| Bills | Committee | Last action | Date |
| HB 208 - Simonds - Comprehensive plan; locality may consider adopting a healthy communities strategy. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (H) House sustained Governor's veto | 04/17/24 |
| notes: Authorizes localities, beginning July 1, 2024, to adopt a healthy communities strategy as part of its next and any subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan. The bill provides that the locality's strategy may include identifying (i) major sources of pollution or hazardous waste sites within the locality, (ii) policies to mitigate the unique or compounded health risks to residents that may be caused by such pollution sources or hazardous waste sites, (iii) objectives and policies to promote civic engagement in public decision-making processes by residents, (iv) objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that promote healthy communities, and (v) objectives and policies that encourage linking public transit with community and health services and siting or co-locating health services in unconventional settings to ensure convenient access for all community members. Senate cognate is SB595. | |||
| HB 281 - Reaser - Child day programs; use of office buildings, waiver of zoning requirements. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0185) | 03/28/24 |
| notes: Permits any locality to, by ordinance, provide for the waiver of any requirements for zoning permits for the operation of a child day program in an office building, as defined by the bill, provided that such facility satisfies the requirements for state licensure as a child day program. | |||
| HB 338 - Thomas - Siting of data centers; locality may perform site assessment before approval. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (S) Continued to 2025 in General Laws and Technology (9-Y 3-N 3-A) | 02/28/24 |
| notes: Allows a locality, prior to any approval for the siting of a data center, to perform a site assessment to examine the effect of the data center on water usage and carbon emissions within the locality. | |||
| HB 405 - McClure - Electric vehicle charging facilities; infrastructure necessary to support installation. | (H) Committee on General Laws (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (H) House sustained Governor's veto | 04/17/24 |
| notes: Provides that any locality may include in its subdivision ordinance a requirement for electric vehicle charging stations for a development containing commercial, industrial, or multifamily residential uses with a density of seven residential dwelling units per acre or greater. The bill contains a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025. | |||
| HB 414 - Convirs-Fowler - Land records; recording and indexing fees. | (H) Committee for Courts of Justice (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (S) Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) | 02/27/24 |
| notes: Provides that no clerk of a circuit court shall assess separate recording and indexing fees for one document that contains two or more instruments that may serve independent legal purposes, including a record of a mortgage as a financing statement, unless the person presenting such document or instruments requests that such document or instruments be recorded and indexed in more than a single instance. The bill also provides that no recordation tax shall be required of a quitclaim deed between a grantor and grantee when no consideration has passed between the parties, provided that such quitclaim deed shows on its face that no consideration has passed. | |||
| HB 459 - Sullivan - Trees; conservation during land development process in certain localities. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0691) | 04/08/24 |
| notes: Expands authority of certain localities to adopt an ordinance providing for the planting and replacement of trees during the development process by allowing a tree canopy fund that currently applies to the planting of trees on public property to include maintenance of trees on public property and planting and maintenance of trees on private property. The bill removes a provision that requires that any funds collected for the purposes of the tree canopy fund be returned to the original contributor if not spent within five years but maintains the requirement that such finds be spent within five years. The bill also includes an expansion of the canopy credit. Senate cognate is SB121. | |||
| HB 529 - Hope - Trees; conservation and replacement during development process. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (H) House sustained Governor's veto | 04/17/24 |
| notes: Expands certain existing local government authority to conserve or replace trees during the development process by expanding such authority statewide. The bill allows localities to establish higher tree canopy replacement percentages based on density per acre. The bill also alters the current process for granting exceptions to a local ordinance by altering a provision that requires the granting of an exception when strict application of the ordinance would result in unnecessary or unreasonable hardship to the developer and replacing it with a requirement that the locality concur with such determination. The bill permits localities to monitor and assess the condition and coverage of tree canopies at development sites during the time period up to 20 years' maturity of the planted trees. The bill makes numerous technical amendments. | |||
