Risk Grade

Excellent

Small Shenandoah Valley city; limited land area for utility-scale

Assessment Snapshot

Population

6,478

State Rank

#13

Compliance

30%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

No solar-specific setbacks; governed by general municipal zoning

Zoning Mechanism

Buena Vista: Site plan / CUP through city planning commission

Acreage Caps

N/A — independent city; limited developable land

Density Caps

No cap specified

Spacing Rules

No spacing requirements codified

Size Restrictions

No size restrictions codified

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Small Shenandoah Valley city; limited land area for utility-scale

Basis for Assessment

Independent City council composition; local press; regional solar development patterns

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Buena Vista City Council — verify at buenavista.gov — Majority Republican (based on 2024 election results)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

PJM / Dominion zone

Utilities

Dominion Energy, None / Single utility territory

State Permitting Process

Local zoning approval via city council/planning commission; DEQ PBR for >5 MW; SCC PBR for 5–150 MW utility-scale under VCEA framework

State Incentives

Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA); Dominion/AEP net metering (residential/commercial); state solar equipment tax exemption; locality solar revenue share option (SB 1258)

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on record — Buena Vista, Virginia

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

No confirmed denials on record for Buena Vista Independent City.

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Buena Vista County, VA — Solar Development Risk Assessment