GATE CITY — A proposed two-site solar project in Nickelsville heads to the Scott County Board of Supervisors in April without the blessing of the county Planning Commission.
On a 2-4 vote, motions by Commission Chairman Rodney Baker and seconded by Jeff Seay to recommend Pivot Energy’s applications for special use permits died with members Steven Pike, Jace smith, Glen Broadwater and Scott Tipton opposing.
The permit applications are for two 5-megawatt solar arrays on pastureland owned by Kingsport resident and landowner Jeremy Harr. More than 30 Nickelsville residents — most in opposition to the proposal — listened as Pivot project representatives Georgia DeCruz and Ralph Hickox outlined the project impacts under Virginia shared solar provisions that go into effect in July.
De Cruz said the project — on two separate but adjacent land parcels along State Route 71 and Twin Springs Road — have the potential to serve as many as 1,350 customers.
When county machinery and tools taxes and property tax revenue are considered, DeCruz said, the combined four-acre site could generate $25,000 revenue annually for the county.
With shared solar provisions, the project’s power would be sent into Appalachian Power’s Copper Ridge substation and sold to customers who subscribe to the Pivot project at an approximately 10% lower rate than AEP charges its customers.
Harr said he plans to lease the land to Pivot for 20 years with an option for 20 more. He cited a fluctuating beef market for his decision to lease the site, with the cost per acre to raise cattle being approximately $2,500 per acre and his lease revenue at $4,000.
“It’s the only type of project that can help people without taking any resources out of the county,” Harr said, pointing to other commercial developments’ demand on water, sewer, power, roadways and other infrastructure.
“They’ve ticked all the boxes,” Harr said of the Pivot application’s adherence to county solar project guidelines.
Several residents cited their concerns over reports about the environmental safety of damaged solar panels of materials leached into the area’s groundwater, including Nickelsville Mayor Danny Dixon.
“Council and I are not opposed to solar power, but we have a number of concerns,” said Dixon. “I submit to you that this is not the right location.”
Other residents questioned whether the panels would cause glare to motorists driving in the project area and what impact the solar arrays would have on the town’s agricultural character.
DeCruz said the panels have an anti-glare coating and that preliminary studies include arrays that meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s criteria for glare reduction for air traffic. Studies on glare issues at ground level are in progress, she added.
Monday’s applications mark the second project under the solar project amendments to the county zoning ordinance approved in September.
Despite a December Planning Commission recommendation against it, the Board of Supervisors in January approved the first solar project special-use permit under the guidelines for a 35-acre Rye Cove site by New Leaf Energy.
The Pivot permit applications — along with the commission’s recommendations against them — now head to the supervisors for their April 2 board meeting.