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Solar permitting — Hanover County, Virginia

FIPS 51085

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

F
Hanover County, VA
Risk score 69/100 · Full scorecard →
Compliance: HighTrajectory: WorseningSaturation: Moderate

Growing opposition; ordinance tightened post-2022; high community organized resistance; worsening political trajectory. Permitting: A-1; 50-ft setback; application fee $1. Track record: denial on record — North Ann…

Permitting process

Local permitting pathway

A-1, Agricultural | SUP

Setbacks & buffers

Hanover County-specific SE/SUP conditions control — county-set setbacks vary from 50 ft (rural) to 300+ ft (residential adjacent). Verify current Hanover 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

Viewshed and scenic corridor protections emphasized.

Size restrictions

~150–300 ac typical via SUP

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.

Full permitting requirements

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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

Full state policy & grid detail

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Battery storage (BESS) P1 CUP / SUP Required

SEPARATE BATTERY STORAGE ORDINANCE — Hanover County implemented a battery storage ordinance in 2023-2024 (concurrent with/following the solar ordinance)

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.

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Energy-related meetings & dockets P1

data center · solar · bess

Halo color matches the energy category tagged on each meeting.

  • 2024-10-17 Planning Commission
    Data Center

    The proposed zoning amendment would allow development of a data center campus (multiple buildings permitted within the development area) and 49 single-family detached homes.

  • 2024-09-25 Other
    Solar

    (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Cold Harbor CUP2024-00007, STRATA CLEAN ENERGY Requests a Conditional Use Permit in accordance with Section 26-20.39 of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to allow a principal utility -scale solar ene

  • Other
    Data Center

    The proposed zoning amendment would allow for the development of a data center and associated uses.

  • Other
    Data Center

    The Board approved a motion for County staff to research data centers and develop a policy/ordinance.

  • Other
    Data Center

    The Board approved a motion for County staff to research data centers and develop a policy/ordinance.

  • Other
    Data Center

    Hanover County Board of Supervisors launched public review of data center policy and tax rate

  • Other
    Data Center

    Hanover County Board of Supervisors launched public review of data center policy and tax rate

  • Other
    Data Center

    Hanover County discussed a data center project at the Mountain Road Technology Park

  • Other
    Data Center

    Hanover County, VA officials discussed a data center project with estimated capital expenditures of $9 billion and potential job creation.

  • Other
    Data Center

    The Board approved a motion for County staff to research data centers and develop a policy/ordinance.

  • Other
    BESS

    Hanover County discussed the benefits of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for residents and businesses.

  • Other
    Solar

    Building Inspections: Implemented a plan review and inspection program for residential energy efficiency 7,170 permits issued (up from 6,678 in FY23) $158.9M in permit fees, up slightly from $158.8M in FY23 General Services: Montpelier Recr

  • Other
    Solar

    Planning Commission discussed a Conditional Use Permit for a solar power facility on approximately 955.21 acres.

  • Other
    Data Center

    Hanover County's Council reviewed data center and tax rate policy.

  • Other
    Data Center

    Project Name: Mountain Road Technology Park (the “Project”) Property: Hanover County (the “County”) Tax Parcels 7757-98-4106, 7767-08-0569, 7767-17-2423, 7757-97-5013, 7768-00-5491, 7757-96-5577, and 7757-96-1157 consisting of approximately

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State PSC dockets P1

No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.

Local news P3

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. Last refreshed 2026-10-08. See the county risk scorecard or the full Virginia permitting index.