| HB 619 - Price - Military centered community zones; localities may establish, by ordinance, one or more zones. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0298) | 04/02/24 |
| notes: Allows localities to establish, by ordinance, one or more military centered community zones, defined in the bill as a community that has a significant presence of military personnel living or working in the designated area and where such presence drives, or has the potential to drive, significant economic activity. The bill provides that a locality, or another political subdivision acting on behalf of the locality, may offer unique benefits to businesses looking to locate within a zone for the purpose of serving the needs of the military personnel, including reduction of certain fees and taxes. In addition, the bill provides that local governing bodies are authorized to enter into agreements for the payment of economic development incentive grants to such businesses. The bill also allows a governing body to provide for certain regulatory flexibility and incentives and provides that the establishment of a military centered community zone shall not preclude the area from also being designated as an enterprise zone or from receiving support under the Virginia Military Community Infrastructure Grant Program. | |||
| HB 636 - Sullivan - Siting of energy facilities; approval by the State Corporation Commission. | (H) Committee on Labor and Commerce | (H) Continued to 2025 in Labor and Commerce | 02/08/24 |
| notes:
Establishes a procedure under which an electric utility or independent power provider (applicant) is able to obtain approval for a certificate from the State Corporation Commission for the siting of an energy facility rather than from the governing body of a locality. Under the bill, applicants are authorized to submit an application to the Commission if (i) the locality fails to timely approve or deny an application; (ii) the application complies with certain requirements for Commission approval, but a host locality denies the application; or (iii) the locality amends its zoning ordinance after it has notified the applicant that its requirements are compatible with the requirements for Commission approval, and the amendment imposes additional requirements that are more restrictive. The bill provides that an applicant who is issued a certificate by the Commission for an energy facility is exempt from obtaining approvals or permits, including any land use approvals or permits under the regulations and ordinances of the locality. The bill applies to any solar energy facility with a capacity of 50 megawatts or more, any wind energy facility with a capacity of 100 megawatts or more, and any energy storage facility with a nameplate capacity of 50 megawatts or more and an energy discharge capability of 200 megawatt hours or more. Senate cognate is SB597 |
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| HB 646 - Coyner - Zoning; certified recovery residence. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns | (H) Continued to 2025 in Counties, Cities and Towns | 02/09/24 |
| notes: To be Studied by Housing Commission - Requires that a locality's zoning ordinances for all purposes shall consider a certified recovery residence in which individuals with substance use disorder reside as residential occupancy by a single family. The bill specifies that no conditions more restrictive than those imposed on residences occupied by persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption shall be imposed on such certified recovery residence. | |||
| HB 650 - Coyner - Zoning; solar photovoltaic and energy storage projects. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0301) | 04/02/24 |
| notes: Provides that the conditions of a special exception or special use permit may include a period of validity; however, in the case of a special exception or special use permit for residential and electrical generation projects, the period of validity shall be no fewer than three years. The bill provides that for so long as a special exception, special use permit, or conditional use permit remains valid, no change or amendment to any local ordinance, map, resolution, rule, regulation, policy, or plan adopted subsequent to the date of approval of the special exception, special use permit, or conditional use permit shall adversely affect the right of the developer or his successor in interest to commence and complete an approved development in accordance with the lawful terms of the special exception, special use permit, or conditional use permit unless the change or amendment is required to comply with state law or there has been a mistake, fraud, or a change in circumstances substantially affecting the public health, safety, or welfare. | |||
| HB 656 - Wiley - Regulated land-disturbing activities; submission and approval of erosion and sediment control plan. | (H) Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (S) Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0104) | 03/20/24 |
| notes: Prohibits a person from engaging in any land-disturbing activity until, where Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit coverage is required, the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program (VESCP) authority has obtained evidence of such permit coverage from the Department of Environmental Quality's online reporting system prior to issuing its land-disturbance approval. Current law requires the VESCP authority to obtain such evidence of VPDES permit coverage prior to approving an erosion and sediment control plan. | |||
