME ON BOARD DAYS, WE WOULD KEEP THEM EXTENDED THROUGH THE END OF THE PROJECT.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CLARIFY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST FOR DELIVERIES THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING THEM ON BOARD, IT'S EXTENDING IT THROUGH THE END OF THE PROJECT.
I THINK ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING, THE SYCAMORE PART IS, SO, I MEAN, THE AREA IS SO RELATIVELY SMALL THAT, I MEAN, EACH ONE OF THESE AREAS WOULD, WOULD TAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT AREA MIGHT TAKE TWO MONTHS TOPS OF, OF SIGNIFICANT WORK, AND THEN IT'S DONE.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE LIKE A YEAR OR TWO YEAR THING FOR WORK IN, UH, THE AREAS THAT ARE IN SURREY.
SO COULD YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC? HOW LONG IS IT? I MEAN, IS IT OC DOES IT GO FROM NOVEMBER, 2024 TO, OR HOW LONG IS IT GO? SO HOW LONG IS WOULD THE SYCAMORE CONSTRUCTION BE? YEAH.
UM, IT, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE, UH, PROBABLY 18 MONTHS ONCE WE START, UH, HOW LONG IT TAKES US TO GET TO THE STARTING POINT.
UM, YOU COULD SAY IF IT, IF IT GETS APPROVED IN THE FALL, WE MAYBE START CONSTRUCTION NEXT FALL OF 2025.
SO THEN IT'D GO INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, LATE 26TH, MAYBE 27TH.
AND CAN YOU ADDRESS MR. COGGINS? UH, UH, MR. MAYBE I'LL ASK MR. COGGINS, DO, WHICH ONE? THE IMPERVIOUS SOIL, RIGHT? I MEAN, IS IT YOUR INTENT TO THE, THE STORMWATER ADHERE TO THE NEW REGULATIONS VERSUS
[01:25:01]
THE OLDMAN? YEAH.AND, AND, UH, SO I GUESS FIRST WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS YOU, YOU MADE A COMMENT ABOUT LANDOWNERS GETTING WASHED OUT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE BEEN INSPECTED BY DEQI THINK FIVE TIMES AND HAD, UH, NO VIOLATIONS, NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.
COUNTY STAFF IS OUT EVERY TWO WEEKS.
UM, AND CONSIDERING HOW WET IT HAS BEEN, ESPECIALLY THIS LAST WINTER, UM, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ISSUES.
AND, UM, AND IF, IF ANY ISSUES DID COME TO US, WE HAVE ADDRESSED THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE, UH, CAN.
SO I, I DON'T, I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE THAT THE STORM WATER HAS BEEN AN ISSUE, BUT, UM, WE CAN WORK WITH THE COUNTY AGAIN, LIKE DURING THE CUP PROCESS, YOU ALL GET TO RECOMMEND CONDITIONS.
UM, AND IF THAT'S HOW, WHAT YOU ALL WANTED TO DO, THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE.
I, I JUST, TO ME, IT'S LOGICAL THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S BASED ON A LITTLE SIX BY SIX I-BEAM THAT HOLDS A EIGHT BY EIGHT SOLAR PANEL.
AND WE'RE SAYING THAT THE AMOUNT OF RAINWATER YOU HAVE TO BUILD YOUR RETENTION POND BASED ON TWO EIGHT BY EIGHT I-BEAMS VERSUS AN EIGHT FOOT BY EIGHT FOOT SOLAR PANEL.
YOU, THE ADVANCED AUTO PARTS IN SMITHDALE, THEY HAD TO DIG A BIG RETENTION POND IN FRONT OF IT TO MAKE SURE NONE OF THEIR WATER LEFT THE PROPERTY.
'CAUSE UNDERNEATH THE PANEL IS VEGETATED AND WE STILL HAVE TO CAPTURE ALL THE WATER.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S HOW IT ALL WORKS.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO FILL, I MEAN, VIRGINIA HAS THE MOST STRICT STORMWATER REGULATIONS IN THE COUNTRY, AND THAT'S WHY THESE FACILITIES HAVE HUNDREDS OF STORM WATER.
BUT IT'S ENOUGH OF A PROBLEM THAT DEQ HAS SAID.
LOOK, IS IT 20, 24, 20? I MEAN, THAT IT'S GONNA BE STATEWIDE YEAH.
MANDATED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
WE'RE JUST GETTING A EARLY STEP ON IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO, AFTER IT'S BUILT AND Y'ALL HAVE GONE DOWN THE ROAD AND WE HAVE A, THEY TALK ABOUT A HUNDRED YEAR STORMS. WE HAVE A 200 YEAR STORM AND HALF OF THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, HALF OF THE CROPS IN THE COUNTY WASH DOWN, YOU KNOW, BEACHLAND ROAD.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WRIGHT IS RIGHT.
IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE THE GUY BUILDING THE WALMART, HIS IMPERVIOUS BE THIS WAY OR THE DOLLAR GENERAL, THEN THE TOTAL FARMERS OUGHT TO BE UNDER THE SAME THING.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, I JUST, LIKE I SAID, I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE, THE, UM, RECYCLING OF THE PANELS.
I, I JUST, I, I CAN'T GET THERE.
THAT'S JUST WELL BEYOND ME TO, WELL BACK, BACK IN STORM WATER.
WE WILL WORK WITH THE COUNTY ON IT, AND WE ARE, WE'RE AMENABLE TO THAT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE A, OUR PROPOSED CONDITION DOES HAVE A OB SUREITY AMOUNT IN PLACE FOR THE DECON CONDITION IN OUR PROPOSED CONDITION FOR SYCAMORE CROSS.
AND JUST TO ADD TO THE CONDITIONS, AND I KNOW OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HORSES TALKED ABOUT IT, CONDITIONS AREN'T NECESSARILY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
AND IT'S BEEN STATED, WE CAN WORK ON ANYTHING WITH YOU IF IT'S DETERMINED THAT WE'RE IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU APPROVED THE PROJECT OR THE CONDITIONS AT THIS POINT.
BUT THE CONDITION WE PROPOSED DID SAY THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.
WE TALKED AT THE WORK SESSION, IF YOU REMEMBER, I BELIEVE IT WAS CHAIRMAN BROCK THAT BROUGHT UP A POINT ABOUT, HEY, HOW MUCH GRADING DO YOU HAVE TO DO ON SITE AND WHILE THE GRADING, RIGHT, THAT'S A POINT OF CONTENTION.
PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO SEE ALL THE EARTH WORK DONE.
DEQ IS GONNA REQUIRE MORE OF THAT.
SO YOU FIND THE BALANCING ACT A ES HAS DONE THAT ON CAVALIER, AND WE'VE SUGGESTED IN THE CONDITIONS, I THINK IT'S CONDITION 17 ARE SUGGESTED CONDITIONS THAT SAY WE WILL VEGETATE THE SITE AS SOON AS THE EARTH WORK IS COMPLETED.
BEFORE WE START MECHANICAL, BEFORE WE START ELECTRICAL, WE COME BACK IN AND WE PUT FRESH VEGETATION DOWN TO STABILIZE THE SITE BEFORE WE BEGIN WORKING ON IT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NVS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S ANOTHER CONDITION WITHIN THERE THAT SUGGESTS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK.
I THINK IT'S MAYBE WITH THIRD PARTY, UM, TO COME IN, REVIEW THE SITE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I THINK IT'S EVERY TWO WEEKS SO THAT THE COUNTY DOES HAVE OVERSIGHT OF THIS AND IT'S NOT GETTING AWAY FROM YOU, AND WE CAN MAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IF NEEDED AT THAT POINT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCING ACT.
UM, THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE GRADING, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY DOING GRADING.
THEY, THEY ARE, THEY HAVE TO PUT THE DIRT FROM THE STORM WATER PONDS SOMEWHERE.
AND SO IT'S ACTUALLY JUST SPREADING OUT THE DIRT FROM THE STORMWATER PONDS.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SITTING THERE TRYING TO MAKE IT LIKE A PERFECTLY FLAT SURFACE.
BUT AGAIN, THE VIRGINIA STORMWATER REGULATIONS REQUIRE SO MUCH EXCAVATION FOR THE PONDS THAT, THAT THAT'S WHAT THE, THE GRADING ACTUALLY IS.
BUT THEN YOU KIND OF DO THAT UP ON THE, UM, SOLAR, THE FIRST ONE YOU GET TO, I THINK IT'S THE COX FARM, WHAT I CALL THE COX FARM GOING UP WHITE MARSH ROAD, THE FIRST ONE YOU GET THAT THEY WERE OPEN FIELDS, Y'ALL TOOK ALL THE TOP SOIL OFF AND PILED IT UP, AND IT WAS, IT IS FLAT FLATTERED THERE.
I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT
[01:30:01]
YEAH, WE SAVE THE TOPSOIL THEN PUT IT BACK DOWN ON TOP TO GROW.BUT WHAT I THOUGHT YOU JUST GOT THROUGH SAYING THAT YOU DON'T GRADE IT OFF AND THAT IT, THE, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY THERE, BUT ALMOST ALL OF THE GRADING WE DO IT IS, IT'S IN AN AREA LIKE THIS, RIGHT? IT'S NOT TO MAKE IT PERFECTLY FLAT, IT'S TO SPREAD IT SAYING SPREAD UP THE DIRT.
I'M SAYING BALL WAS FLAT, IT WAS OPEN FIELDS, AND Y'ALL WENT IN AND, AND WITH THE, UH, UM, EARTH MOVERS AND STUFF, AND Y'ALL, I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP YOU CUT IT OFF, BUT YOU CUT IT OFF AND PILED IT UP OVER NEXT TO THE GUY THAT LIVES ON, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST HOUSE YOU GET TO ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND AGAIN, THOSE PLANS ARE ALL REVIEWED AND THAT'S REQUIRED BY DEQ REGULATIONS.
