Solar permitting — Fauquier County, Virginia
On file: public meetings, local news.
7 of 8 proposals denied; only Remington Solar (~50 MW) approved. Permitting: SE; 150-ft max / 15-ft min setbacks; hard 8% countywide acreage cap; very high compliance stringency. Track record: denial on reco…
Key driver: 7 of 8 proposals denied; only Remington Solar (~50 MW) approved. HB 711/SB 347: Fauquier must allow SE applications; pattern of near-universal denial now triggers SCC reporting requirement — denial reasons become public record. Reporting requirement creates accountability pressure; trajectory may shift from Worsening.
Permitting process
Local permitting pathway
SE, Special Exception
Setbacks & buffers
Fauquier County: minimum setback to all property lines = 150 ft. ≤8% of land within 2.5 miles rolling radius of any existing solar facility (proximity cap). Setback from identified scenic/historic corridors: may be modified by BOS if panels will not impact viewshed from identified corridor. 100-ft wide landscape buffer adjacent to public roadways (DCR-informed): native trees ≥5 ft at planting, ≤15 ft spacing (staggered); earthen berm ≥6 ft as alternative.
Spacing requirements
≥2.5 miles from existing high-voltage transmission; 8% density cap within 2.5-mile radius of any existing facility
Size restrictions
None codified per-project size limit; transmission proximity and 8% density cap are the binding constraints
Penalties & bonding
Total penalty: +10 (Denial +10)
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 Standalone Ordinance
STANDALONE BESS ORDINANCE ADOPTED — Fauquier County, VA Board of Supervisors unanimously approved zoning ordinance amendment April 10 2025 (tiered approach)
Local BESS ordinances & bylaws
County-level battery-storage status, safety requirements, and projects — each linked to a primary source.
Community opposition P1
No organized opposition on record for this county yet — no petition, group, or oppositional coverage tracked. Read that as nothing found, not as nothing there: absence of records is not evidence of local support.
Subscriber intel Subscribers
Researched for this county and available with a subscription:
- Project track record
- Developer intelligence
- Governing board
Energy-related meetings & dockets P1
Halo color matches the energy category tagged on each meeting.
- OtherSolar
Some of our recent work consists of the following projects: Auxiliary staff support for City of Lexington (2015-2022); Virginia Main Street strategic plan (2022); Executive Recruitment Services for Alleghany County (2022); Interim County…
State PSC dockets P1
No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.
Local news P3
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