Dominion Virginia Power formally applied Wednesday for permission from James City County to rezone land in Grove, where it would construct a switching station to connect a proposed power line over the James River to its existing power network.
The county was one of three parties to take Dominion to the Supreme Court of Virginia over the line, which would cross the river from a point in Surry County to a site near Carter’s Grove.
The court ruled the county has the authority to give its blessing to the switching station the utility needs for the line to function.
The utility has consequently filed a formal application for what is known as a special-use permit, which would allow it to construct the station. It has also asked the county to rezone the land — located off the 8900 block of Pocahontas Trail — from its current residential designation to an industrial designation so that it may construct two static poles, which would protect the equipment in the station from lightning.
The application leaves the final say for the switching station with the James City County Board of Supervisors, which voted last year to take the utility to court over the proposed power line. The board opposed the line because of it how it would affect historic resources that drive tourism in the area.
The line would be visible from the eastern tip of Jamestown Island, the Colonial Parkway and Carter’s Grove.
The county and several historic-minded groups have come out against the line, saying Dominion could choose from another route that would not mar the vistas on the James River. The utility says the route it wants is the only financially viable way to build the line, which must be in place by April 2017.
The utility says if the line is not built by then, it will have to resort to cutting off power to customers for up to 80 days per year to avoid overloading the peninsula’s power network.
The application will now be considered by James City County staff members, who will forward it to the county’s planning commission with a recommendation on whether to approve the project. The commission will host a public hearing and then vote whether to recommend the board approve the project. It will then go before the board, which will host a public hearing before casting a final vote.
The planning commission public hearing is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 5, though that could change if the staff analysis runs into problems.
Related Coverage:
- Dominion Files with JCC to Build Switching Station for James River Power Line
- Supreme Court Denies Dominion’s Motion for Rehearing of James River Power Line Case
- Dominion, SCC Seek Supreme Court Rehearing of Power Line Decision
- Supreme Court Sends James River Power Line Decision Back to JCC
- Nonprofit Groups Form Coalition to Oppose Dominion’s Proposed Line Across James River
- Supreme Court of Virginia Hears Arguments Over James River Power Line
- Preservation, Government Groups to Gather to Share Concerns on Proposed Over-River Line
- Virginia Supreme Court Agrees to Hear JCC Appeal on Dominion’s Over-River Power Line
- JCC Authority Won’t Grant Easement for Over-River Power Line
- Dominion Begins Construction in Surry for Over-River Power Line Despite Missing Permits
- BASF Appeals to James City Authority for Help to Prevent Power Line Route
- State Commission Approves Dominion-Preferred Over-River Power Line
- Dominion Asks SCC to Decide on Over-River Power Line by March
- SCC Hearing Examiner Recommends Against Dominion-Preferred Power Line Route
- Dominion Seeks Extension to Keep Yorktown Station Running Longer
- Dominion May Need to Resubmit Army Crops Application for Over-River Power Line
- James River Association Joins JCC Appeal on Over-River Power Line
- JCC Supervisors Vote to Appeal SCC Ruling on Dominion Over-River Power Line
- SCC Reopens Over-River Power Line Case, Sets Hearing Date
- SCC Reopens Case on Dominion-Proposed Power Line Over James River
