Solar permitting — Page County, Virginia
On file: public meetings, known opposition groups.
Strongest setbacks in Virginia: 1,200 ft from primary roads + 300-acre aggregate cap — functionally prohibitive. Permitting: SUP; 300-ft setback; hard 300-acre aggregate cap for all solar facilities county-wide;; very…
Key driver: Strongest setbacks in Virginia: 1,200 ft from primary roads + 300-acre aggregate cap — functionally prohibitive. CRITICAL: HB 711/SB 347 set a setback floor of 50–100 ft from roads. If signed, Page's 1,200 ft road setback — 12× the state maximum — is likely preempted. Could reopen development opportunity in northern/eastern portions of county.
Permitting process
Local permitting pathway
SUP, Special Use Permit, SE
Setbacks & buffers
Page County (Jun 28 2022): all aboveground infrastructure/equipment/structures including security fencing: ≥300 ft from property lines with existing dwellings. Other property line setbacks per underlying zoning. Viewshed analysis required using scaled elevation views and photographs.
Spacing requirements
≥2 miles from other utility-scale solar facilities; ≥1 mile from town boundaries; slope and farmland avoidance limits apply
Size restrictions
≤30 acres maximum panel coverage per project; ≤65% site coverage ratio
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.
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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) / Shenandoah Valley 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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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.
- 2026-07-06 County BoardTransmission
The Board of Supervisors discussed the Page-Sperryville 138-Kilovolt Transmission Line Project.
- 2024-10-07 County BoardSolar
Board of Supervisors discussed a large-scale solar project and considered additional protections in the ordinance.
- 2023-05-17 OtherBESS
Planning Commission discussed the definition of acreage coverage for utility/industrial solar facilities.
- 2022-06-28 Planning CommissionBESS
Planning Commission discussed the definition of acreage coverage for utility/industrial solar facilities.
- 2022-04-18 County BoardSolar
Board of Supervisors discussed a large-scale solar project and considered additional protections in the ordinance.
- 2021-05-18 County BoardSolar
Board of Supervisors discussed a large-scale solar project and considered additional protections in the ordinance.
- 2021-03-16 OtherSolar
Planning Commission did not read letters opposing Utility-Scale solar projects.
- 2018-11-07 County BoardSolar
Board of Supervisors discussed a large-scale solar project and considered additional protections in the ordinance.
- 2018-05-21 Utility BoardSolar
Board of Supervisors discussed a large-scale solar project and considered additional protections in the ordinance.
- 2018-02-06 County BoardSolar
Board of Supervisors discussed a large-scale solar project and considered additional protections in the ordinance.
- OtherBESS
Planning Commission discussed a battery storage project and recommended a neighborhood meeting prior to a public hearing.
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State PSC dockets P1
No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.
Local news P3
No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.
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