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS SAYING, WE WANNA COME IN AND, AND WE WANT TO DO THIS LIKE WE DO AS MINIMAL AS WE CAN THAT DEQ LETS US DO.
AND THAT GETS REVIEWED BY THE COUNTY AND SITE PLAN APPROVAL.
SO IT'S ALL, REMEMBER, YEAH, IT'S A S DESIGN, IT'S COUNTY OVERSIGHT AND DEQ OVERSIGHT.
I GET MY POINT ABOUT THE GRADING WAS LIKE, IF THERE'S A HILL, WE DON'T GO IN AND GRADE OUT THE HILL.
FIRST OFF, THAT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
UM, AND, AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO DO THAT.
SO THE GRADING IS SPREADING DIRT AND THEN GETTING STORM WATER TO FLOW TO WHERE IT CAN BE CAPTURED.
AND WE HAVE TO DO THAT PER VIRGINIA REGULATIONS AND COUNTY REGULATIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OR MR. WADE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO YES, SIR.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO, TO READ, READ INTO THE MINUTES WAS, UM, LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE STAFF REPORT I WANNA READ VERBATIM.
SUBSTANTIAL COURT REQUIRES DETERMINING WHETHER THE APPLICANT HAS LARGELY BUT NOT WHOLLY MEETS THE INTENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WHILE EVERY STRATEGY HAS BEEN RESPONDED TO IN WAYS THAT MEET THE INTENT, STAFF BELIEVES THAT THESE DIFFERENCES FALL UNDER LARGELY, BUT NOT WHOLLY MEETING SUBSTANTIAL COURT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR LOCATION, CHARACTER, AND EXTENT OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
THIS IS ALSO PARTLY DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE PROJECT, ENTIRELY WITH LEADS WITHIN THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT OF A PREVIOUS APPROVAL AND ITS IDENTIFICATION AS AN EXISTING AND APPROVED AREA FOR, SO DEVELOPMENT, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT FOR, FOR ENERGY.
SO THAT, THAT WAS THE STATEMENT I WANTED TO MAKE RIGHT THERE.
UM, I THINK YOU ALL NEED TO LOOK AT THE, THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES RIGHT BEFORE THAT PARAGRAPH AND, AND EVALUATE IT FOR YOURSELVES TO SEE IF THOSE ARE LARGER ISSUES THAT YOU FEEL LIKE NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, THAT, THAT YOU FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE NOT ADDRESSED.
AND THAT IS FOR YOU, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR POINT OF VIEW.
EACH OF YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT MINDSET OF, OF REVIEWING THIS.
YOU'RE REVIEWING IT FOR YOURSELF, UM, IF, IF, IF IT FALLS UNDER LARGE AMOUNT BUT NOT WHOLLY, OR IF YOU FEEL AS THOUGH THAT IT, IT'S NOT MEETING IT LARGELY.
SO THAT, THAT IS A DECISION FOR EACH COMMISSIONER WOULD HAVE TO MEET, MAKE, UM, FORGE AMP COURT TERMINATION.
AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, I CAN ANSWER YOU THIS QUESTIONS FOR YOU ALL TONIGHT.
WELL, I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO ADD TWO MORE WEAKNESSES.
UM, AND ONE OF THEM IS IT DOESN'T MEET THE MINIMUM HALF MILE FROM THE EXISTING, UH, SOLAR FACILITY.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE CENTRAL.
IT IS OVER A MILE AWAY FROM THE EXISTING POWER LINE THAT'S PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THE, UH, BEING OVER A MILE AWAY, UH, ACCORDING TO THEIR MAPS AND MY ROUGH ESTIMATES, THEY'RE RUNNING MEDIUM VOLTAGE POWER LINES OVER FOUR AND A HALF MILES THROUGH SURY, AND THEN ANOTHER TWO OR THREE MILES A MILE OF WHITE TO GET TO THE SUBSTATION.
AND WE PUT THE MILE IN THERE SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO RUN.
SO KNOW A LOT MORE POWER LINES LIKE THEY'RE DOING.
AND I, I'LL SAY TOO ON THE, THE NOISE FROM THE, UH, UH, INVERTERS, UM, I TALKED TO A RESIDENT THE OTHER DAY THAT LIVES OVER 1300 FEET FROM THE CLOSEST ONE.
AND, UM, ASKED HIM IF HE COULD HEAR IT, AND HE SAID, YES, HE HEARS SOMETHING AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS A, A CROP DRYER, UM, THOUGHT SOME OF THE FARMERS HAD BEEN, YOU KNOW, DRYING CROPS, BUT TURNS OUT IT WAS THE INVERTER.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, LONG DISTANCE TO, TO HEAR THAT.