| HB 900 - Srinivasan - Zoning; developmental and use of accessory dwelling units. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns | (H) Committee substitute posted to LIS only 24106777D-H1 | 02/02/24 |
| notes: To be Studied by Housing Commission - Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinances for single-family residential zoning districts accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, as defined in the bill, as a permitted accessory use. The bill requires a person to seek a permit for an ADU from the locality, requires the locality to issue such permit if the person meets certain requirements enumerated in the bill, and restricts the fee for such permit to $100 or less. The bill prohibits the locality from requiring (i) dedicated parking for the ADU; (ii) lot sizes or setbacks for the ADU greater than that of the primary dwelling; (iii) consanguinity or affinity between the occupants of the ADU and the primary dwelling; and (iv) redundant water, sewer, or septic capacity for the ADU. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025. | |||
| HB 947 - Lopez - Local government; regulation by ordinance for locations of tobacco products, etc. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0536) | 04/05/24 |
| notes: Allows a locality to regulate the retail sale locations of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, alternative nicotine products, or hemp products intended for smoking, for any such retail sale location and may prohibit a retail sale location on property within 1,000 linear feet of a child day center or a public, private, or parochial school. | |||
| HB 1100 - Carr - Trees; Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia), conservation during land development process. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (H) House sustained Governor's veto | 04/17/24 |
| notes: Expands current provisions that provide that certain localities in Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia) may, by ordinance, require conservation of trees during the land development process by making such provisions available to localities statewide. This bill incorporates HB 170 and HB 534. | |||
| HB 1310 - Clark - Zoning; enhanced civil penalties for violations involving nonpermitted commercial uses. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns | (H) Continued to 2025 in Counties, Cities and Towns | 01/26/24 |
| notes: Allows enhanced civil penalties for zoning violations involving nonpermitted commercial uses. The bill also requires that for any violation involving nonpermitted commercial uses, a person who admits liability shall be required to abate or remedy the nonpermitted commercial use violation within a period of time specified by the locality that is no less than 30 days but no more than 24 months from the date of admission of liability. | |||
| HB 1461 - Mundon King - Short-term rental property; locality's ability to prohibit lessee or sublessee operator. | (H) Committee on General Laws (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0700) | 04/08/24 |
| notes:
Localities may, by ordinance, establish a short-term rental registry and require operators within the locality to register annually. The registration shall be ministerial in nature and shall require the operator to provide (i) the complete name of the operator and, (ii) the address of each property in the locality offered for short-term rental by the operator, and (iii) an attestation that the property owner has granted permission for use of such property as a short-term rental if the operator is a lessee or sublessee. No local ordinance shall prohibit an operator from offering a property as a short-term rental solely on the basis that such operator is a lessee or sublessee, provided that the property owner has granted permission for such property's use as a short-term rental. Localities may enact an ordinance that limits a lessee or sublessee to one short-term rental within the applicable locality. |
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| HB 1486 - Thomas - Vacant buildings; registration. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0613) | 04/08/24 |
| HB 1488 - Henson - Local government; standardization of public notice requirements for certain meetings, hearings, etc. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0225) | 03/28/24 |
| notes: Standardizes the frequency with which and length of time in which notices of certain meetings, hearings, and other intended actions of localities must be published. The notice provisions included in the bill are organized into three groups: (i) publication required at least seven days before a meeting, hearing, or intended action; (ii) publication required twice, with the first notice appearing no more than 28 days before and the second notice appearing no less than seven days before a meeting, hearing, or intended action; and (iii) publication required three times, with the first notice appearing no more than 35 days before and the third notice appearing no less than seven days before the meeting, hearing, or intended action. The bill also standardizes descriptive information in such notices related to (a) proposing, amending, or repealing ordinances; (b) local budget adoption; and (c) zoning ordinances and planning-related actions. Senate cognate is SB413. | |||
