Chesapeake City Council votes unanimously to start updating solar and battery energy storage facility rules
The Chesapeake City Council voted to begin updating city rules for solar and battery energy storage facilities, aligning with new state laws. These updates will influence how future energy projects, like the proposed Mill Stone Energy Center, are reviewed. The developer of the Mill Stone project has explicitly committed to prohibiting any data center development on its site.
The Chesapeake City Council voted 8-0 to initiate updates to the city's zoning rules for solar and battery energy storage facilities. This decision directs the Chesapeake Planning Commission to review and recommend amendments to the city's 2045 Comprehensive Plan and Article 13 of the Chesapeake Zoning Ordinance, bringing local regulations in line with new state laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly.
The state legislation, including HB711, SB347, HB891, and SB443, introduces new requirements for solar farms, such as use permits, setback designs, and regular decommissioning plan reviews. It also clarifies that battery energy storage projects can be an accessory use to approved solar facilities, while preserving local authority for safety and siting agreements.
These updated regulations will influence the review of projects like the proposed Mill Stone Energy Center, a battery energy storage system planned for the Hickory area. The developer, East Point Energy, has committed to prohibit data center development on the project site. The Chesapeake Planning Commission recently recommended denial of a conditional use permit for the Mill Stone project, with the final decision pending before the City Council on July 21.