06-17-2025 Business Meeting - FINAL
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’
BUSINESS MEETING
June 17, 2025
VIRGINIA: The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors' ("Board") Business Meeting
was held on June 17, 2025, in the Chatham High School Auditorium, 100 Chatham Cavalier Circle,
Chatham, Virginia 24531.
CALL TO ORDER
Tucker called the Meeting to Order at 7:00 PM.
ROLL CALL
The following Board Members were present:
Robert M. Tucker, Jr. - Banister District
Eddie L. Hite, Jr. - Dan River District
Kenneth L. Bowman - Chatham-Blairs District
Darrell W. Dalton - Callands-Gretna District
Timothy W. Dudley - Staunton River District
William V. (“Vic”) Ingram - Tunstall District
Murray W. Whittle - Westover District
AGENDA ITEMS TO BE ADDED
Motion to add the following items to the Agenda:
• Approval of filing of Petition of Writ of Special Election of Treasurer as item 7t;
• Remove item 10B(4) Cell Tower Lease Renewal Public Hearing;
• Add Resolution # 2025-06-05, Board Member Compensation, as item 13a; and
• Add Danville MPO Implementation Grant as item 13b
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Hite
SECONDER: Ingram
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion to approve Agenda.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Bowman
SECONDER: Whittle
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion to approve Consent Agenda.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Dalton
SECONDER: Ingram
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
a. County's May 2025 Bill List Approval
b. Various FY2025 Budget Amendments-Next Gen 911 Grant Closeout, School Bus Lease,
Soil & Water Conservation District, and Tyson Foods COF Grant
c. Resolution # 2025-06-01 Adoption (VDOT FY 26/27 - 30/31 Secondary Six (6)-Year Plan)
d. Resolution #2025-06-02 to approve the VRA-Tobacco Commission loan extension
agreement for RealtyLink USA, LLC and VA Danville CC L6, LLC
e. Resolution # 2025-06-03 Resolution to Oppose Modifications to Products Eligible Under
the Duty Drawback Program
f. Pittsylvania County Parks and Recreation-Pittsylvania County Schools Joint Usage
Agreement
g. Parks and Recreation Facility Rental and Youth Sports Gate Fees for FY2026
h. Mutual Aid Agreement w/ Henry County for Inspection and Plan Review Services
i. VBAF Performance Agreement Approval
j. HVAC Preventive Maintenance Contract Award Approval
k. Fire and Rescue Property and Accidental/ Sickness Insurance Contract Award Approval
l. Service Weapon Purchase Approvals (Owens; Spencer; Walters; Warren)
m. Renaming of a Portion of Oak Ridge Farm Road (Harville-Saunders Parkway)
n. Re-appointments: Library Board (Chatham-Blairs & Town of Hurt)
o. Re-appointment: DPCS (Banister, Willie Fitzgerald)
p. Re-appointments: DSS (Banister & Callands-Gretna)
q. Appointment: Library Board (Callands-Gretna, Julie Ragsdale)
r. Appointment: DSS Board (Tunstall, Darrell Dunford)
s. Certificate of Appreciation Approval (Joey Bray, Department of Social Services Board)
t. Writ of Special Election
HEARING OF THE CITIZENS
Chuck Angier, Callands-Gretna District, recommended that an ad-hoc committee of citizens be
formed to work directly with County Staff and the contractor for consistent input for the
Comprehensive Plan process.
Katie Whitehead, Chatham-Blairs District, spoke on behalf of the Coalition for Protection of
Pittsylvania County and urged the Board of Supervisors to take seriously a rumor about a possible
meeting with tech company xAI, cautioning against secrecy and lack of public input. She referenced
past issues with Balico, LLC, and warned that xAI’s recent development in Memphis involved
unpermitted gas turbines and environmental violations. Whitehead encouraged the County to be
proactive by updating its zoning plans and carefully vetting companies before deals are made.
Amy Davis, Banister District, thanked the Board for its "No" vote for the Balico Project and urged
the Board to adopt a new Comprehensive Plan that will protect the land in the County.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Rezoning Public Hearings
1. Case R-25-011; Victor and Vicky Keatts; Requesting to rezone from R-1, Residential
Suburban Subdivision District, to A-1, Agricultural District. The Planning Commission
recommended by a 5-0 vote, with no opposition, that the petitioners' request be granted
(Supervisor Ingram)
In Case R-25-011, Victor and Vicky Keatts (Petitioners) have petitioned to rezone property located
on State Road 954/Plantation Drive in the Tunstall Election District and shown on the Tax Maps as
GPIN # 1430-83-3038. The applicant is requesting to rezone 3.48 acres, from R-1, Residential
Suburban Subdivision District, to A-1, Agricultural District, to allow a campground on the property.
Once the property is rezoned to A-1, all uses listed under Pittsylvania County Code Section 35-178
are a Permitted Use. The Comprehensive Plan indicates the area is suitable for Agricultural and
Rural Residential uses. Zoning conditions and Ordinance standards shall control the density of
allowable development. On May 6, 2025, the Planning Commission recommended by a 5-0 vote,
with no opposition, that the petitioners' request be granted.
Tucker opened the Public Hearing at 7:27 PM. No one signed up to speak, and Tucker closed the
Public Hearing at 7:28 PM.
