Stop an Industrial Solar Farm in Davidsonville
SunCode Energy is seeking to build a 4.125-megawatt industrial solar facility on a 28.83-acre farm at 1563 Governor’s Bridge Road — a road officially designated by Anne Arundel County as a Scenic & Historic Road. The case is now in front of the Maryland Public Service Commission — Case No. 9878 — and the deadline to formally intervene is Thursday, July 30, 2026.
We are not against solar power. We are against losing productive farmland on a protected scenic and historic road to an out-of-state developer with no lasting stake in Davidsonville.
Protect Davidsonville’s Property Values and Quality of Life
Davidsonville is one of Anne Arundel County’s most treasured rural communities. Its rolling farmland, horse farms, scenic roads, and open spaces are what make it one of the most desirable places to live in Maryland. These qualities support strong property values, preserve our agricultural heritage, and define the unique character of our community. Today, that character is at risk.
The proposed Davidsonville Industrial Solar Park (SCCS 2) would place a large commercial electrical generating facility on productive farmland along Governor’s Bridge Road. Maryland law allows the Public Service Commission to approve certain utility-scale energy projects even when they conflict with local zoning — and, as detailed below, several of Anne Arundel County’s normal protections for this site are legally preempted and cannot be enforced against this project. But preempted is not the same as endorsed: this proposal is fundamentally inconsistent with the land-use vision County residents adopted through years of public process, even where the County can no longer require compliance with it.
This is simply the wrong project in the wrong location.
It conflicts with the intent of Anne Arundel County’s land-use regulations
Anne Arundel County’s community solar ordinance limits such facilities to no more than 25% of a property’s net site area, or 20 acres, whichever is less. The SCCS 2 proposal would use approximately 24.4 acres of a 28.83-acre parcel — about 85% of the entire property, more than three times the intensity the County’s ordinance contemplates. As the County’s own April 2026 review confirms, this specific cap is preempted by state law and cannot be enforced here — but that only underscores how far outside the County’s intended balance this project falls.
It converts productive farmland into an industrial facility
The proposal would permanently transform productive farmland into a commercial electric generating facility — solar arrays, security fencing, gravel access roads, transformers, and utility infrastructure in place of fields. Once farmland is converted to this kind of industrial use, it may never fully return to productive agriculture, in one of the County’s premier agricultural communities.
It would change the character of Governor’s Bridge Road
Governor’s Bridge Road is a County-designated Scenic and Historic Road, known for its farms, horse properties, and rural landscape. Placing an industrial solar facility along this corridor would change the character of the area for residents, visitors, and future generations — residents have raised concerns about visual impacts, construction traffic, noise, dust, stormwater runoff, loss of scenic views, and impacts to neighboring farms and property values.
This is not opposition to renewable energy. We support responsible solar development that respects local planning, agricultural preservation, rural communities, and appropriate site selection. Renewable energy and farmland preservation can coexist — but only when projects are placed where they belong.
Quickest action — 2 minutes. Add your name to the community petition, addressed to County Executive Steuart Pittman, Governor Wes Moore, and the District 33 Maryland General Assembly delegation.
The Facts
Applicant: SCCS 2, LLC (a project entity of SunCode Energy). Case number: Maryland PSC Case No. 9878. Facility size: 4.125 MW solar photovoltaic. Footprint: approximately 24.4 acres of a 28.83-acre property. Location: 1563 Governor’s Bridge Road, Davidsonville, Anne Arundel County, MD (Tax Map 54, Parcel 86, Lot 1). Filed: May 20, 2026. Application deemed complete: July 2–10, 2026. Pre-hearing conference: Thursday, August 6, 2026, 9:30 a.m. Intervention deadline: Thursday, July 30, 2026.
Governor’s Bridge Road is a Protected Scenic & Historic Road
Governor’s Bridge Rd. is officially listed as item #35 on Anne Arundel County’s adopted Scenic & Historic Roads Inventory (Bill #21-06). Under County Code §18-11-157(5), the developer of a solar facility on a scenic or historic road must provide a viewshed analysis, and the facility may not have an adverse impact on the road’s scenic or historic character.
The Anne Arundel County Office of Planning and Zoning confirmed this directly in an April 21, 2026 memo reviewing the project: the site is adjacent to the Elizabeth’s Fancy / Champs Adventure property, which is on the County’s Historic Resources Inventory and includes a cemetery. The County has asked the applicant to address viewshed impacts to both Governor’s Bridge Road and this adjacent historic property.
