Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
10 <br />environmental impact. The demand for power will not decline. We must embrace <br />renewable means of power generation. <br />II. Statement in Support of Application <br />This Class A Special Use Permit application for a Solar Array - Public Utility meets all <br />general standards for approval as required by Section 5.3.2 (A), those specific standards <br />required by Section 5.3.2 (B), and the requirements of 5.9(C). This Statement addresses <br />both general and specific standards as required by Orange County Ordinance. <br />A The use will maintain or promote the public health safety and general welfare, if <br />located where proposed and developed and operated according to o the plan as submitted. <br />The proposed solar array — public utility will not materially affect the public health or <br />safety. Access to the site will be from White Cross Road. The site will generate virtually <br />no traffic. The solar array — public utility will not be staffed daily. Employees are <br />expected to visit the property weekly or less frequently to check and maintain the <br />equipment, mow the grass and make repairs. Two gravel parking spaces will be provided <br />for employee use. <br />The active area of the solar array — public utility will be enclosed by an eight foot (8') <br />high fence and gated for security purposes. Access codes to the gate will be provided to <br />local police, fire, and emergency service providers. Vehicular access to the site is <br />adequate for the use proposed and for emergency services. <br />There will be no buildings or employees on the property so there is no need for sewage <br />disposal facilities, solid waste, and water on the site. <br />The proposed solar array — public utility will protect against soil erosion and <br />sedimentation. Care is taken to minimize grading on the site by hand setting poles to <br />support the solar cells. The areas beneath the solar panels will be planted with grass or <br />alfalfa to stabilize the site. During construction, erosion control measures will be <br />maintained in accordance with the County regulations and the site will comply with <br />County stormwater regulations. All environmental buffers will be maintained and <br />respected. <br />B The use will maintain and enhance the value of contiguous property (unless the use is <br />a public necessity, in which case the use need not maintain or enhance the value of <br />contiguous property). <br />The proposed use will maintain and enhance the value of contiguous properties. A solar <br />array — public utility is virtually silent. The solar arrays proposed have no moving parts. <br />The only sound is the quiet hum of electrical transformers, invertors and substation that <br />deliver the solar power to the power grid. Similar facilities are located in neighborhoods <br />to deliver power to homes. At night, when the sun is not available, there is no energy <br />