Motion to approve the rezoning of 3.48 acres, from R-1, Residential Suburban Subdivision District,
to A-1, Agricultural District, to allow for a campground on the property.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Ingram
SECONDER: Dudley
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
Other Public Hearings
1. Public Hearing: Dog Controlled Area (Bridgewood Subdivision)
County Staff received a Petition from Danielle Merricks, resident of Cobblestone Ct. in the County,
requesting the Board consider amending Pittsylvania County Code (“PCC”) § 2.2-22; Running At
Large Restrictions in Designated Areas, to include the Bridgewood Subdivision in Danville, VA.
Ms. Merricks has developed a Petition supporting a dog-controlled area defined as the Bridgewood
Subdivision. County Staff has verified that there are seventy-six (26) property owners within this
area. Ms. Merrick's Petition has fifty-seven (57) signatures, representing 75% of property owners
in the proposed dog-controlled area. At the May 20, 2025, Business Meeting, the Board authorized
County Staff to advertise for a Public Hearing for citizen input on amending PCC § 2.2-22 to include
the aforementioned subdivision. The Public Hearing was advertised in the Chatham Star Tribune
on May 28, 2025, and June 4, 2025.
Tucker opened the Public Hearing at 7:29 PM. No one signed up to speak and Tucker closed the
Public Hearing at 7:30 PM.
Motion to amend Pittsylvania County Code 2.2-22, Dogs Running At Large Restrictions in
Designated Areas, to include the Bridgewood Subdivision as presented.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Bowman
SECONDER: Ingram
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
2. Public Hearing: Ordinance # 2025-06-01 (DSS One-time Bonus)
The Virginia General Assembly approved a one-time bonus of 1.5% of base salary for all full-time
employees of local departments of social services, effective July 1, 2025. In accordance with § 15.2-
1508 of the Code of Virginia, localities must adopt an ordinance to authorize the payment of this
bonus. This ordinance fulfills the requirement to allow eligible employees of the Pittsylvania
County Department of Social Services to receive the bonus, which is fully funded by the
Commonwealth of Virginia. There is no local financial impact. The 1.5% bonus is a state-supported
expenditure, reimbursed by the Virginia Department of Social Services. The bonus must be paid in
Fiscal Year 2026 and submitted through LASER using the appropriate account codes provided in
the DSS Finance Guidelines Manual.
Tucker opened the Public Hearing at 7:31 PM. No one signed up to speak and Tucker closed the
Public Hearing at 7:32 PM.
Motion to adopt Ordinance # 2025-06-01 authorizing the payment of a one-time 1.5% bonus to
eligible full-time employees of the Pittsylvania County Department of Social Services, in
accordance with § 15.2-1508 of the Code of Virginia and the FY2026 State budget allocation.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Dudley
SECONDER: Ingram
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
3. Public Hearing: Solar Siting Agreement & Extension Request
In 2021, the General Assembly passed legislation giving localities additional measures to further
regulate the development of utility-scale solar energy facilities. This legislation requires that any
solar project or an energy storage project applicant give the host locality written notice of the
applicant’s intent to locate in the locality and request a meeting to discuss a related Siting
Agreement. Once a Siting Agreement has been negotiated with the County, a Public Hearing must
be held before it can be executed. This Public Hearing has been duly and legally advertised/noticed.
For the Board’s review and
consideration, attached is a solar Siting Agreement for the Acton Solar, LLC, to be in the Tunstall
Election District. Said Siting Agreement has been successfully negotiated with the County. A
Special Use Permit was previously approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals for Axton Solar, LLC,
Case S-20-019, on December 8, 2020, and an amendment on December 13, 2021, Case S-21-012.
Both SUPs
included a condition that the project commence construction within three (3) years of the approval
of the SUP; however, this was automatically extended to July 1, 2025, by Va Code Section 15.2-
2209. In addition to the proposed siting agreement, the applicant is also requesting a 2-year
extension. If approved, this would extend the SUP to July 1, 2027.
Tucker opened the Public Hearing at 7:33 PM.
Chuck Angier, Callands-Gretna District, shared his concerns and requested the Board set the
precedence and reject the extension and the siting agreement.
Mike Pyrtle, Tunstall District, shared his support for this extension request and the solar siting
agreement.
Joe Torkelson, representing the Axton Solar Project, shared why the request was made and stated
they need a little more time.
Tucker closed the Public Hearing at 7:52 PM.
Motion approving the execution of the attached Siting Agreement for the Axton Solar project and
Resolution # 2025-06-04, granting an extension of the SUP until July 1, 2027.
RESULT: 6-1 (Approve)
MOVER: Ingram
SECONDER: Whittle
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: Bowman
ABSTAIN: None
MATTERS FROM WORK SESSION
a. Resolution # 2025-06-05 Board Member Compensation
Motion to approve Resolution # 2025-06-05, setting the compensation for the Board of Supervisors,
as drafted by Staff.
RESULT: 5-2 (Approve)
MOVER: Bowman
SECONDER: Hite
AYES: Tucker, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: Hite, Bowman
ABSTAIN: None
b. Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Grant
Motion that the Board commit $75,000 from the grant local match/contingency line item for a 20%
local match towards the Danville Metropolitan Planning Organization’s implementation grant
based on recommendations in the recently adopted Safe Streets 4 All Action Plan, and that staff be
authorized to work with the West Piedmont Planning District Commission/Danville Metropolitan
Planning Organization and their consultants to identify the appropriate projects to prioritize for this
implementation grant application, and that should time and the grant application process allow, that
the Board be given a short list of projects to choose from for available funding.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Hite
SECONDER: Ingram
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
ADJOURNMENT
Tucker adjourned the Meeting at 8:13 PM.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM AGENDA
a. Public Hearing: Cell Tower Lease Renewal