Land development; solar canopies in parking areas, definition.

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Solar Canopies in Parking Areas

This law permits local governments to require developers to install solar canopies over large nonresidential parking lots.

What This Bill Does

• Defines a 'solar canopy' as an area with raised structures containing solar photovoltaic panels.
• Permits localities to include in their land development rules that new developments must have solar canopies over designated surface parking areas if they have at least 100 spaces.
• Limits the requirement to nonresidential parking lots and allows up to 50% coverage of the area with solar canopies.
• Allows for exceptions when strict application would prevent other types of development allowed by local zoning laws.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local governments that make land development rules
• Developers who want to build new nonresidential buildings and parking lots

Terms To Know

solar canopy

A structure with raised panels containing solar photovoltaic cells used for generating electricity.

land development ordinance

Rules set by local governments that guide how land can be developed and used in their area.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law only applies to nonresidential parking lots with at least 100 spaces.
• Localities have the option, not a requirement, to include solar canopy rules in their development ordinances.
• The effective date of this law is July 1, 2027.

Official Summary Text

Land development; solar canopies in parking areas.
Provides that any locality may include in its land development ordinances a provision that requires that an applicant must install a solar canopy over designated surface parking areas. Such provisions shall apply only to nonresidential parking areas with 100 parking spaces or more and may require coverage of up to 50 percent of the surface parking area. The bill provides that localities shall allow for deviations, in whole or in part, from the requirements of the ordinance when its strict application would prevent the development of uses and densities otherwise allowed by the locality's zoning or development ordinance. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
15.2-961.4
, relating to land development; solar canopies in surface parking areas.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
15.2-961.4
as follows:

§ 15.2-
961.4
.
S
olar canopies
in
surface
parking areas
.

A.
For purposes of this section,
"solar canopy" means
an area with a raised structure that contains
solar
photovoltaic panels
.

B.
Any locality may include in its land development ordinance
s
a
provision that require
s
as a condition of land development approval that
an
applicant
shall
install

a
solar canopy
over
designated
surface
parking areas.
Such provisions shall apply only to nonresidential
surface
parking areas with 100 parking spaces or more and may require coverage of up to 50 percent of the
surface
parking area.

C.
An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section
shall allow for deviations, in whole or in part, from the
requirements of
such
ordinance
when its strict application
would prevent the development of uses and densities otherwise allowed by the locality's zoning or development ordinance.

D.
The
applicant or
developer may use the
electric energy
generated from such solar canopy
for its own consumption
. Any such solar canopy
shall
be interconnected pursuant to 20VAC5-314 or 20VAC5-315 of the Virginia Administrative Code at the election of the developer
.

2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on July 1, 2027.