Gloucester supervisors, meeting Tuesday in the colonial courthouse, unanimously approved an amendment to the county’s zoning ordinance regarding utility-scale solar energy facilities, following a public hearing on the matter.
The board did make one amendment to the proposal, removing language that would have required such facilities to be developed in phases of 200 acres or less.
The change makes utility-grade solar facilities permitted by conditional use permit in all zoning districts, thereby removing them as a “by right” use in the county’s Rural Countryside (RC-1) district.
The hearing drew a lot of attention, because of the wording in the ordinance. In the supporting documents, utility-scale solar facilities that were at least 200 acres or more, the project would be developed in phases of 200 acres. The wording was put in to ensure the stabilization of the soil disturbed, to help prevent erosion caused by rainfall, or other natural causes.
Speakers said the...