| SB 121 - Subramanyam - Trees; conservation during land development process in certain localities. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0702) | 04/08/24 |
| notes: Expands authority of certain localities to adopt an ordinance providing for the planting and replacement of trees during the development process by allowing a tree canopy fund that currently applies to the planting of trees on public property to include maintenance of trees on public property and planting and maintenance of trees on private property. The bill removes a provision that requires that any funds collected for the purposes of the tree canopy fund be returned to the original contributor if not spent within five years but maintains the requirement that such funds be spent within five years. The bill also includes an expansion of the canopy credit. House cognate is HB459. | |||
| SB 171 - Craig - Zoning; enhanced civil penalties for violations involving nonpermitted commercial uses. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (H) Continued to 2025 in Counties, Cities and Towns | 02/16/24 |
| notes: Allows enhanced civil penalties for zoning violations involving nonpermitted commercial uses. The bill also requires that for any violation involving nonpermitted commercial uses, a person who admits liability shall be required to abate or remedy the nonpermitted commercial use violation within a period of time specified by the locality that is no less than 30 days but no more than 24 months from the date of admission of liability. | |||
| SB 200 - Diggs - Legal notices; locality to advertise on their website. | (S) Committee on Local Government | (S) Continued to 2025 in Local Government (13-Y 2-N) | 01/22/24 |
| notes: Allows a locality to advertise legal notices on the locality's website instead of, or in addition to, publishing such notices in a newspaper having general circulation in the locality. | |||
| SB 284 - Roem - Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites. | (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (S) Continued to 2025 in General Laws and Technology (13-Y 2-N) | 02/07/24 |
| notes: Provides that any local government land use application required for the siting of a data center shall only be approved in areas where the data center will (i) have a minimal impact on historic, agricultural, and cultural resources and (ii) not be within one mile of a national park, state park, or other historically significant site. | |||
| SB 285 - Roem - Siting of data centers; site assessment. | (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (S) Continued to 2025 in General Laws and Technology (13-Y 2-N) | 02/07/24 |
| notes: Requires a locality, prior to any approval for the siting of a data center, to require disclosure of water and power usage at full build-out and perform a site assessment to examine the effect of the data center on water usage, the regional electric grid, and carbon emissions as well as any impacts on agricultural, historic, and cultural resources within the locality. | |||
| SB 289 - Roem - Stormwater management regulations; enterprise data center operations. | (S) Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | (S) Continued to 2025 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (10-Y 5-N) | 01/23/24 |
| notes: Directs the State Water Control Board to adopt regulations that require certain stormwater management techniques for land disturbances related to the construction, expansion, or operation of an enterprise data center operation, as defined in the bill, that is located within one mile of any land owned or operated as a unit of the National Park Service or designated as a Virginia State Park or state forest. | |||
| SB 296 - VanValkenburg - Local planning commission; action on proposed plats, site plans, and development plans. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0346) | 04/02/24 |
| notes: Requires local planning commissions to use the same approval process for residential development projects as is currently required for commercial development projects. | |||
| SB 304 - Salim - Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (H) Continued to 2025 with substitute in Counties, Cities and Towns | 02/23/24 |
| notes: To be Studied by Housing Commission - Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinances for residential zoning districts accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, as defined in the bill, as a permitted accessory use. The bill requires a person to seek a permit for an ADU from the locality, requires the locality to issue such permit if the person meets certain requirements enumerated in the bill, and restricts the fee for such permit to $250 or less. The bill prohibits the locality from requiring rear or side setbacks for the ADU greater than that of the primary dwelling or consanguinity or affinity between the occupants of the ADU and the primary dwelling. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025. | |||
| SB 308 - McPike - Residential dwelling units; rentals for 30 consecutive days or longer. | (H) Committee on General Laws (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0347) | 04/02/24 |
| notes: Prohibits a locality from enacting or enforcing an ordinance that bans the rental of residential dwelling units for 30 consecutive days or longer. The bill allows a locality by ordinance to regulate such rental if such regulations (i) are reasonable and (ii) do not exceed the requirements for an owner-occupied residential property or a residential property rented for a lease term of 12 months or more in the same zoning district. | |||