[01:35:01]
AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVED IN A, A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE INVERTERS ALL AROUND YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL YOU'RE HEARING 24 7 FOR 35 YEARS.WELL, IS IS THIS THE DISCUSSION PART? UH, OR THERE, OR IS IT JUST QUESTION? I THINK IT, OKAY.
SO, UM, AS I REVIEWED THIS, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY SPOKE TO ME WAS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SURREY RESIDENTS.
UM, AND SO, AND THIS INVOLVES THEMES OF PRESERVATION OF THE COUNTY CHARACTER, ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, TARGETED FUTURE LAND USE, IMPROVED AND SAFE ROADWAYS TO CONNECT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE WHERE A SOLAR PROJECT WILL BE IN ACCORD WITH THAT MAIN VISION.
THE WAY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS WRITTEN, THERE'S A MAIN VISION, WHICH IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SURREY RESIDENTS.
AND THEN UNDER THAT, THERE ARE THEMES AND THERE ARE ELEMENTS, AND IT'S ALL DESCRIBED IN THE PLAN ABOUT MAINTAINING OUR RURAL CHARACTER AND HAVING AN IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION AND HAVING A FAMILY ORIENTED AND SAFE COMMUNITY THAT WE PROMOTE HEALTHY A AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY.
SO IN ORDER, I DON'T SEE HOW A SOLAR PROJECT AND, AND THIS ONE, UH, HAD, CAN BE IN ACCORD WITH OUR PLAN.
NOW WE ADDED THIS ENERGY, UM, PROJECT AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS ENERGY PROJECTS.
AND AS HAS ALREADY BEEN NOTED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THE ITEMS THERE THAT THEY ARE NOT IN ACCORD WITH.
UM, SO, AND THEN ALSO I BELIEVE THAT EVEN THOUGH DECOMMISSIONING WILL BE ADDRESSED LATER, UM, IT IS MENTIONED IN OUR PLAN, UH, AND SO THAT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S MORE INFORMATION THIS PROJECT SHOULD SUPPLY TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST MINIMALLY MEETING THE, THE SUBSTANTIAL ACCORDANCE, BUT THEY'RE GOING OVER AND ABOVE IT.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS PROJECT, THIS COMPANY HAS A LOT OF HISTORY HERE IN THIS COUNTY, AND IT'S BEEN BRUTAL.
IT'S JUST BEEN BRUTAL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE AROUND IT.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE HAS BEEN DEGRADED SEVERELY.
AND TO THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA ASK OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO COME AND HELP YOU WHEN WE BROUGHT THESE ISSUES OVER A YEAR AGO, I MEAN, YOU SHOULD BE SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS. YOU SHOULD BE HELPING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE BE BETTER.
WE WANT GOOD PARTNERS TO COME IN TO SERVE.
SO IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE HOW YOU ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE PRIMARY VISION OF OUR PLAN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MR. WADE? NO, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
AND I GET MY QUESTION FOR THE, UM, PLAN OF COMMISSION IS, UM, IF WE, UH, APPROVE THIS, IT GOES, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? SO IF, IF THE PROJECT IS FOUND TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD, UM, THE, THE NEXT STEP FOR THIS PROJECT WOULD BE, UM, A CONDITIONAL USE A, UH, PUBLIC ADVERTISEMENT FOR A CONDITION USE PERMIT TO BE COMING BACK BEFORE THIS BODY.
IF, IF IT IS TO FOUND TO BE A SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD, IF IT IS NOT FOUND TO BE SUBSTANTIAL IN ACCORD, THEN THE APPLICANT WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO, UM, TO APPEAL THAT DECISION TO THE BOARD SUPERVISORS, UM, TO, TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
[01:40:02]
UM, CONCURS WITH PLANNING COMMISSION, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING ELSE TAKES ANY, ANY FURTHER.IF THE BOARD OF PRE SUPERVISORS REVIEWS IT AND FINDS IT TO BE, ITS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE, UM, THE, THE SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD WITH OR, OR APPROVES A A STUDY AGREEMENT, IT WOULD COME BACK BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UM, FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVEN'T REACHED THE PUBLIC HEARING STAGES YET UNTIL YOU HAVE A, UNTIL YOU GO TO THE, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REVIEW.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, MR. BURN BROUGHT UP TWO POINTS THAT'S NOT IN STANDING WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE TWO ISSUES? WELL, THERE, THERE, THERE, I THINK THERE IN THE STAFF REPORT IS, IT MENTIONS TWO OF OF THOSE THINGS HERE.
I THINK, UM, THE, THE PART THAT MR. BEARMAN BROUGHT UP WAS THE HALF MILE FROM, UH, ANOTHER SOLAR PROJECT AS WELL AS THE OID, UM, IS, WAS, IS WITHIN ALL WHITE.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT WITHIN, UM, A MILE FROM THE OID.
SO NOW THOSE, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE OTHER ADDED, I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT AS A COMMISSION, YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT COLLECTIVELY.
