VirginiaSB262026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Land development; definitions, solar canopies in surface parking areas, delayed effective date.

Sponsored By: Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

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 or more new off-street contiguous parking spaces and may require coverage of up to 50 percent of the surface parking area. The bill provides that an ordinance adopted pursuant to this bill shall be subject to various additional requirements and 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 or when a property owner shows that the solar canopy, if installed as otherwise required under the ordinance, will generate less than 75 percent of the electricity that would be expected, given the nameplate capacity of the solar modules installed on such canopy, if the canopy were to be installed at another location in the locality without surrounding impediments to insolation such as buildings or shading vegetation. Finally, the bill provides that the applicant or owner may use the electric energy generated from such solar canopy to offset the consumption of the parking lot or adjoining building served under the same account. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1234.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Use and finance power from canopies

You can use solar canopy power to offset the parking lot’s or an adjoining building’s electricity if they share the same account. You may choose to interconnect under Virginia rules 20VAC5-314 or 20VAC5-315. A canopy can be owned by a third party by contract, deed, or lease. These options are available beginning July 1, 2027.

Localities can require solar parking canopies

The law lets any locality require solar canopies over up to 50% of a qualified parking area. A qualified area is a new surface lot (or addition) with 100 or more new contiguous off-street spaces for nonresidential uses. Any local rule must apply the same to public and private lots. Mixed-use projects are exempt when 50% or more of the new square footage is residential. Localities must allow exceptions if the rule would block allowed development, or if P90 modeling shows less than 75% of expected unshaded output. Canopies do not add impervious area for stormwater if the paved surface under them is already counted. Landscaping and tree-canopy requirements under the canopy are removed. Applicants may choose one canopy or many. These authorities and limits take effect July 1, 2027.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 182 • No: 69

Senate vote 2/27/2026

House amendments agreed to by Senate

Yes: 20 • No: 19

House vote 2/25/2026

Passed House with amendments

Yes: 75 • No: 21

House vote 2/20/2026

Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns

Yes: 18 • No: 3

Senate vote 2/12/2026

Read third time and passed Senate

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 2/11/2026

Senator Carroll Foy Amendment agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/11/2026

Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/10/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/10/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/9/2026

Reported from Local Government with substitute

Yes: 8 • No: 7

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0758)

    4/13/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 758 (Effective 7/1/2027)

    4/13/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026Senate
  5. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB26ER)

    3/4/2026Senate
  6. Enrolled

    3/4/2026Senate
  7. Signed by President

    3/4/2026Senate
  8. Signed by Speaker

    3/4/2026House
  9. House amendments agreed to by Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A)

    2/27/2026Senate
  10. Passed House with amendments (75-Y 21-N 0-A)

    2/25/2026House
  11. Engrossed by House as amended

    2/25/2026House
  12. Delegate Sewell Floor amendments agreed to

    2/25/2026House
  13. Read third time

    2/25/2026House
  14. Floor Offered

    2/25/2026House
  15. Read second time

    2/24/2026House
  16. Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (18-Y 3-N)

    2/20/2026House
  17. Read first time

    2/17/2026House
  18. Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

    2/17/2026House
  19. Placed on Calendar

    2/17/2026House
  20. Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    2/12/2026Senate
  21. Floor offered

    2/11/2026Senate
  22. Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)

    2/11/2026Senate
  23. Senator Carroll Foy Amendment agreed to

    2/11/2026Senate
  24. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Voice Vote)

    2/11/2026Senate
  25. Committee substitute agreed to

    2/11/2026Senate

Bill Text

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