Planning & Zoning
PLANNING
The Planning Commission serves as an advisory board to the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors & is responsible for updating the county's comprehensive plan, reviewing county land use ordinances and evaluating various land use applications.  The Planning Commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the County Administration Office (250 LeGrande Avenue, Suite A, Charlotte Court House.) Meetings are held at 7:30 pm from March through October.  All other months, meetings begin at 7:00 pm.
SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS, PUBLIC HEARINGS & WORK SESSIONS
No special called meetings, public hearings or work sessions are scheduled at this time.
 
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE  & SURVEY
The Charlotte County Planning Commission is currently working on updating the County's comprehensive code in accordance with state code requirements.  The Commonwealth Regional Council (Planning District Office #14) is assisting the Planning Commisison with this important work.

Input from citizens is key to the success of this project. Citizen input will be collected through various means during the course of the work associated with the update.  An initial Community Meeting was held on January 31, 2022 with around forty-five participants present.  A citizen survey will also be conducted a little later in the process.  For notice of upcoming work session information, please see meeting schedule below. For more information see our Comprehensive Plan webpage.

Charlotte County is preparing an update to its Comprehensive Plan, and is inviting citizens to participate in the process by completing a survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/87NWPDP.  Community input has proven to be an invaluable and important part of the planning process, and the love Charlotte County citizens' love for their community can be a pivotal and instrumental part of the process.  All information provided is confidential, and will assist in gathering information on issues important to citizens.  The online survey needs to be completed by COB May 31, 2022. Anyone who has questions or needs additional information is encouraged to contact the Charlotte County Administrator’s Office (434-542-5117 or melder@charlottecountyva.gov) or Todd Fortune at the Commonwealth Regional Council (434-392-6104 or TFortune@virginiasheartland.org). More information is available at https://charlotteva.com/comp_plan.htm   

 
UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS - CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS
Charlotte County has received two conditional use permit applications for utility-scale solar projects.  Upcoming Meetings:

May 24th at 7:30 PM - Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission at Randolph-Henry High School Auditorium.  The Planning Commission will consider a recommendation on the Tall Pines project at this time.  That recommendation will be provided to the Board of Supervisors and the Board will then schedule and conduct a public hearing prior to voting on the application.  See below for project information and meeting materials.

June 1st at 6:00 PM - Public Hearing and Special Called Meeting of the Board of Supervisors for Randolph Solar at the Randolph-Henry High School Auditorium.  For more information see the meeting advertisement.

Application documents for both projects are available below.
 
Randolph Solar (800 Megawatt Project): 
2022 Updated Application Materials and Interactive Map are available at:
 https://randolphsolar.solunesco.com/about-the-project/ 

Randolph Solar - Adjacent Landowner List
Randolph Solar - ConserveVirginia Maps
Randolph Solar - Recommended Conditions - Updated 5/13/2022 for June 1, 2022 Meeting
 
Tall Pines Solar (220 Megawatt Project):
2022 Updated Application Materials
(Updated 4/25/2022 to reflect addition of 15 Acre Parcel 27-A-14A and addition of approximately 50 acres of Parcel 27-A-14A.  This addition would increase the proposed fenced-in area by approximately 20 acres, will provide additional buffer, and will physically connect Parcel 27-A-12, which was previously included in the project, with the project area located just north of it.)

Conditional Use Permit Application
Project Description
Land Management Plan
Decommissioning Plan
Decommissioning Estimate
Map File (File will take a few minutes to load)
Staff Report - Updated 5/13/2022 for May 24, 2022 Meeting
Preliminary Conditions - Updated 5/13/2022 for May 24, 2022 Meeting
Attachment 4 - Density Calculation Letter
 
MEETING INFORMATION

2022 MEETINGS
Meeting Date Time Purpose Packet Minutes Audio
January 25, 2022   7:00 pm  Regular Meeting Packet   Audio File
January 31, 2022 6:00 pm Comp Plan Community Meeting Event Flyer    
February 15, 2022 7:00 pm Special Called - Zoning Amendment Recommendation on Homeless Shelters Packet Minutes Audio File
February 15, 2022 7:05 pm Public Hearing - Zoning Amendment on Homeless Shelters
February 22, 2022 6:00 pm Work Session - Comp Plan Update Agenda

Packet		 Minutes Audio File
February 22, 2022 7:00 pm Regular Meeting - CANCELLED      
February 22, 2022 7:05 pm Public Hearing - Campground Conditional Use Permit - CANCELLED / APPLICATION WITHDRAWN Packet    
March 22, 2022 6:00 pm Work Session - Comp Plan Update   Minutes Audio File
March 22, 2022 7:30 pm Regular Meeting-CANCELLED  
April 19, 2022 7:00 pm Public Hearing - Randolph Solar Conditional Use Permit
at Randolph-Henry High School		 Agenda