DO THOSE, DO THOSE WAY AS WEAKNESSES? AND DO YOU, DO YOU, WHEN YOU REVIEWING IT FOR YOURSELF, DO YOU REVIEW THAT AND SAY THAT IT IS IN SUBSTANTIAL COURT OR IT IS NOT? SO I THINK LARGELY YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT LARGELY FOR YOURSELF AND LOOKING AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND YOUR OWN EVALUATION, WE'VE GIVEN YOU A STAFF REPORT TO LOOK AT, YOU'VE, YOU'VE HEARD EVERYTHING HERE TODAY.
YOU'VE HEARD, HEARD FROM OTHER PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
EACH, EACH ONE OF YOU WOULD HAVE TO EVALUATE FOR YOURSELF TO SEE DOES IT FALL LARGELY BUT NOT WHOLLY IN ONE CATEGORY OR NEXT.
DOES IT YOU FEEL AS THOUGH, UM, THAT YOU COULD SUPPORT IT BEING LARGELY IN SUBSTANTIAL COURT OR, OR NOT? I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ULTIMATELY THE DECISION EACH OF YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAKE, UH, FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS.
DETECTIVE, THIS TIME, I WANNA ASK, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD COMMISSION, MR. BROCK? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I'D MAKE MAKE THE MOTION TO DENY, UH, SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD DETERMINATION 20 24 0 2 DUE TO INSUFFICIENT IDENTIFICATION OF QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS BY THE PROJECT THAT SUPPORT THE SURY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN'S PRIMARY VISION.
ALSO DUE TO ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN STRATEGIES THREE AND FOUR OF THE ENERGY PROJECT AMENDMENT, WHICH IS THE 0.5 AND ONE MILE REQUIREMENT.
AND DUE TO INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR NOISE REDUCTION, FINANCIAL BENEFITS, AND DECOMMISSIONING, I'LL SECOND IT.
WHO, WHO SECOND? I DID MR. NEWBY.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED A SECOND THAT THE, UM, SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD DETERMINATION 20 24 0 2, UM, BE DENIED WITH THE, UM, REQUIREMENTS THAT MS. CHEEK, UH, SET FORTH.
FOR, FOR THE DENIED VOTING? FOR THE MOTION.
AND, AND I GUESS THE, UM, Y'ALL HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR, FOR THE MOTION
[01:45:01]
THAT WAS, UM, PRESENTED? YES.I THINK, I THINK WE DO HAVE THAT MOTION.
SO THE NEXT THING ON THAT AGENDA IS THE PRESERVATION OF THE WETLANDS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
I'M GOING, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA GIVE THIS FLOOR OVER TO MR. PERKINS, BUT I WANT IN, IN, IN A, IN A, IN, IN A MOMENT.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL TONIGHT, WE WANT PRESENT TO YOU ALL TONIGHT.
UM, THE, THE WETLANDS ORDINANCE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAME BEFORE US FROM THE STATE.
UM, THE STATE HAS TOLD US, LISTEN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE NEW REQUIREMENTS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE YOUR UP, YOUR ORDINANCES NEED TO BE UPDATED.
UM, THEY'VE TOLD EVERY, EVERYONE IN, IN THE COMMONWEALTH THAT THEY HAVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE WITHIN OUR WETLANDS ORDINANCE.
UM, WHILE REVIEWING THAT, WE ALSO IDENTIFIED THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIND OUR WETLANDS ORDINANCE ON, ON UNICODE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WE WE'RE BASICALLY GIVING YOU SOMETHING, UH, THE, THE ORDINANCE DOES EXIST, HOWEVER, IT'S NOT ON UNICODE, IT'S NOT CODIFIED AT THIS POINT.
SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ON THE WETLANDS BOARD, YOU KNOW THAT THE CODE SECTION DOES EXIST.
HOWEVER, YOU PROBABLY WEREN'T ABLE TO LOOK AT IT ON YOUR LAPTOP AND, AND PULL IT UP ON A, ON YOUR, UM, ON, ON YOUR UNICODE.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
UM, I, I THINK, UH, WAS LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF THE ORDINANCES RIGHT NOW.
I'LL JUST HAVE MS. PERKINS COME UP HERE FOR, FOR A MINUTE TO KIND OF EXPLAIN WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT KIND OF CHANGES WE HAVE TO MAKE.
HELLO AGAIN, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UH, PROMISE I'LL BE, I'LL BE QUICK.
UH, SO AS MR. WADE INDICATED, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MADE SOME CHANGES, UH, TO THE, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A WETLANDS ORDINANCE.
AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, WE ARE DILLON RURAL STATE, UM, AND THAT MEANS THAT WE AS A LOCALITY CAN ONLY DO THE THINGS AND PUT IN THE LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY GIVES US THE POWER TO, TO, TO PUT INTO PLACE.
SO, UH, THE WETLANDS ORDINANCE, UH, THERE WERE SOME REVISIONS MADE TO IT.
