The Dock, solar farm on Planning Commission agenda

The Pittsylvania County Planning Commission is scheduled to conduct two public hearings Tuesday, with one concerning a special use permit to allow the eventual expansion of The Dock at Smith Mountain Lake. The other is for a special use permit to construct a utility scale solar farm on 1,555 acres off Honeybee, Straightstone, Watts and Melon roads in the Bannister and Staunton River districts. Hillandale Solar is the applicant for the project and will be connected to the Dominion Power grid. 

The Dock at SML has operated at Smith Mountain Lake for years and before the county’s zoning code was adopted in 1991. 

It is now considered a legal, non-conforming use and requires a special use permit to add additional boat slips and a dry storage area. 

If the special use permit is denied, the marina can continue its current use but will not be allowed to modify the current boat slips, according to a staff report. 

A special use permit application was heard in April 2021, but was tabled to allow the applicant time to meet with neighbors concerning the maintenance of Locust Lane. At that time, it came to the attention of county staff the the existing marina operation was out of compliance with the Virginia Department of Health, as well as other issues. 

The Planning Commission meets Tuesday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m., at 39 Bank St. in Chatham.