We Listened
When the community members of Culpeper County spoke up, we listened. Strata Clean Energy is a family-owned business that is currently building 10 other solar projects across Virginia, so we knew that creating a flexible approach that fit the needs of everyone was an essential part of our plan. The first goal was to ensure we were able to fulfill the letter and spirit of the county’s Comprehensive Plan, while providing local residents with affordable zero-carbon electricity.
After hearing feedback from county planning staff, the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, and local residents we knew there must be a way to make this project a reality while mitigating any concerns. Working alongside neighbors, environmental experts, and county leaders, we discovered a new plan that begins the revegetation of property that needs an environmental refresh and blends the project in with the natural landscape. We’ve increased setbacks, added screening, reconfigured access, and reduced the project footprint so that it’s entirely secluded.
We’ve gone above and beyond what community members asked for so that we can bring a fresh take on how clean energy is generated. It starts with an idea to save the land and reduce carbon, trickles down to economics by creating jobs and tax revenue that supports the community, and sets the solar arrays out of sight, on non-agricultural land that’s being restored.