UH, THE LAST TIME OUR WETLANDS ORDINANCE WAS TOUCHED WAS WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY FIRST ENACTED, ADOPTED, AND THAT WAS BACK IN 2006.
UH, SO THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES, UH, THROUGH THE YEARS.
AND THIS IS BY AND LARGE A, A HOUSEKEEPING TYPE OF, UH, TYPE OF AMENDMENTS THAT NEED TO BE, THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
SO, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, UH, IS WHAT I DID WAS I TOOK THE, THE ORDINANCE THAT IS, IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE AS, AS MR. WADE SAID, IT WAS NEVER, IT WAS NEVER CODIFIED, WHICH MEANS IT WAS NEVER PUT INTO MUNI CODE.
UM, NOT SURE, NOT SURE WHY THAT WAS, UH, BEFORE MR. WADE IN MIND'S TIME HERE IN THE COUNTY.
BUT, UH, THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING STRAIGHTENED OUT.
THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU SEE IN RED AND IN ITALICS IS NEW, IS NEW LANGUAGE.
UM, AND AS YOU GO THROUGH AND SEE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE IS THAT THE MAJORITY IS JUST HEADINGS AND NUMBERING THINGS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER, UM, WITH HOW OUR ORDINANCES, HOW OUR ORDINANCES LOOK.
THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF CHANGES.
UM, SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SECTION THREE, UH, NUMBER 12, A NEW, A NEW CONDITION WAS ADDED, TALKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIVING SHORELINE PROJECTS.
UM, THAT IS LANGUAGE THAT HAS, HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS SINCE 2006.
SO AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING, GET EVERYTHING UP TO DATE.
UM, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT YOU WILL NOTICE IS IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY TO THE END, IT'S ACTUALLY THE LAST SECTION, UM, WHICH IS, UH, SECTION WHAT USED TO BE SECTION 14.
UM, THAT IS AN EXISTING SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT APPEALS.
THAT LANGUAGE IS NOWHERE IN VIRGINIA CODE.
AND SO, UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE STRIKE THAT LANGUAGE AND I BELIEVE APPEALS ARE DEALT WITH IN OTHER SECTIONS OF, OF OUR COUNTY CODE AND OTHER SECTIONS OF VIRGINIA CODE.
BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT LANGUAGE, UM, THAT IS SPECIFICALLY IN THE WETLANDS ORDINANCE THAT THAT IS SET OUT IN VIRGINIA CODE THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW.
AND NEITHER MR. WADE NOR I COULD COME UP WITH WHERE, COME UP WITH THE HISTORY ON WHERE THIS
[01:50:01]
LANGUAGE CAME FROM.SO AGAIN, IN AN EFFORT TO, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE COMPLYING WITH THE, THE LETTER OF THE LAW, UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO IS TO REMOVE THIS LANGUAGE.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF THE CHANGES YOU WILL SEE.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR TONIGHT IS JUST A MOTION TO BRING FORTH THESE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS.
UM, AND I DO HAVE, I DO HAVE SOME, SOME LANGUAGE FOR THAT MOTION.
UM, SHOULD ANY PLANNING COMMISSIONER WISH TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
AND THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING THIS TO YOU AT, AT A FUTURE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, THE ACTUAL, THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS.
UH, BUT WE ARE REQUIRED UNDER VIRGINIA CODE, UM, SECTION 15.2 2286, TO HAVE THIS, UH, HAVE THIS STEP OF HAVING, UH, HAVING THE PLANNING COMMISSION INITIATE A MOTION TO BRING FORTH THE AMENDMENTS.
SO, UM, THAT IS THE ACTION THAT, UH, WE ARE REQUESTING THIS EVENING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM MS. PERKINS? I HAVE A QUESTION FROM MS. PERKINS.
YOU SAID, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE, I MEAN, DO WE KNOW HOW PEOPLE CAN APPEAL? I UNDERSTAND THAT TAKING IT OUT.
I'M NOT ARGUING THAT WHETHER IT GOES IN, I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW DO WE KNOW HOW APPEALS CAN BE DONE? WANNA TAKE THIS? YEAH, SIR.
WE, WE WORKED WITH VMRC ON THESE WETLANDS, UH, WETLANDS PERMITS.
SO TYPICALLY IF YOUR PERMIT, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE NOT EXEMPT FROM THE WETLANDS ORDINANCE, YOU HAVE TO COME BEFORE TO GET A WETLANDS PERMIT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, UH, LET'S GIVE YOU, I'LL GIVE YOU A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHEN DOMINION ASKED FOR A WETLANDS PERMIT.
UM, THEY WERE AT A BODY OF WATER THAT WAS ONLY PEOPLE THAT WERE SEEING THE PROJECT WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IN OLIVE OF WHITE ON THE WATER.
THEY, THEY ACTUALLY COULD APPEAL IT BECAUSE THEY WERE AGGRIEVED PERSONS ALONG THE, ON THE WATER SIDE.
SO THOSE PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY APPEAL IT AT THE STATE LEVEL, NOT IN SURY COUNTY.
