Planning Commission unanimously recommends denial of Dimension Energy shared‑solar rezoning and CUP after resident objections

The Planning Commission moved to recommend denial of a request to rezone roughly 39.5 acres to limited industrial (M‑1) and to deny a related conditional‑use permit to host a shared‑solar facility proposed by Dimension Energy (Southampton CSG LLC). Applicant representatives described the project as a 4.4 MW AC shared‑solar installation that could serve 800–900 subscriber households and proposed a 20% discount prioritizing Southampton residents.

Dimension Energy’s lead, Kieran Ciel, said the company would "work with the county" and proffered a 20% discount for county residents and described steps to meet setback, screening and interconnection requirements. Residents and cultural‑heritage advocates challenged the plan during public comment, raising concerns about loss of agricultural land, aesthetics, potential soil and wildlife impacts and the absence of a full historical resources survey. One speaker, Jennifer Lowe Pruitt, told the commission: "I would like for you to reject the proposal and just to think, would you want to step out in your backyard and see this?" Commissioners debated comprehensive‑plan conformance and sewer/future land‑use considerations. A motion to recommend denial of the rezoning passed by roll call and the commission later voted unanimously to deny the conditional‑use permit recommendation as well; both recommendations will be transmitted to the Board of Supervisors.