Developers have asked James City County planning staff to defer a public hearing on a proposed solar farm in Norge until October.
SunPower has deferred the application’s Aug. 8 hearing with the Board of Supervisors to “provide adequate time … to resolve issues related to construction access for the project,” according to an Aug. 1 email included in Board of Supervisors agenda documents.
The public hearing will now be held Oct. 10, the email says.
In November, SunPower proposed building the solar farm on a 223-acre site a half-mile off Richmond Road in James City County. The farm would be the first of its kind in the county.
SunPower is requesting a Special Use Permit from the county to lease the property from locally-owned Whisper Ridge, LLC for 35 years. The site is currently farmland and is only accessible through the private residential neighborhood of Norvalia.
Since April, the project proposal has received some backlash from residents in the neighborhoods around the proposed access road. In April, 50 residents living near the site gathered at the home of Amanda and Mike Beringer in Oslo Court to discuss their opinions of the proposal.
Residents were concerned the construction trucks entering and leaving the solar farm site would clog up their low-traffic neighborhood and possibly damage properties.
Concerns also focused on property values, glare from the solar panels and the view from residents’ properties.
SunPower’s proposal indicates between seven and 10 trucks will need to access the property daily during construction, in addition to 60 to 80 construction workers, according to meeting documents.
Construction has been estimated to take about nine months.
Once construction is complete, SunPower expects no more than four trips per day. According to the company, construction will last roughly nine months and take place between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during weekdays, and deliveries will be coordinated to avoid school bus stops.
SunPower Project Manager Drew Gibbons has previously said the company is aware of neighbors’ concerns and is “working to mitigate the impact” of the project on the neighborhood.
SunPower claims the solar farm will be able to generate enough electricity to power roughly 4,000 homes annually.
If approved, SunPower, which has built solar plants that produce 2.6 gigawatts throughout the world, would lease the land from the owner for up to 35 years. The facility’s lifespan is estimated to be at least 30 years.
When the solar power farm reaches the end of its lifespan, the equipment can be removed from the site with minimal impact, returning the land to its current condition, Gibbons has said.
WYDaily archives were used in this story.
Fearing may be reached at [email protected].
