A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), Buckingham County and county industries was approved by the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors April 22. A proposed tower at the Buckingham Compressor Station site was unanimously recommended for approval by the Buckingham County Planning Commission.

Attorney E.M. Wright presented a request to extend a MOU between ACP, Columbia Gas, Buckingham County, Kyanite Mining Corporation and Blue Rock Resources, LLC during the April 15 board meeting. The sunset clause for the contract was this month, Wright said.

The MOU, extended for a period of approximately two years, allows for ACP to provide natural gas for one of the larger employers in the county and allows for the development of an industrial park, which Wright said would have the possibilities of having access to natural gas, broadband, water and sewer.

County Administrator Rebecca Carter said the commission, following a public hearing, recommended approval for a Special Use Permit (SUP) for the tower through a unanimous vote.

Fourteen members of the public spoke during the hearing, according to Buckingham County officials. Four members spoke in favor of the proposed project, while 10 spoke in opposition.

The land parcel for the proposed tower is located on approximately 68 acres at South James River Highway, Route 56, in the James River Magisterial District.

The Special Use Permit (SUP) was initially approved by the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors in July 2017 and the microwave communications tower was intended to support the ACP compressor station.

“The Special Use (Permit) was valid for 18 months,” documentation from the planning commission board packet cited. “The Board of Supervisors approved the Case 17 -SUP242 on July 10, 2017, so this SUP expired January 2019. The Zoning Ordinance does not provide for authority to renew this same permit or to grant an extension. Due to this, the ACP LLC has submitted a new application for a special use permit. This application seeks authorization of the same tower, on the same property and under the same terms.”

The 12 conditions presented in the permit were the ones approved by the Board in July 2017 for the expired SUP “for the same use on the same property,” according to the board packet.

The only condition amended was to extend the SUP to 36 months in place of 18 months.