Solar permitting — Franklin County, Virginia
On file: public meetings, local news, known opposition groups.
Standard SUP pathway; southern VA Blue Ridge foothills; limited track record; manageable friction. Permitting: A-1; 50-ft setback. Track record: denial on record — RESTRICTIVE: Franklin County cap of 1,500 acres countywide for all…
Permitting process
Local permitting pathway
A-1, Agricultural | SUP
Setbacks & buffers
300 ft from occupied dwellings
Spacing requirements
None codified
Size restrictions
None codified; managed via CUP/SUP conditions
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.
Full records for this county are part of a SitePath subscription.
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
Full records for this county are part of a SitePath subscription.
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.
SitePath maintains the most complete community-opposition dataset available, refreshed continuously from primary sources.
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.
- 2026-03-10 OtherData Center
Discussion of data center project considering environmental and social impact.
- 2023-03-14 OtherSolar
Insert a requirement that no above ground solar infrastructure (i.e., struc tures, building, inverter, or solar panels) associated with a Utility -Scale Solar Generation Facility shall be located within three hundred feet (300’) from an off
- 2023-01-10 OtherSolar
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors proposes amendments to Chapter 25 'Zoning' to allow for a cumulative 1,500 acres of above ground solar infrastructure and a 300-foot setback from solar infrastructure to adjacent residential structures.
- 2022-11-10 OtherBESS
Applicants for solar or energy storage projects must provide written notice and negotiate a siting agreement with the host locality.
- 2022-01-11 OtherSolar
The county introduced amendments to its solar ordinance to allow for utility-scale and small-scale solar facilities.
- 2021-11-09 OtherData Center
Discussion of data center project considering environmental and social impact.
- 2021-01-19 County BoardSolar
The county introduced amendments to its solar ordinance to allow for utility-scale and small-scale solar facilities.
- Zoning BoardSolar
Solar Generation Facility, Large, (see section 25-147). Storage—Boat, recreational vehicle, and recreational trailer as a use allowed by special use permit.
- OtherSolar
SPEC-04-25-18269 Applicants and Owners: GBSR Property Ventures, LLC Parcel ID#: 0300001405 Address: 13595 Booker T Washington Hwy, Moneta, VA 24121 Election District: Gills Creek Special Use Permit: To allow for a daycare facility in the…
- Zoning BoardSolar
Solar Generation Facility, Large, (see section 25-147). Storage—Boat, recreational vehicle, and recreational trailer as a use allowed by special use permit.
- OtherSolar
Planning Commission denied a solar generator facility's conformance with the Franklin County Comprehensive Plan.
- OtherSolar
Encourage utility scale solar facilities to locate on less suitable sites.
- OtherSolar
Planning Commission tabled a special-use permit application for a solar generator facility.
Full records for this county are part of a SitePath subscription.
State PSC dockets P1
No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.
Local news P3
- 2026-10-01 Data Centers Emerge As Flashpoint In 2026 Races As Opposition Rises Take The Power Back Documentary Economy Politics Midterms Virginia…
- 2026-09-30 Ice Arrested Oscar Evaristo Nunez Charged With Aggravated Sexual Battery And Filming An Undressed Minor After Fairfax County Ignored A…
- 2026-09-14 Why Opponents Think Last Weeks Wood Haven Vote Is About A Data Center
- 2026-09-10 Residents Rely On Freedom Of Information Act Requests To Fight Data Centers
- 2026-09-02 Franklin County Supervisor Mike Meredith To Remain On Board Weeks After Announcing Resignation Project Flash Local Government Data Center…
- 2026-08-17 Data Center Proposal Dropped Franklin County
- 2026-06-19 Republican Candidates Outline Priorities On Energy Data Centers And Parental Rights At Fredericksburg Forum
- 2026-05-19 Drought Forces Appalachian Power To Change Operations At Smith Mountain Lake Leesville Lake
- 2026-05-08 Franklin County Leaders Say No Current Plans For Data Center Despite Rezoning Proposal May 2026
- 2026-04-07 Concern Over Proposed Franklin County Zoning Ordinance
- 2025-07-17 Appalachian Power Has 135 Million Plan To Improve Reliability
Filter by grade, state, moratorium status, and compliance stringency. Compare counties side by side.