Application & Associated Maps
https://randolphsolar.solunesco.com/about-the-project/ 


Staff Report
Adjacent Landowner List
ConserveVirginia Maps		   Audio File
April 19, 2022
 Immediately following the Public Hearing Special Called Meeting to Consider Randolph Solar Application
at Randolph-Henry High School
April 26, 2022 7:00 pm Public Hearing - Tall Pines Solar Conditional Use Permit
at Randolph-Henry High School		 Agenda

Conditional Use Permit Application
Project Description
Land Management Plan
Decommissioning Plan
Decommissioning Estimate
Map File (Takes a few minutes to load)
Staff Report
Staff's Preliminary Conditions		   Audio File
April 26, 2022 7:30 pm or as soon thereafter as possible Regular Meeting at Randolph-Henry High School
May 3, 2022 7:00 pm Continuation of the April Meeting at Central Middle School Cafeteria Agenda
Updated Staff Report
Updated Conditions		   Audio File
May 24, 2022 7:30 pm Regular Meeting at Randolph- Henry High School      
June 28, 2022          
July 26, 2022    

   
August 23, 2022          
September 27, 2022    
October 25, 2022          
November 22, 2022          
December 27, 2022          




2021 Meetings
Meeting Date Time Purpose Packet Minutes Audio
January 26, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
March 4, 2021   Regular Meeting (Postponed from February) Packet
Packet-Solar Comparison		 Minutes Audio File
March 23, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet
Packet-Solar Comparison		 Minutes Audio File
April 12, 2021   Joint Public Hearing & Special Called - Kunath Conditional Use Permit for event/wedding venue   Minutes Audio
April 27, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet
Packet-Attachment		 Minutes Audio File
May 25, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
June 22, 2021 Regular Meeting & Public Hearing on Solar Zoning Amendments Packet Minutes Audio File
July 27, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
August 9, 2021   Joint Public Hearing - Conditional Use Permit for Morgan Lumber Company   Minutes Audio
August 24, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
September 27, 2021   Work Session - Battery Storage & Solar   Minutes Audio File
September 28, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet
Packet-Attachment		 Minutes Audio File
October 26, 2021   Regular Meeting - CANCELLED      
November 16, 2021   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
December 20, 2021 7:00 pm Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
December 20, 2021 6:00 pm Comp Plan Work Session


2020 Meetings
Meeting Date Time Purpose Packet Minutes Audio
January 28, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes No Recording Available*
February 25, 2020 Regular Meeting Packet Minutes No Recording Available*
April 28, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
May 28, 2020   Joint Public Hearings & Special Called-(1) US Cellular Tower
Permit; (2) Zoning Amendments related to Retreats; (3) Developing nonconforming lots; (4) Utility-Scale Solar Proximity to Town; & (5) Utility-Scale Solar Density		   Minutes Audio File
May 28, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
June 23, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
July 28, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes No Recording Available -
Technical Difficulties
August 25, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File
September 8, 2020   Joint Public Hearings & Special Called for Conditional Use Permits Shepherd's Tavern Retreat and Charlotte County Telecommunications Tower   Minutes Audio File
September 22, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet
Packet-Courthouse Solar		 Minutes Audio File
October 27, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet
Packet-Maps
Packet-Courthouse Solar		 Minutes Audio File
December 15, 2020   Regular Meeting Packet Minutes Audio File

*Prior to April 28, 2020, Planning Commission Meetings were not recorded.  Audio recording was implemented as part of COVID-19 efforts to provide citizens remote access to meetings.
 
PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS
DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TERM EXPIRES
A - County Seat Andrew Carwile 12/31/23
B - Wylliesburg / Red Oak Miller Adams 12/31/25
C - Drakes Branch Kerwin Kunath 12/31/23
D - Keysville Kenny Howard 12/31/25
E - Cullen / Red House Cornell Goldman 12/31/23
F - Aspen / Phenix Clark Poindexter 12/31/22
G - Bacon / Saxe W.V. Nichols 12/31/23
     
Town of Drakes Branch Eugene Wells, Jr.  
Town of Keysville Jim Benn 12/31/24
Town of Charlotte Court House David Watkins, Jr.  
Town of Phenix Vacant  
     
Representative of the Board of Supervisors Hazel Bowman Smith  

ZONING
Charlotte County's Zoning Administrator works with the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals to promote the health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the public through orderly development in the County. Responsibilities of the Zoning Administrator include providing technical assistance to  citizens and businesses and reviewing zoning permit applications, property divisions and subdivision plats to ensure they meet the requirements of all local ordinances.  County Administrator Dan Witt serves as the County's Zoning Administrator

ZONING PERMIT APPLICATIONS, ORDINANCES AND PLANNING DOCUMENTS

Zoning Application
Conditional Use Permit Application
Zoning Ordinance
Subdivision Ordinance
Comprehensive Plan
Building Permit Application (See our Permit webpage for more information)
Water Protection