SO THEY, THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD APPEAL TO THE WETLANDS COMMISSION, WHICH IS A STATE BODY, NOT, NOT IN SURREY THOUGH.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT HELP UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE IS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT, IT GETS COMPLICATED 'CAUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY LIKE APPEAL TO WHO WITHIN, WITHIN, WITHIN SURREY, BUT IT'S NOT WITHIN SUR WITH WITHIN THE, IT'S WITHIN THE STATE.
SO IT SHOULD JUST TALK TO YOUR OFFICE IF THEY NEED TO DO AN APPEAL.
IS THAT WHAT
THE STATE, THE, THE, WHEN WE, WE GET A APPROVED WETLANDS PERMIT, THE STATE IS USUALLY HERE AND THEY KNOW THAT A, A PERMIT WAS APPROVED AND THEN WE LET, WE, LET WE ADVISE THE STATE THAT THE, THAT THE WETLANDS PERMIT WAS APPROVED.
AND SO THERE'S THIS APPEAL PERIOD THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT TH ABOUT SAY, LET'S SAY ABOUT 30 DAYS THAT SOMEONE CAN ACTUALLY APPEAL AFTER THE WETLANDS PERMIT WAS APPROVED BY OUR WETLANDS BOARD.
SO THEY, BUT THAT, THAT'S AT THE STATE LEVEL, NOT NOT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AND WE CAN ALSO, FOR THE PURPOSES OF, IF, IF YOU ALL APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS COMING BACK, UM, WHICH AGAIN, I I HOPE YOU DO BECAUSE IT IS A REQUIREMENT IN VIRGINIA CODE THAT WE AMEND OUR ORDINANCE, UM, THAT IS INFORMATION THAT WE CAN BRING BACK IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL IN CASE I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE KNOW HOW TO DO APPEALS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO
I I HAVE A QUESTION JUST 'CAUSE I WANNA LEARN.
SO DOES SURREY COUNTY HAVE A WETLANDS BOARD? IF SOMEONE WERE TO APPLY FOR SOMETHING IN THE WETLANDS, WE HAVE A BOARD THAT WOULD REVIEW THAT? YES.
ISN'T THAT WHAT THE UNDER, UH, WHAT SECTION WAS IT? SO THERE, THERE ARE SECTIONS IN HERE THAT ARE EXEMPT.
SO IF IT, IT PERSONAL USE WAS, IT WAS UNDER THE PERMITTED USES.
IT SAID THAT, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF NON-COMMERCIAL CATWALK, PEARS, BOAT HOUSES, BOAT SHELTERS, DUCK BLINDS, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SHELTERS, FOOT BRIDGES.
SO IF IT'S A PERMITTED USE, DO YOU NEED A PERMIT? SO JUST BECAUSE IT'S PERMITTED BY RIGHT HERE, YOU STILL MAY HAVE TO GO TO VMRC WITH THE JOINT PERMITS, WITH HAVING TO APPLY WITH VMRC AS WELL AS ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AS WELL.
SO THAT, THAT DOESN'T EXIST YOU FOR GOING FOR THAT PROCESS.
BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE IT REVIEWED AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND THE STATE USUALLY GETS IT TO THE ARMY COURT TO, TO REVIEW.
SO YOU, YOU, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO FOR THE WETLANDS BOARD HERE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE IT, HAVE IT REVIEWED.
YOU'D STILL FILL OUT APPLICATION TO BE REVIEWED? IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE WITH V WITH, UH, VIRGINIA MARINE, UH, MARINE RESOURCES.
IT WOULD STILL, IT WOULD STILL BE WITH THEM.
IF, IF, IF, IF ANYONE IN HERE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU DO THAT,
[01:55:01]
WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, CONNECT YOU WITH THE RIGHT FOLKS TOO.ANYBODY WAS, UH, MAKE A MOTION, MR. CHAIR.
I MOVE THAT WE, UH, APPROVE BRINGING FORTH THE, I'M SORRY.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE PUBLIC ASSESSES THE CONVENIENCE, GENERAL WELFARE AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE REQUIRE THAT AMENDMENTS TO THE SRE COUNTY WETLANDS ORDINANCE BE BROUGHT FORTH TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR PUBLIC HEARING, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ON SUCH AMENDMENTS FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, PROPERLY MOVE THE SECOND GO BACK SHEET AS A WETLANDS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT MOTION TO BRING FORTH, UM, WE APPROVE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SINGLE BY SAYING AYE.
THE NEXT THING IS, UH, COMMUNITY UPDATES COMMITTEE UPDATES ON THEM.
WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN BUSY WITH SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND SO, UM, OUR, OUR COMMITTEES WILL BE, I'LL BE TALKING WITH YOU LATER ON THIS WEEK ABOUT SETTING UP SOME DATES, SOME, SOME DATES TO MEET, TO REVIEW, REVIEW ORDINANCES.
