The Louisa County Planning Commission (PC) discussed policy intended to guide land use decisions and provide a framework for evaluating transmission infrastructure proposals — like the Valley Link Transmission Project — at its April 9 meeting.

Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon explained two different items, an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan and a conditional use permit (CUP) requirement for electric transmission facilities.

The proposed Joshua-Falls Yeat Electric Transmission Line Project, the 115-mile 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission line that will impact roughly 20 miles in Louisa County, spurred the counties impacted to attend a summit in Louisa County earlier this month with the shared desire to oppose the project. Coon said that as a result of the summit, the counties have looked at ways to provide a “fighting chance” for a project that is more amenable; part of that is to abide by State Corporation Commission (SCC) rules. Valley Link plans to submit their proposal to the SCC for approval this year in September. By state code, the SCC is required to review any type of transmission line project and its adherence to a localities comprehensive plan. The comp plan addendum, which has been shared with the other localities impacted by Valley Link, were also vetted by the county’s legal counsel as well as outside legal counsel, Coon said.

Coon outlined that the comp plan addendum would establish clear guidelines for siting electric infrastructure, prioritize use of existing corridors, and avoid/minimize impact on residential areas, agriculture operations, conservation easements and natural resources to the “greatest extent feasible.” Regarding ag and forestal land, Coon added that the addendum states that transmission projects should avoid bisecting large agricultural parcels and minimize fragmentation of working farms.

Additionally, the comp plan addendum asks that Valley Link justify why new corridors instead of existing corridors are proposed, and supports the placement of transmission infrastructure underground if possible.

Coon stated that the county feels they would be in a “strong position” that Valley Link would have to address these concerns to the SCC, and that even if the project goes through, this would be a guiding document that future projects would have to abide by to the best of their ability.

Regarding the CUP requirement, Coon said the amendment to the zoning ordinance would be required for all associated substations for electric transmission lines, but could not be applied to the lines themselves due to the SCC’s ability to approve transmission lines without local government approval.

The PC will review the CUP requirements during a work session before the May 14 meeting and then have a public hearing later in the evening for both the CUP requirements and the addendum to the comp plan.