2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26100558D

SENATE BILL NO. 26

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled November 17, 2025

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.

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Patron—Carroll Foy

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Referred to Committee on Local Government

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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. Solar 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 ordinances a provision that requires 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 may 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.