SUFFOLK, Va. — Neighbors near a proposed solar farm on Old Myrtle Road in Suffolk are raising concerns about noise and flooding, as the project moves toward a final decision by Suffolk City Council.
The Suffolk Planning Commission recommended denial of the conditional use permit for the project. Despite that recommendation, the application will still go before Suffolk City Council, which will make the final decision on whether the project can proceed.
Jimmy Smith, who lives on Old Myrtle Road, said noise and flooding are his primary concerns.
"Noise and flooding are my two major concerns," Smith said.
Smith said he moved to Old Myrtle Road to escape noise, and he worries the proposed solar farm would disrupt that.
"The road bed would be adjacent to my property and if they elevate that the plans I have seen that's going to make all of the water will backup on this property and behind all the homes you see here," Smith said.
His concerns echo those of residents on White Marsh Road, who say they have been dealing with noise from a nearby existing solar farm for years. Shane and Tiffany Alexander, who were first interviewed in 2025, say the noise continues to be a problem.
"They have erected one barrier around one invertor a wooden barrier which did pretty much nothing to change the sound," Shane Alexander said.
Along with installing barriers around some of the inverters, the City of Suffolk commissioned an independent noise study of the facility. The city says the study found noise levels were within permitted standards. Alexander disagrees.
"Since the inception of this nothing has really been done the way it should've been, poor planning, poor engineering," Alexander said.
Smith said the situation on White Marsh Road is exactly what he fears could happen on Old Myrtle Road if City Council approves the conditional use permit.
"We are country people we enjoy our lifestyle we moved out here for one thing the peace the quiet the tranquillity," Smith said.
I reached out to the owners of both the existing solar farm on White Marsh Road and the applicant behind the proposed project on Old Myrtle Road for comment, but did not hear back before deadline.
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