'CAUSE IT IT IS, IT IS A NECESSARY STEP FOR WE HAVE TO TAKE.
SO, SO, UM, THAT ONE, WE, WE, WE WILL BE TALKING TO YOU SOON.
UM, ANOTHER ELEMENT, UM, THERE IS THE, A PA VIRGINIA CONFERENCE WILL BE IN WILLIAMSBURG NEXT MONTH, THE 22ND.
I DO HAVE, SO FAR I HAVE MR. NEWBIE AND MS. CHEEK SIGNED UP.
I NEED TO GET YOU, I NEED TO GET YOU SIGNED UP.
I THINK YOU SEE, YOU CAN ONLY, YOU CAN ONLY GO FOR ONE DAY.
SO IF ANYBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED IN GOING, UM, YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING.
SO IT'S, IT IS RIGHT ACROSS THE WATER.
SO, AND IT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO, YOU MAY WANNA LOOK.
I CAN GIVE YOU, I'LL, I'LL SEND YOU ALL A LINK TO THE, THE WEBSITE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
I'LL SEND YOU WHAT CLA WHAT KIND OF CLASSES THEY HAVE.
THERE'S, THERE'S SOME INTERESTING SUBJECTS UP THERE PRETTY VIEW.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT GOES FOR BOARD MEMBERS TOO, IF YOU ALL WANT TO GO TO, UM, TO, TO SEE SOME OF THE INTERESTING TOPICS THEY HAVE.
UM, I, I, I CAN GIVE THOSE TO, TO BOARD MEMBERS TOO.
SO IF, IF, IF, IF ANY OF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GOING TO THOSE, JUST LET ME KNOW.
SO, UM, OH, MR. WADE? YES, MA'AM.
DID YOU WANNA BRING UP YOUR SURVEY? THAT YOUR SURVEY WENT LIVE? MS. MS. PERKINS, DID YOU WANT, DID YOU WANT, YOU WANNA COME UP FRONT? YES, SIR.
SO, UM, FOR THOSE THAT, THAT YOU ALL KNOW, WE, WE, WE, UM, MS. PERKINS HAS BEEN TASKED TO WORK WITH THE, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS BY THE BOARD SUPERVISORS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A TASK FORCE.
I'M, I'M GONNA LET MS. PERKINS KIND OF SPREAD THE, SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS SO FAR,
THANK YOU MS. CHEEK FOR, FOR TRIGGERING OUR MEMORY ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, AS, AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD, THERE'S A SHORT-TERM RENTAL COMMITTEE THAT IS LOOKING AT, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS IN, IN THE COUNTY AND DETERMINING KIND OF WHAT WHAT BEST NEXT STEPS ARE, UM, WITH RESPECT TO, IF ANY, IF ANY, REGULATION, WHAT REGULATIONS AND, UM, THE COMMITTEE WORKING WITH MR. WADE AND MYSELF AND WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, UH, SUMMIT HAVE PUT TOGETHER A SURVEY THAT HAS GONE LIVE, UM, TO ALL, ALL THE CITIZENS IN THE COUNTY ARE WELCOME TO RESPOND.
PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE COUNTY ARE WELCOME TO RESPOND.
THE SURVEY IS ON OUR WEBSITE, UM, AS WELL AS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
SO PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE.
AND, UH, MS. CHEEK AND MR. COGAN ARE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, LIAISONS TO THE SHORT TERM RENTAL COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND, AND WE STILL HAVE, WE STILL HAVE A GOOD BIT OF WORK TO DO ON THIS ISSUE, BUT WE ARE IN FACT MAKING PROGRESS.
AND THIS SURVEY IS, IS, IS A BIG STEP.
UH, THE SURVEY IS GOING TO BE OPEN UNTIL ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF JULY.
I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA CLOSE IT AROUND JULY 15TH, SO STILL PLENTY OF TIME.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S A LINK ON THE WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN JUST CLICK ON AND IT TAKES YOU RIGHT TO THE SURVEY.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A QR CODE, UH, FOR
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THOSE WHO PREFER TO, TO USE THAT, THAT TECHNOLOGY.AND, UM, AGAIN, JUST A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS, TRYING TO, TRYING TO GAUGE PEOPLE'S, UH, PEOPLE'S FEELINGS, PEOPLE'S OPINIONS, WHAT EXPERIENCES GOOD, BAD, AND UGLY, UH, THEY HAVE HAD WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SO IF YOU ALL RECEIVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, FROM, UH, FROM FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SURVEY OR ABOUT THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO MYSELF OR MR. WADE.
THE, UH, LAST THING BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I'D LIKE TO, UM, FOR US ALL TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP MS. JENKINS IN OUR PRAYER.
SHE LOST HER MOTHER RECENTLY, SO THAT'S WHY SHE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT.
UM, AND NEXT THING IS ADJOURNMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY GOODBYE FOR SAYING ITEM ADJOURN TO OUR NEXT MEETING ON JULY THE 15TH.