Approval of a permit for a solar energy site on the property of H&M Logging, Sinai Road Solar Farm, is on the agenda for Tuesday evening’s Halifax County Planning Commission meeting.
The planning commission’s joint meeting with the board of supervisors is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the supervisors’ meeting room in the Halifax County Administration Building, 1050 Mary Bethune St. Those unable to attend the meeting in person are invited to watch the livestream of the meeting.
Sinai Road Solar Farm, LLC, a subsidiary of the Maitland, Florida-based company ESA Solar, has submitted the conditional use permit application for a proposed 3-megawatt community/shared solar energy facility at 1180 Sinai Road. The proposed solar project will encompass 11 acres of land on the 19-acre parcel of property owned by Mary Hodges. The parcel of land also incorporates the operations of the Hodges family-owned logging company, H&M Logging.
Members of the public will have an opportunity to speak either in favor of or in opposition to the proposed solar farm at the joint meeting, prior to the planning commission’s vote on the permit for the project. The board of supervisors will make a final decision on the solar project application at Tuesday’s meeting following the planning commission’s vote on it.
The proposed Sinai Road Solar Farm will be located at the rear of the Hodges’ property. According to an overview of the proposed project, the project area is bordered on three sides by land owned by Kenneth Hodges, granted to the Virginia Department of Forestry as a conservation easement encompassing approximately 811 acres.
The project applicant has secured a 40-year lease agreement for use of specific portions of the property for the Sinai Road Solar Farm, ensuring access to the remainder of the property is not restricted, the project overview states.
The Sinai Road Solar Farm intends to add 3.5 megawatts of renewable energy to Dominion Energy Virginia’s power grid via the Virginia Shared Solar Program, according to the project overview. The solar project will power up to 700 homes and enable at least 10% monthly energy bill savings for low-to-moderate income subscribers. The project will reserve 50% of its power production for low-income families eligible to subscribe.
Other community benefits of the proposed solar project listed in the project overview are boosting real estate tax revenues by at least $20,000 over its operational lifetime and bringing in $350,000 in voluntary cash payments to Halifax County.
The Sinai Road Solar Farm permit application lists 40 site conditions, including maintaining a vegetative buffer in good condition, conducting soil testing in at least three locations on the site, implementing adequate wildlife corridors, and providing a storm water management plan approved by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
Along with approval of the permit application for Sinai Road Solar Farm, the board of supervisors is tasked with another item of new business at Tuesday’s meeting: a discussion of complaints regarding the county treasurer’s office’s late fee assessment.
The board of supervisors also will recognize outgoing Supervisors Hubert Pannell and Vice Chair Stanley Brandon at their last meeting serving as Halifax County supervisors for their service on the board.
Miranda Baines is a staff writer for The Gazette-Virginian. Contact her at mbaines@yourgv.com.
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