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Solar permitting — Botetourt County, Virginia

FIPS 51023

68 indexed meetings (34 energy-related), 51 news items, 6 known opposition groups.

D
Botetourt County, VA
Risk score 61/100 · Full scorecard →
Compliance: ModerateTrajectory: StableSaturation: Moderate

Standard SUP pathway; Western VA rural county adjacent to Roanoke metro; moderate siting friction. Permitting: A-1; 50-ft setback. Track record: Multiple CUP approvals 2019–2024. Political environment: Republican majority; key superv…

Permitting process

Local permitting pathway

A-1, Agricultural | SUP

Setbacks & buffers

Botetourt County-specific SE/SUP conditions control — county-set setbacks vary from 50 ft (rural) to 300+ ft (residential adjacent). Verify current Botetourt County zoning ordinance for adopted local setback standards.

Spacing requirements

None codified

Size restrictions

None codified

Penalties & bonding

No penalties or adjustments. Standard CUP/SUP process.

State-level permits & approvals

Local permit: Special Use Permit (SUP) or Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in A-1 Agricultural zoning; issued by Board of Supervisors (BOS) or Planning Commission per county ordinance. Counties without zoning (Buchanan, Russell, Lee, Scott, etc.) proceed via revenue-sharing siting agreements. SCC CPCN: Va. Code §56-580 (as amended by HB 1558/SB 762, eff. Jul 2021) — SCC Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity required for generating facilities ≥5 MW; waivable for utility-owned projects under SCC-approved IRP. DEQ Permit by Rule (PBR): Required for all solar facilities ≥1 MW per Va. Code §10.1-1197.6; includes VSMP/VPDES erosion & stormwater permits. Mar 2022 DEQ rule: solar panels counted as impervious surface same as parking lots. Revenue sharing: Va. Code §15.2-2288.7 — localities may require up to $1,400/MW-year for utility-scale solar on agricultural or forestal land; increases 10% in year 1 then every 5 years thereafter. VDACS notice: VA Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services must be notified for projects converting prime agricultural or forestal land. PENDING LEGISLATION (as of Mar 11, 2026): HB 711 (Herring) / SB 347 (VanValkenburg) both cleared both chambers and await Gov. Spanberger's signature (session ends Mar 14, 2026). If signed: (1) all localities must allow solar ≥1 MW via special exception — outright bans illegal; (2) statewide setback floor: 150–200 ft non-participating dwellings, 50–100 ft from state roads, 100–250 ft from streams/wetlands, 50–75 ft from property lines; (3) localities retain denial authority but must report reasons to SCC public database; (4) companion HB 891/SB 443: BESS permitted accessory use on approved solar SE sites. Spanberger is pro-solar; signature expected. Monitor: lis.virginia.gov.

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State policy & grid context

State RPS & clean energy policy

100% carbon-free by 2050 (Dominion), 2045 (APCo) | Virginia Clean Economy Act (2020) | Va. Code §56-585.5

State incentive programs

Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA, 2020): Dominion must reach 100% carbon-free by 2045; Appalachian Power by 2050; major driver of utility-scale solar procurement. Net metering: available under VCEA for systems up to 1 MW (by-right); large-scale behind-the-meter negotiated. SCC SolarShare: Dominion program offering renewable energy credits. Virtual net metering (Virginia): programs vary by utility. DEQ review: required for solar facilities ≥150 MW (permit by rule) or DEQ standalone review. Utility: Dominion Energy Virginia serves 2/3 of VA; Appalachian Power (AEP) serves western VA; Northern Virginia Electric Coop (NOVEC) serves NoVA exurbs; various rural cooperatives and municipal utilities.

Grid & interconnection

PJM / Dominion Energy Virginia (DEV) transmission zone

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Battery storage (BESS) P1 State-Default Permitting

Standalone BESS (not co-located with approved solar): still requires county SE/SUP and host siting agreement

Local BESS ordinances & bylaws

County-level battery-storage status, safety requirements, and projects — each linked to a primary source.

Community opposition P1 6 tracked

Organized opposition signals on record for this county — petitions, community groups, and oppositional coverage — each linked to its primary source.

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Energy-related meetings & dockets P1

14 energy-related68 total in calendar6 data center · 3 solar · 3 transmission · 1 wind · 1 bess

Halo color = sentiment of the relevant agenda excerpt: green positive, yellow neutral, red negative.

  • 2026-01-29 Planning Commission
    Transmission

    Pike Fleet will stage vehicles for electric transmission and distribution services at this location.

  • 2018-06-05 Other
    Data Center

    The Botetourt County Planning Commission voted to approve a data center project with SCC approval

  • County Board
    Wind

    The Botetourt County Planning Commission voted to deny APEX Wind Farm Dagger Spring Road Plans due to concerns over environmental impact

  • County Board
    BESS

    The Board approved a proposal for a $150 million battery storage facility in Buchanan District.

  • County Board
    Data Center

    The Board voted to deny a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm.

  • Utility Board
    Data Center

    The Co-Location Center Update committee voted to approve a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm.

  • County Board
    Transmission

    The County Administrator approved a request for a supplemental easement and right-of-way for Appalachian Power Company's electrical transmission line.

  • County Board
    Data Center

    The Board approved the purchase of public assistance transport vehicles for the Senior Citizens Van Program.

  • County Board
    Solar

    The proposed solar farm for Springwood Road will be denied due to concerns about stormwater capacity and the potential photovoltaic heat island effect.

  • Other
    Solar

    The Botetourt County Planning Commission voted to deny a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm due to concerns about its size and potential impact on the environment

  • Other
    Data Center

    The Botetourt County Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm.

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11 more energy-related meetings

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State PSC dockets P1

No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.

Local news P3

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12 more news items

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Data sources: public agendas/minutes from local government sites; PSC dockets from state regulators; news from GDELT and curated RSS; sentiment derived from public meeting transcripts. Last refreshed 2026-08-27. See the county risk scorecard or the full Virginia permitting index.