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Solar permitting — Cumberland County, Virginia

FIPS 51049

On file: public meetings, PSC dockets, local news, known opposition groups.

C
Cumberland County, VA
Risk score 51/100 · Full scorecard →
Compliance: HighTrajectory: WorseningSaturation: Very High

Requires CUP; emphasizes non-farmland siting; very strong spacing rules (≥1 aerial mile from other projects); increasing resistance noted. Permitting: CUP; 50-ft setback. Track record: denial on record — Jamerson I…

Permitting process

Local permitting pathway

CUP, Conditional Use Permit, SE

Setbacks & buffers

100 ft from property lines; 500 ft from occupied dwellings

Spacing requirements

≥1 aerial mile from other solar projects and from villages per county policy (not formally codified in ordinance)

Size restrictions

None codified

Penalties & bonding

Total penalty: +5 (Denial +5)

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

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

solar · bess · transmission

Halo color matches the energy category tagged on each meeting.

  • 2023-01-09 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2022-12-13 County Board
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2022-09-19 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2022-09-12 Other
    Solar

    Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a solar facility site

  • 2022-07-18 Other
    Solar

    Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a solar facility site

  • 2022-06-27 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2022-04-18 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Conditional Use Permit application for a Utility Scale Solar Facility was discussed.

  • 2021-11-15 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2021-09-20 Other
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2021-08-16 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2021-05-24 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Conditional Use Permit application for a Utility Scale Solar Facility was discussed.

  • 2021-04-13 County Board
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2021-04-12 Planning Commission
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2021-03-22 Other
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2021-03-09 Other
    Solar

    Johnson, Planning & Zoning Administrator RE: Further amendments to the Large-scale Solar Energy Ordinance 1 Proposed CA 21-05 Solar Facility Code Amendments Utility-scale solar energy facility shall be permitted with conditional use permit

  • 2021-03-09 Other
    BESS

    CUP 22-12 BOSTON HILL SOLAR PC Minutes 20220912 Page 2 of 5 CUP 22-13 Boston Hill Solar proposes a Solar Energy Project that will generate up to 115 MW AC with no battery storage, producing enough electricity to power up to 20,000 homes.

  • Other
    Transmission

    The transmission line project will interconnect with an existing overhead transmission line and carry generated electricity to the grid.

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State PSC dockets P1

Local news P3

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Data sources: public agendas/minutes from local government sites; PSC dockets from state regulators; news from GDELT and curated RSS. Last refreshed 2026-10-08. See the county risk scorecard or the full Virginia permitting index.