Hanover Supervisors to get update on Comprehensive Plan, salute CASA volunteers
Details of one meeting today as we try to keep up with what's happening in local government
One meeting today in Hanover County. This week I’m moving the last things out of my parent’s apartment in Lynchburg, so I’ve lost a little time to that. It’s bittersweet that they’re moving out of the Fifth District and that their life living in the Lynchburg area is why this experimental newsletter exists.
Hanover Supervisors to approve changes to solar policy; public hearing for 150 homes
The seven member Board of Supervisors in Hanover County will meet at 2 p.m. in the Hanover County Administration Building’s Board Room. This is at 7516 County Complex Road. (meeting info)
After the invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, and comments from Supervisors, there will be proclamations made to several CASA volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Bronze Award. CASA stands for “court appointed special advocate” and volunteers work to assist children’s rights and needs during legal proceedings involving custody.
There are also proclamations to four fire/EMS personnel who are retiring.
After citizens’ time there will be three presentations.
One is on the Connect Hanover Broadband Initiative.
“The Connect Hanover broadband initiative is intended to provide broadband internet access to all unserved homes and businesses in the County,” reads the staff report. “The County has partnered with All Points Broadband as the designated internet service provider.”
The second is a quarterly update on the Comprehensive Plan update that is underway. Take a look at the Envision Hanover project on its dedicated website.
The third is the preliminary year-end report for Fiscal Year 2023. Revenues are up and the county didn’t spend as much as expected.
There is no closed session after the recess. The regular session begins at 6 p.m. with more comments from the public under Citizens’ Time.
There is a presentation on a proposed Solar and Energy Storage Policy. There are also two associated resolutions to advertise public hearings to proceed with changes to the county code including the ability to tax solar energy power generation and storage. Some of the changes:
Utility scale solar systems larger than 5 megawatts are not allowed in the Suburban Service Area
There would no longer be a category of Community Scale between 5 and 20 megawatts
Small scale solar in the suburban service area must be on no more than 25 acres
There must be a distance of three miles between solar facilities in the suburban service area
All solar facilities are capped at 250 acres
There will be a public hearing on a through truck restriction on Mount Hermon Road between the Town of Ashland limits and Ashcake Road.
“Safety concerns have been raised by several citizens concerning large trucks using Mt. Hermon Rd, a rural two-lane secondary road, to bypass congestion on I-95,” reads the staff report. “The restriction would not apply to trucks with origins and/or destinations along the restricted route.”
There are four public hearings on planning issues.
RCI Builders seek an amendment to the cash proffers for a previous rezoning of land to Agricultural Residential District. Supervisors eliminated the use of cash proffers in 2013 in favor of negotiated contributions for specific road improvements. (Beaverdam District)
Hanover 7 LLC seeks a conditional use permit to allow a place of worship on ten acres of land zoned Agricultural District (A-1) on Cauthorne Road. Specifically this would be for a Hindu temple. (South Anna Road District)
North Lake II LLC seeks a conditional use permit to allow for a “destination commerce sign” for General RV next to I-95 near Harley Club Drive. (Ashland District)
Hickory Hill LLC seeks a rezoning of 52.25 acres from A-1 to Single-Family Residential District for the purpose of building 150 age-restricted homes at a gross density of 2.87 dwellings per unit. (Beaverdam District)
Reading material:
Hanover planning commission reviews comprehensive plan, Lyndon German, VPM, August 14, 2023
Mecklenburg supes okay cell towers to fill gaps in coverage, The Mecklenburg Sun, August 15, 2023
Ejected Appomattox library board member won’t have a chance to be reinstated, Lisa Rowan, Cardinal News, August 21, 2023
Architectural visionary helps transform downtown dreams into reality, Rachael Smith, Lynchburg News & Advance, August 22, 2023