Solar permitting — Dinwiddie County, Virginia

Setbacks & buffers

Dinwiddie County-specific SE/SUP conditions control — county-set setbacks vary from 50 ft (rural) to 300+ ft (residential adjacent). Verify current Dinwiddie County zoning ordinance for adopted local setback standards. — NOTE: the distances above are a STATE-level fallback, not a figure read from this county's own ordinance. We hold siting-rule records for this county which may include a stricter local limit we have not yet extracted. Verify against the county's own ordinance before relying on these.

Spacing requirements

Rezoning limits locations; avoid aviation/industrial conflicts

Size restrictions

None codified; managed via SED rezoning

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.

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

• 2020-11-12 Other

  Solar

  RE: PUBLIC HEARING To: Dinwiddie County Planning Commission From: Mark Bassett, Planning Director Date: October 30, 2020 Subject: Zoning Ordinance Amendment Establishing the Utility Scale Solar Energy District (SED) Proposed Zoning Ordinanc

  agenda
• Other

  BESS

  The Solar Facilities shall not include battery storage or any other means of large-scale electrical storage.

  agenda
• Other

  Transmission

  Center Star 115kV Transmission Line Southside Electric Cooperative  Southside Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit member-owned electric distribution cooperative.

  agenda
• Zoning Board

  BESS

  Select project experience appears below: Project Name Role Technology Location Size (MW) BluePath Solar Portfolio (11 projects) Financing Solar CA/IL/HI/OH 10 NCS Solar 2020 Portfolio (32 projects) Financing Solar DC 12 NCS Solar 2021 Portf

  agenda
• Other

  Solar

  UTILITY SCALE SOLAR ENERGY DISTRICT (SE) BE IT RECOMMENDED by the Planning Commission of Dinwiddie County: (1) That Chapter 22 of the Code of the County of Dinwiddie , 1985, as amended, is amended by inserting the following language : DIVIS

  agenda
• County Board

  Data Center

  The county is proposing a power project to help keep local pricing down due to data center growth.

  agenda
• Zoning Board

  BESS

  Select project experience appears below: Project Name Role Technology Location Size (MW) BluePath Solar Portfolio (11 projects) Financing Solar CA/IL/HI/OH 10 NCS Solar 2020 Portfolio (32 projects) Financing Solar DC 12 NCS Solar 2021 Portf

  agenda
• Planning Commission

  Solar

  In order to construct the Project on the Property, the Applicant is requesting rezoning of the 308-acre portion of the Property from General Agricultural (A-2) to Utility Scale Solar Energy District (SED) together with a conditional use per

  agenda
• Zoning Board

  Solar

  REVISED REZONI NG and CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLIC ATION Applicant: Lily Pond Solar, LLC Project: Lily Pond Solar Submitted: October 11th, 2022 Page 2 of 20 10/ 07/2 2 10/11/2022 M ark Bassett Director of Planning, Dinwiddie County 14010…

  agenda
• County Board

  BESS

  The Solar Facilities shall not include battery storage or any other means of large-scale electrical storage.

  agenda
• Other

  BESS

  Glidepath Power Solutions submitted a special exception permit application for a 10 MW solar and 4 MW battery energy storage system project.

  agenda
• Planning Commission

  Solar

  Flowers Solar, LLC has the right to apply for permits for a solar project through site lease agreements.

  agenda
• Other

  BESS

  BOOK 6 PAGE 2 September 8, 2021 IN RE: PUBLIC HEARING Planning Commission Staff Report File #: P-21-5 Applicant: Sam Clay, and his agent, Mike Wallgren, an authorized representative for Glidepath Power Solutions Rezoning Request: A-2, Agric

  agenda
• Other

  Solar

  County clarifies definition of pollution control equipment to include solar energy equipment and exempt certified equipment.

  agenda