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The Lunenburg County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Tuesday, April 20, at 7 p.m. to hear concerns regarding a Conditional Use Permit for Mary and Gordon Erby and 6th Street Solar 2, LLC to construct a utility-scale solar project.

The public hearing is to determine if the solar facilities request is in compliance with the Lunenburg-Kenbridge-Victoria Comprehensive Plan.

On May 13, the Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors will also hold a public hearing on the issue.

Most recently, the Lunenburg County Planning Commission held a public hearing on the county’s newest proposed solar facility, Red Brick LLC.

Red Brick LLC proposed to construct and operate a utility-scale solar facility located on 21 individual parcels of property.

The applicants, Red Brick Solar, Apex Clean Energy and SolUnesco, submitted an official conditional use permit application to Lunenburg in early April 2020 but withdrew the request in July after there were more topics the company wanted to build upon, according to Jaci Friedley, director of public engagement with Apex Clean Energy.

During the March 16 public hearing on the Red Brick Solar, members voted 3 to 3 during a vote to determine if Red Brick’s request complies with the Lunenburg-Kenbridge-Victoria Comprehensive Plan.

SolUnesco CEO Francis Hodsoll said the project would place a solar photovoltaic power plant across 935 acres situated in north-central Lunenburg County, about four miles southwest of Victoria.

According to Hodsoll, the project would benefit the county and provide a key source of revenue for the county.

“This project does not impact county services,” Hodsoll said. “There will be no new road to be built, and we will utilize the natural layout of the land to reduce the amount of grading that will be done.”

Hodsoll said the project would increase local tax revenues by an additional $205,000 annually throughout the project’s life.

“Right now, that land provides the county $12,000 in taxes annually,” he said. “With this project, it will provide the county $217,000 a year in tax revenue.”

According to Hodsoll, the Red Brick Project would be selling its electricity to a third party.