| SB 339 - Salim - Blockchain technology, digital asset mining, etc.; Jt. Commission on Technology & Science to study. | (H) Committee on Appropriations (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0707) | 04/08/24 |
| notes: Directs the Bureau of Financial Institutions of the State Corporation Commission to convene a work group to study and make recommendations relating to blockchain technology, digital asset mining, and cryptocurrency. The bill requires the members of such work group to include five members of the House of Delegates, five members of the Senate, and three nonlegislative members appointed by the Bureau. The bill requires the Bureau to submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of the work group's findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly. | |||
| SB 343 - Rouse - Military centered community zones; localities may establish, by ordinance, one or more zones. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0350) | 04/02/24 |
| notes: Allows localities to establish, by ordinance, one or more military centered community zones, defined in the bill as a community that has a significant presence of military personnel living or working in the designated area and where such presence drives, or has the potential to drive, significant economic activity. The bill provides that a locality, or another political subdivision acting on behalf of the locality, may offer unique benefits to businesses looking to locate within a zone for the purpose of serving the needs of the military personnel, including reduction of certain fees and taxes. In addition, the bill provides that local governing bodies are authorized to enter into agreements for the payment of economic development incentive grants to such businesses. The bill also allows a governing body to provide for certain regulatory flexibility and incentives and provides that the establishment of a military centered community zone shall not preclude the area from also being designated as an enterprise zone or from receiving support under the Virginia Military Community Infrastructure Grant Program. | |||
| SB 365 - DeSteph - Regulated land-disturbing activities; submission and approval of erosion and sediment control plan. | (H) Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (S) Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0005) | 03/08/24 |
| notes: Prohibits a person from engaging in any land-disturbing activity until, where Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit coverage is required, the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program (VESCP) authority has obtained evidence of such permit coverage from the Department of Environmental Quality's online reporting system prior to issuing its land-disturbance approval. Current law requires the VESCP authority to obtain such evidence of VPDES permit coverage prior to approving an erosion and sediment control plan. | |||
| SB 430 - VanValkenburg - Residential development in certain areas; affordable housing. | (S) Committee on Local Government | (S) Continued to 2025 in Local Government (15-Y 0-N) | 01/29/24 |
| notes: Provides that any type of residential use that is permitted in a locality shall be considered a conforming residential use on any parcel other than parcels zoned for (i) agriculture, (ii) conservation, or (iii) a different residential use. The bill states that no local ordinance shall require that a special exception, special use, or conditional use permit be obtained for a conforming residential use and that rights under existing zoning shall be considered vested pursuant to existing vesting provisions. The bill further provides that any residential development pursuant to the authority granted in the bill shall dedicate a minimum of 10 percent of the total number of housing units to housing affordable to households making at or below 120 percent of the area median income. | |||
| SB 544 - Bagby - Short-term rental property; locality's ability to prohibit use of accessory dwelling unit. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0792) | 04/17/24 |
| notes: Prohibits a locality from barring the use of or requiring that a special exception, special use, or conditional use permit be obtained for the use of a residential dwelling as a short-term rental where the dwelling unit is also legally occupied by the property owner as his primary residence | |||
| SB 567 - Deeds - Siting of energy facilities; approval by the State Corporation Commission. | (S) Committee on Commerce and Labor | (S) Continued to 2025 in Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N) | 02/09/24 |
| notes: Establishes a procedure under which an electric utility or independent power provider (applicant) is able to obtain approval for a certificate from the State Corporation Commission for the siting of an energy facility rather than from the governing body of a locality. Under the bill, applicants are authorized to submit an application to the Commission if (i) the locality fails to timely approve or deny an application; (ii) the application complies with certain requirements for Commission approval, but a host locality denies the application; or (iii) the locality amends its zoning ordinance after it has notified the applicant that its requirements are compatible with the requirements for Commission approval, and the amendment imposes additional requirements that are more restrictive. The bill provides that an applicant who is issued a certificate by the Commission for an energy facility is exempt from obtaining approvals or permits, including any land use approvals or permits under the regulations and ordinances of the locality. House cognate is HB636. | |||
