HB 711 (Herring) and SB 347 (VanValkenburg) direct that, unless otherwise permitted “by right,” a locality shall require and review any “special exception” (aka special use permit) for any application of a solar project one
HB 711 (Herring) and SB 347 (VanValkenburg) direct that, unless otherwise permitted “by right,” a locality shall require and review any “special exception” (aka special use permit) for any application of a solar project one
SB 388 (McPike) and HB 1279 (Cole) override local decision-making by allowing development of housing, with up to 30 percent of certain ground-floor nonresidential uses,
HB 891 (Shin) and SB 443 (McPike) make utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) a by-right use on any parcel that has previously been approved
Local Governing Bodies HB 505 (McAuliff)/SB 648 (Perry), as passed by the General Assembly, provide that any member of a local governing body who has
Secretary of Finance Mark Sickles briefed members of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, shortly after the Monday night release of Governor Spanberger’s
SB 731 (Salim) and HB 547 (Helmer), as passed the General Assembly, would require that the governing body of any city or county that contracts
In the most recent Energy Landscape of Virginia series podcast interview, VACo learned from the Virginia Energy Purchasing Governmental Association (VEPGA) that counties, cities, towns,
Listen to the Podcast In a conversation with Stephen Burr, Energy Manager for Arlington County, and John Lord, Energy Management Coordinator for Fairfax
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is grappling with a significant deficit in the emergency response budget for Fiscal Year 2026. VDOT staff presented this
Legislation, adopted in 2025 updating the federal Opportunity Zone program, changes eligibility criteria, resulting in fewer census tracts qualifying for designation. This means states will
The museum sits on one of the last battlefields of the Civil War. Just a mile and a half away, Robert E. Lee met with
Following the General Assembly’s adjournment on March 14, several bills concerning photo speed monitoring devices have passed. The following are bills that VACo worked on
Listen to the Podcast Energy Related Legislation in the 2026 General Assembly: Data Centers, Utility-Scale Solar and Battery Storage. In a conversation with VACo Deputy
VACo welcomes media inquiries. We have experts who know the issues well and can give stories perspective and color. Our experts are well-respected in the Commonwealth and have experience working with the media.
If you need more assistance or have a media inquiry, contact Communications Director Gage Harter at gharter@vaco.org.
Sign up for periodic news updates and event invitations.
Advocating, educating and empowering Virginia counties since 1934.
Copyright © 2022 Virginia Association of Counties. All rights reserved. Policies and Accessibility.