Editor, The Smithfield Times:

Isle of Wight County has decreed that no more than 2,446 acres of prime farmland shall be allowed for solar power collection, a policy to preserve our agricultural productive capacity. Already there have been 1,759 acres allowed for this, leaving only 687 acres for more solar “farms.”

My question is, why is there no limit on developers’ taking hundreds (thousands?) of acres out of agricultural production to make their housing developments? They take out agriculturally productive acreage every bit as much and effectively as solar farms. The names of some of the developments even contain the word “Farms,” since they were or will be built on farmland! 

The developments in the pipeline far exceed the 687 acres left to conserve the 2,446 acre limit. To the Isle of Wight County political leadership I ask, rhetorically (not expecting a straight answer), someone to explain this inconsistency.

 

Dave Goodridge

Smithfield