| SB 595 - Bagby - Comprehensive plan; locality may consider adopting a healthy communities strategy. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (S) Passed by for the day | 04/17/24 |
| notes: Authorizes a locality, beginning July 1, 2024, to adopt a healthy communities strategy as part of its next and any subsequent reviews of its comprehensive plan. The bill provides that the locality's strategy may include identifying (i) major sources of pollution or hazardous waste sites within the locality, (ii) policies to mitigate the unique or compounded health risks to residents that may be caused by such pollution sources or hazardous waste sites, (iii) objectives and policies to promote civic engagement in public decision-making processes by residents, (iv) objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that promote healthy communities, and (v) objectives and policies that encourage linking public transit with community and health services and siting or co-locating health services in unconventional settings to ensure convenient access for all community members. House cognate is HB208. | |||
| SB 597 - McPike - Affordable housing; local zoning ordinance authority, comprehensive plan. | (H) Committee on General Laws (S) Committee on Local Government | (S) Passed by for the day | 04/17/24 |
| notes: Authorizes any locality in the Commonwealth to provide for an affordable housing dwelling unit program by amending the zoning ordinance of such locality. Current law restricts such authorization to counties with an urban county executive form of government or county manager plan of government and certain other localities. This bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025. | |||
| SB 679 - Head - Enterprise zones; extension. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0686) | 04/08/24 |
| notes: Provides that any enterprise zone in existence as of June 30, 2024, shall be extended for a period of four years in addition to any renewal periods currently authorized by law. | |||
| SB 697 - VanValkenburg - Solar and energy facilities; local regulation. | (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (S) Committee on Local Government | (H) Continued to 2025 in Counties, Cities and Towns | 02/28/24 |
| notes: Prohibits a locality from including in an ordinance (i) limits on the total amount, density, or size of any ground-mounted solar facility or energy storage facility until such time that the total area under panels within the locality exceeds four percent of the total area within the locality or (ii) any prohibitions on the use of solar panels that comply with generally accepted national environmental protection and product safety standards, provided that such installation is in compliance with any provisions of a local ordinance that establishes criteria and requirements for siting. | |||
| SB 701 - French - Vested rights; building permits. | (H) Committee on General Laws (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0605) | 04/05/24 |
| notes: Provides that if a locality has issued a building permit, despite nonconformance with the zoning ordinance, and a property owner, relying in good faith on the issuance of the building permit, incurs extensive obligations or substantial expenses in diligent pursuit of a building project that is in conformance with the building permit and the Uniform Statewide Building Code, the locality shall not treat such building as an illegal use but rather as a legal nonconforming use. Current law requires that such project be completed and a certificate of occupancy issued in order to receive such protection. | |||
| SB 715 - Sturtevant - Zoning; local review of decisions. | (S) Committee on Local Government | (S) Stricken at request of Patron in Local Government (13-Y 0-N) | 02/05/24 |
| notes: Clarifies that a locality may schedule regular reviews of previous zoning decisions in order to determine whether provisions of the zoning ordinance (i) continue to meet the general purpose of promoting the health, safety, or general welfare of the public and (ii) are compatible with changes in land use patterns. | |||
| SB 721 - Mulchi - Local government actions related to comprehensive plans, etc.; approval process. | (S) Committee on Local Government | (S) Continued to 2025 in Local Government (15-Y 0-N) | 01/29/24 |
| notes: Makes several changes to local government land use approval processes, including (i) prohibiting use of the comprehensive plan as the basis, in whole or in part, for the disapproval of a site plan that is otherwise in conformity with duly adopted standards, ordinances, and statutes and (ii) allowing automatic approval of certain land use applications rather than a right to petition the circuit court, as provided under current law, if a locality does not approve or disapprove the application within the required timeframe. The bill also reduces from 12 months to four months the time within which a locality must initially act upon certain proposed zoning ordinance amendments and requires a locality to act on all such proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance or map that it has previously disapproved within 45 days after an amended proposal has been resubmitted for approval. | |||