Senate Approves Bill Preempting Local Authority on Siting Solar and Battery Storage Facilities
By a vote of 21-18, the Senate of Virginia passed SB 697 (Van Valkenburg). The legislation mandates that any local ordinance adopted pursuant § 15.2-2288.7 of the Code of Virginia (local regulation of solar facilities) shall not “… include limits on the total amount, density, or size of any ground mounted solar facility or energy […]
Senate Passes Bill to Make ADUs a By-Right Use
The Senate of Virginia passed SB 304 (Salim) by a vote of 22 to 18. The legislation mandates all localities permit accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as an accessory use in residential zoning districts. The legislation also prohibits a locality from requiring rear or side setbacks for the ADU that are greater than the setback required […]
Bill to Make Short-Term Rentals a By-Right Use Passes Senate
The Senate of Virginia passed SB 544 (Bagby) by a vote of 25-15. The legislation prohibits a locality from adopting a local ordinance that requires 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 […]
VACo has Concerns over Sovereign Immunity Provisions of Bill Amending the Virginia Human Rights Act
SB 570 (Ebbin) proposes several changes to Code, including expanding the definition of “employer” under the Virginia Human Rights Act, to include any government or political subdivision, or agent of such government or political subdivision, employing more than five employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current […]
Local Speed Limit Authority Bill Passes House
HB 1071 (Carr) seeks to achieve a long sought-after transportation safety policy goal of localities across the Commonwealth. This bill would allow the governing body of any locality to reduce to less than 25 miles per hour, but not less than 15 miles per hour, the speed limit of highways that are part of the state highway system. The […]
Elections Roundup
HB 1149 (Cordoza) would have made a significant change to the process of removing an elected officer or officer who has been appointed to fill an elective office. Under current law, the removal process for most elected officials begins with a petition to a circuit court signed by registered voters within the jurisdiction equating to […]
Bills Allowing Local Governments to Offer Enhanced Retirement Benefits for 911 Dispatchers and Others Continued to 2025
Legislation that would allow have local governments to provide enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service to full-time salaried 911 dispatchers will be continued to 2025, thus ending any chances for the enactment of this legislation for the year. HB 38 (Clark), HB 300 (Ballard), and HB 630 (Cherry) would have provided that such enhanced […]
Electric Vehicle Charging Bills Update
As previously reported, VACo supports HB 107 (Sullivan) as this bill would create the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund. The Program and Fund would make available up to $25 million each fiscal year and assist developers by offsetting up to 70 percent of the non-utility cost of electric vehicle charging stations. According to the provisions […]
Visit Lancaster County and the Lancaster County Historic Courthouse
Location: 8265 Mary Ball Road / Courthouse RoadBuilt: 1860 – 1861Style: Greek RevivalArchitect: Edwin O RobinsonContractor: Edwin O Robinson Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Lancaster. The south front has a large Roman Doric […]
School Construction Financing Bills Head to House Floor – Contact Your Delegates Now!
On February 7, the House Finance Committee reported with a substitute HB 805 (Rasoul) on a bipartisan vote of 13-8. As previously reported, this bill would permit any county or city to impose an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1 percent, if initiated by a resolution of the local governing body […]
Finance Update: Problematic Assessment Bill Continued to 2025, Meals Tax Bill Amended, and More
Assessments of affordable housing: HB 1446 (Coyner) proposed a significant policy change to the assessment of affordable housing properties. Although the bill was amended in subcommittee to limit its applicability to properties in certain federal programs, VACo continued to voice serious concerns about the breadth of the changes proposed and strongly encouraged this bill to […]
Capitol Contact ALERT! Oppose SB 697: Mandates Approval of Solar and Battery Storage
Bill to be Heard Thursday, February 8 in Committee – Call Your Senators Now to Oppose SB 697 (Van Valkenburg) requires localities to permit utility-scale solar and energy storage facilities as a “special exception” per 15.2-2288.8 of Virginia Code and to develop an ordinance that establishes “reasonable criteria and requirements” for the siting of utility-scale […]
School Construction Financing Bills Advance in House
On February 5, Subcommittee #3 of the House Finance Committee recommended to report with a substitute HB 805 (Rasoul) on a vote of 5-3. As previously reported, this bill would permit any county or city to impose an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1 percent, if initiated by a resolution of […]
Bill to Make Short-Term Rentals a By-Right Use Passes in Committee
SB 544 (Bagby), as amended in committee, prohibits a locality from adopting a local ordinance that requires 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 or her […]
Bill to Make ADUs a By-Right Use Passes in Committee
SB 304 (Salim) passed in the Senate Local Government Committee on February 5 by a vote of 8-6-1 and will be considered on the Senate floor later this week. VACo opposes SB 304. Action Required – Contact members of the Senate to vote “NO” on SB 304. The legislation, as amended in committee, mandates all […]
Update on Elections Bills
Voter satellitesSeveral bills dealing with the establishment of voter satellite offices are under consideration this session. Since the establishment of voter satellite offices is currently a local option and would be funded by local dollars in the absence of additional state support, VACo has encouraged the preservation of local flexibility in making these decisions. HB […]