The Granville County Board of Commissioners at their meeting on Monday, July 10, 2017 will hold a public hearing at 7:00 PM or later in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room in the Auditorium at the Granville Expo and Convention Center at 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford, N.C. 27565.
The purpose of the public hearing is to hear public comments on the following land development code text amendment petition:
Granville County Land Development Code Text Amendment Petition
AMENDMENT TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE (LDC) THAT WOULD AMEND THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR POWER ENERGY SYSTEMS “SOLAR FARMS” IN THE AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT ENTERPRISES CONDITIONAL ZONING DISTRICT. THE CHANGES WOULD INCLUDE: (1) REPLACE THE EXISTING REQUIREMENT THAT THE SOLAR FARM BUFFER BE A 25 FOOT EXISTING VEGETATIVE BUFFER AND/OR BERM WITH A 25 FOOT EXISTING OR PLANTED VEGETATIVE BUFFER THAT MEETS THE BUFFER STANDARDS IN SECTION 32-264 OF THE LDC; (2) REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT SOLAR FARMS NOT BE VISIBLE FROM ANY ADJACENT PROPERTY; (3) ESTABLISH THAT THE SETBACK FOR SOLAR FARMS SHALL BE 50 FEET INCLUSIVE OF THE BUFFER FROM ALL NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONES; (4) REMOVE THE CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE PROVISIONS FOR SOLAR FARMS FROM THE LDC; (5) REMOVE THE SOLAR FARM REQUIREMENTS THAT ALL EMPLOYEES, LEASED EMPLOYEES AND SUBCONTRACTORS HAVE PROPERLY COMPLETED AN I-9 FORM AND HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED A NINE PANEL DRUG TEST; AND, (6) ESTABLISH THAT SOLAR FARMS SHALL NOT ALLOW THE SITES TO BE OVERGROWN WITH GRASS OR OTHER SIMILAR VEGETATION.
The Granville County Planning Board has recommended the text amendment petition with additional clarifying language regarding the amendment petition. The additional clarifying language includes: (1) Plantings shall reach a height of at maturity of at least 10 feet and shall reach maturity in a reasonable amount of time; (2) Maximum height of solar structures changed from 25 feet to 15 feet; (3) Fencing shall be constructed around entire perimeter that is at least 10 feet tall and shall be constructed with chain-link that has dark green slats intended to blend into the natural environment and which are intended to screen direct viewing of the solar farm through the fence (other fencing materials may be approved during the rezoning process that provide at least as much screening and safety as the chain-link fence with slats); and, (4) Remove the word “similar” from text amendment language that seeks to establish that solar farms shall not allow the sites to be overgrown with grass or other similar vegetation.
Changes may be made in the advertised proposal, which reflect debate, objections, and discussions at the hearing. Any interested citizen is invited to attend.
For additional information or public examination, contact the Granville County Planning Department, 122 Williamsboro Street, P.O. Box 877, Oxford, NC 27565; phone 919-603-1331 or fax 919-693-6794.