{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-2316.9.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-2316.9.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-2316.9.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-2316.9.html"}],"law_id":69655,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69655,"structure_id":15847,"section_number":"15.2-2316.9","catch_line":"Effect of executed siting agreement; land use approval","history":"2020, c. 802; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 57, 58.","full_text":"A\n\nNothing in this article shall be construed to exempt an applicant from any other applicable requirements to obtain approvals and permits under federal, state, or local ordinances and regulations. An applicant may file for appropriate land use approvals for the solar project or energy storage project, as applicable, under the regulations and ordinances of the host locality at or after the time the applicant submits its notice of intent to site a solar project or energy storage project as set forth in subsection A of § 15.2-2316.7.B\n\nNothing in this article shall affect the authority of the host locality to enforce its ordinances and regulations to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the siting agreement.C\n\nApproval of a siting agreement by the local governing body in accordance with subsection B of § 15.2-2316.8 shall deem the solar project or energy storage project to be substantially in accord with the comprehensive plan of the host locality, thereby satisfying the requirements of § 15.2-2232.D\n\nThe failure of an applicant and the governing body to enter into a siting agreement may be a factor in the decision of the governing body in the consideration of any land use approvals for a solar project or energy storage project, but shall not be the sole reason for a denial of such land use approvals.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":251813,"text":"Nothing in this article shall be construed to exempt an applicant from any other applicable requirements to obtain approvals and permits under federal, state, or local ordinances and regulations. An applicant may file for appropriate land use approvals for the solar project or energy storage project, as applicable, under the regulations and ordinances of the host locality at or after the time the applicant submits its notice of intent to site a solar project or energy storage project as set forth in subsection A of § 15.2-2316.7.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":251814,"text":"Nothing in this article shall affect the authority of the host locality to enforce its ordinances and regulations to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the siting agreement.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":251815,"text":"Approval of a siting agreement by the local governing body in accordance with subsection B of § 15.2-2316.8 shall deem the solar project or energy storage project to be substantially in accord with the comprehensive plan of the host locality, thereby satisfying the requirements of § 15.2-2232.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":251816,"text":"The failure of an applicant and the governing body to enter into a siting agreement may be a factor in the decision of the governing body in the consideration of any land use approvals for a solar project or energy storage project, but shall not be the sole reason for a denial of such land use approvals.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15847,"edition_id":1,"name":"Siting of Solar Projects and Energy Storage Projects","identifier":"7.3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12774,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:00:29","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:00:29","permalink":{"id":155515,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15847,"identifier":"7.3","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3","url":"\/15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12774,"edition_id":1,"name":"Planning, Subdivision of Land and Zoning","identifier":"22","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":154795,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12774,"identifier":"22","token":"15.2\/II\/22","url":"\/15.2\/II\/22\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":152369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12733,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":78550,"structure_id":15847,"section_number":"15.2-2316.6","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/15.2-2316.6\/","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/15.2-2316.6","metadata":false},{"id":68113,"structure_id":15847,"section_number":"15.2-2316.7","catch_line":"Negotiations; siting agreement","url":"\/15.2-2316.7\/","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/15.2-2316.7","metadata":false},{"id":61188,"structure_id":15847,"section_number":"15.2-2316.8","catch_line":"Powers of host localities","url":"\/15.2-2316.8\/","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/15.2-2316.8","metadata":false},{"id":69655,"structure_id":15847,"section_number":"15.2-2316.9","catch_line":"Effect of executed siting agreement; land use approval","url":"\/15.2-2316.9\/","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/15.2-2316.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":61188,"structure_id":15847,"section_number":"15.2-2316.8","catch_line":"Powers of host localities","url":"\/15.2-2316.8\/","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/15.2-2316.8","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-2316.9\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 802<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":61188,"section_number":"15.2-2316.8","catch_line":"Powers of host localities","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2316.8\/"}],"permalink":{"id":155529,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69655,"identifier":"15.2-2316.9","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/15.2-2316.9","url":"\/15.2-2316.9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-2316.9\/","token":"15.2\/II\/22\/7.3\/15.2-2316.9","dublin_core":{"Title":"Effect of executed siting agreement; land use approval","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-2316.9","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Nothing in this article shall be construed to exempt an applicant from any other applicable requirements to obtain approvals and permits under federal, state, or local ordinances<\/span> and regulations. An applicant may file for appropriate land use approvals for the solar project<\/span> or energy storage project<\/span>, as applicable, under the regulations and ordinances<\/span> of the host locality<\/span> at or after the time the applicant submits its notice of intent<\/span> to site a solar project<\/span> or energy storage project<\/span> as set forth in subsection A of § 15.2-2316.7<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Nothing in this article shall affect the authority of the host locality<\/span> to enforce its ordinances<\/span> and regulations to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the siting agreement. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Approval of a siting agreement by the local governing body<\/span> in accordance with subsection B of § 15.2-2316.8<\/a> shall deem the solar project<\/span> or energy storage project<\/span> to be substantially in accord with the comprehensive plan of the host locality<\/span>, thereby satisfying the requirements of § 15.2-2232<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The failure of an applicant and the governing body<\/span> to enter into a siting agreement may be a factor in the decision of the governing body<\/span> in the consideration of any land use approvals for a solar project<\/span> or energy storage project<\/span>, but shall not be the sole reason for a denial of such land use approvals. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nEFFECT OF EXECUTED SITING AGREEMENT; LAND USE APPROVAL (\u00a7 15.2-2316.9)\n\nA. Nothing in this article shall be construed to exempt an applicant from any\nother applicable requirements to obtain approvals and permits under federal,\nstate, or local ordinances and regulations. An applicant may file for\nappropriate land use approvals for the solar project or energy storage project,\nas applicable, under the regulations and ordinances of the host locality at or\nafter the time the applicant submits its notice of intent to site a solar\nproject or energy storage project as set forth in subsection A of §\n15.2-2316.7.\n\nB. Nothing in this article shall affect the authority of the host locality to\nenforce its ordinances and regulations to the extent that they are not\ninconsistent with the terms and conditions of the siting agreement.\n\nC. Approval of a siting agreement by the local governing body in accordance with\nsubsection B of § 15.2-2316.8 shall deem the solar project or energy\nstorage project to be substantially in accord with the comprehensive plan of the\nhost locality, thereby satisfying the requirements of § 15.2-2232.\n\nD. The failure of an applicant and the governing body to enter into a siting\nagreement may be a factor in the decision of the governing body in the\nconsideration of any land use approvals for a solar project or energy storage\nproject, but shall not be the sole reason for a denial of such land use\napprovals.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, c. 802; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 57, 58.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}