Why the County Can’t Just Say No
In 2025, Governor Wes Moore signed the Renewable Energy Certainty Act, which preempts local governments from prohibiting solar facilities between 1 and 5 megawatts or denying site plans that meet state siting criteria. Anne Arundel County’s own Office of Planning and Zoning has confirmed in writing that several of its normal protections — including the site coverage cap, the 10-mile spacing rule between solar facilities in Priority Preservation Areas, and prime farmland avoidance — are preempted by state law and cannot be enforced against this project.
This is a technical staff review, not a formal County opposition vote — but it documents real, state-law limits on the County’s authority, which is why the Maryland Public Service Commission is where this case will actually be decided.
How I Can Help
You do not need to be a lawyer to make a difference here. Pick one thing below and do it today — the PSC case record is built from exactly this kind of documented, individual participation.
Quickest action — 2 minutes: Sign the community petition, “Stop the industrial solar farm in Davidsonville,” addressed to County Executive Steuart Pittman, Governor Wes Moore, and State Senator Dawn Gile and Delegates Bagnall, Schmidt, and Pruski. Sign on Change.org →
Step 1 — Highest impact: File a public comment with the Maryland PSC
This goes directly into the official case record the assigned judge will read. Go to psc.maryland.gov, click File a Comment, register or sign in, select case number 9878, upload your comment as a PDF, and submit. Takes about 5 minutes. A full sample letter is on the How to Help page.
Step 2 — Pressure: Email your County and State officials
A personal, individually written email is one of the most effective levers available. Davidsonville falls in Maryland Legislative District 33: State Senator Dawn Gile and Delegate Stuart Schmidt Jr. (District 33B) are your key state legislators for this case. Also look up your Anne Arundel County Councilmember using the County’s Who Is My Councilmember tool. Sample email on the How to Help page.
Step 3 — Escalate: Write to Governor Moore
Governor Moore signed the Renewable Energy Certainty Act of 2025, the law that limits Anne Arundel County’s zoning authority over this project. His office logs and tallies constituent messages. Use the Governor’s contact form at md.accessgov.com/governor, select Legislation as the topic, and use your real Anne Arundel County address. Full letter template on the How to Help page.
Step 4 — Federal voice: Ask Rep. Steny Hoyer to weigh in
Davidsonville (ZIP 21035) is represented by Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5). While this case is decided at the state level, a federal representative’s public comment on farmland preservation and Priority Preservation Areas can still carry weight and draw attention to the case. Contact: hoyer.house.gov, (202) 225-4131.
For the full, ready-to-edit sample letters for every step above, visit the How to Help page.
Who to Contact
Maryland Public Service Commission — Andrew S. Johnston, Executive Secretary, 6 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202-6806. File comments and petitions to intervene at psc.maryland.gov, referencing Case No. 9878.
Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman — born and raised on his family farm in Davidsonville, per his official county biography. Office of the County Executive, Arundel Center, 44 Calvert St., Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: (410) 222-1821. Email: spittman@aacounty.org.
County Councilmember Shannon Leadbetter (District 7) — represents Davidsonville and South County. District Office, 44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor, Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: (410) 222-2417. Email: SLeadbetter@aacounty.org.
Governor Wes Moore — signed the Renewable Energy Certainty Act of 2025, the law limiting county zoning authority over solar facilities like this one. State House, 100 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401-1925. Phone: (410) 974-3901 (toll-free in Maryland: 1-800-811-8336). No direct public email — contact via the Governor’s contact form (select “Legislation” as the topic).
Maryland State Senator Dawn Gile (District 33) — 3 East Miller Senate Office Building, 11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: (410) 841-3568. Email: dawn.gile@senate.maryland.gov.
Delegate Stuart Schmidt Jr. (District 33B) — 157 Lowe House Office Building, 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: (410) 841-3110. Email: stuart.schmidt@house.maryland.gov.
U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD5) represents Maryland’s 5th Congressional District, which includes this part of Anne Arundel County. Washington, DC Office: 1705 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, phone (202) 225-4131. Northern Office (handles Anne Arundel County casework): U.S. District Courthouse, 6500 Cherrywood Lane, Suite 310, Greenbelt, MD 20770, phone (301) 474-0119. Contact via hoyer.house.gov.
Sources & Filings
Maryland PSC Case No. 9878 — full case docket: https://webpscxb.pscmaryland.com/DMS/case/9878
Anne Arundel County Code §18-11-157 (solar zoning): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/annearundel/latest/annearundelco_md/0-0-0-123111
Anne Arundel County Scenic & Historic Roads Inventory (PDF): https://www.aacounty.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/Scenic_Historic_Roads_Inventory.pdf
Anne Arundel County Office of Planning and Zoning memo on the SCCS 2 LLC Solar Project CPCN Application, April 21, 2026 (download below)