By Taylor Boyd
Planning Commission leaders urged the Patrick County Board of Supervisors to act on a proposed solar ordinance at its Nov. 17 meeting.
Planning Commission Chairman Kurt Bozenmayer offered a timeline about work on the solar issue, and noted the county’s stance on solar energy began in 2022, when the potential for a solar energy ‘farm’ was first discussed.
“In January of 2025, the Board of Supervisors asked the Berkley Group to formulate the appropriation resolution documentation for Patrick County to be a no-solar county. The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to amend the comprehensive plan and the solar ordinance,” he said.
The Planning Commission received both an amendment and a draft ordinance from the Berkley Group, but several members felt it was not adequate.
“So, another solar ordinance was written. This was after the comprehensive plan was amended to say that Patrick is not solar-friendly on a utility scale. We’ve been back and forth on this ordinance, and it brings us up to this fall,” he said.
On Sept. 16, the commission voted to send a solar ordinance drafted by member Ed Pool to the board.
The ordinance was not on the board’s October or November agendas.
“I just want to know how long this is going to go on before the Board of Supervisors takes action on this solar siting ordinance,” Bozenmayer said. “We have our Planning Commission meeting tomorrow night, and the first question under old business is going to be: Has there been any movement on the Board of Supervisors approving or disapproving this solar ordinance? I’d like to have an answer for that.”
Bozenmayer said he and Teresa McCormick, of the county’s tax mapping department, are also receiving calls and emails from a New York-based energy company interested in submitting an application for a solar facility in the county.
“They would like to see the most recent regulations that we have, and we have deferred sending anything new to them. We told them what is on the county website is what is in effect right now, but that may change depending on when the supervisors get around to acting on this,” he said.
If the board does not act soon, Bozenmayer asked that it at least provide the commission with a timeline to share with interested solar companies.
In other business, the board:
- Heard from Ed Pool about the closing of Food Country and its impacts on the community.
- Heard from Galen Gilbert about the need to recruit new businesses, particularly following the closures of Food Country and Urgent Care; Gilbert also praised firefighters for their recent work.
- Scheduled a Dec. 8 public hearing to amend the FY 2026 budget.
- Approved a burn ban in Patrick County effective immediately.
- Approved a resolution renewing a contract with Schnabel Engineering LLC for multiple Ararat River Watershed dam-related projects.
- Approved supporting a Piedmont Community Services opioid recovery court grant application.
- Approved directing the county attorney to work with Frank Pettway to transfer all Parks & Recreation Association parcels to the county.
- Discussed increasing funding for county parks’ electricity costs for FY 2026–27.
