CHESAPEAKE — The City Council on Tuesday approved a conditional use permit to allow a new 5-megawatt solar energy facility on Long Ridge Road, which will provide energy savings for some residents.
The proposed Long Ridge Solar Farm, owned by brothers Christopher G. Weatherly and Glenn Scott Weatherly, will take up 41 acres of a 122-acre parcel along Long Ridge Road between Beaver Dam Road and Carolina Road. It will allow for cheaper energy for about 1,000 homes through the Virginia Shared Solar program, according to Cara Romaine, a senior developer with ESA Solar Energy who spoke in favor of the project.
Half of the energy produced by the project will support low-to-moderate income residents by providing 10% savings on their monthly power bills, Romain said. The site’s power lines will be connected to the grid underground via an existing power pole owned by Dominion Energy, which means it will not require the construction of a new substation.
This solar facility is expected to be able to operate for at least 35 years, according to the site’s decommissioning plan. The city has now approved 10 utility solar energy projects since 2019 covering a total of 2,020 acres, according to planning documents.
Speaking to council prior to the vote, Glenn Weatherly said his family has been on this farm since 1964 and he’s worked on it full-time since 1986. He said using some of their land for solar panels will provide him some “security.”
“I still want to farm … I’m pushing 60 years old this December, I’m looking for the easy life for a change,” Weatherly said.
The project was approved on a 7-2 vote, with council members Debbie Ritter and Jeff Bunn voting against. Ritter, who said she lives near a solar farm, called them “intrusive” and took issue with calling them “farms,” saying they’re more accurately described as industrial.
Ritter particularly highlighted the disruptions to travel during the construction period of the solar farms. She lamented the loss of agricultural land, listing things like transfer stations and proposed lithium battery storage facilities popping up across the area as signs of a negative trend.
“It all sounds great if you live in an urban area of the city or even a suburban area where (the solar project) isn’t where you live,” Ritter said. “This is an agricultural area … If the council wants to go ahead (with the project) that’s terrific, we’ll continue to give up valuable farmland.”
Two neighbors of the Weatherly’s farm spoke in favor of the project. Dana Todd, whose property is on Middle Ridge across the street from the Weatherly’s, said the addition of solar panels is a “good way to use the land and still make sure it stays farmable.”
“Supporting the Long Ridge solar project isn’t just about solar power, it’s about keeping our farmland safe and finding new ways for local farmers to make a living,” Todd said.
Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com
