{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/45.2-1708.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/45.2-1708.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/45.2-1708.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/45.2-1708.html"}],"law_id":55204,"edition_id":1,"section_id":55204,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1708","catch_line":" Role of local governments in achieving objectives of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy","history":"2011, c. 750, \u00a7 67-103; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 327, 387.","full_text":"A\n\nIn the development of any local ordinance addressing the siting of renewable energy facilities that generate electricity from wind or solar resources, such ordinance shall:1\n\nBe consistent with the provisions of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy pursuant to subsection E of § 45.2-1706.1;2\n\nProvide reasonable criteria to be addressed in the siting of any renewable energy facility that generates electricity from wind or solar resources. Such criteria shall provide for the protection of the locality in a manner consistent with the goals of the Commonwealth to promote the generation of energy from wind and solar resources; and3\n\nInclude provisions establishing reasonable requirements upon the siting of any such renewable energy facility, including provisions limiting noise, requiring buffer areas and setbacks, and addressing generation facility decommissioning.B\n\nAny measures required by an ordinance adopted pursuant to subsection A shall be consistent with the locality’s existing ordinances.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":202402,"text":"In the development of any local ordinance addressing the siting of renewable energy facilities that generate electricity from wind or solar resources, such ordinance shall:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":202403,"text":"Be consistent with the provisions of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy pursuant to subsection E of § 45.2-1706.1;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":202404,"text":"Provide reasonable criteria to be addressed in the siting of any renewable energy facility that generates electricity from wind or solar resources. Such criteria shall provide for the protection of the locality in a manner consistent with the goals of the Commonwealth to promote the generation of energy from wind and solar resources; and","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"A3"},"3":{"id":202405,"text":"Include provisions establishing reasonable requirements upon the siting of any such renewable energy facility, including provisions limiting noise, requiring buffer areas and setbacks, and addressing generation facility decommissioning.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"A3","prefix_anchor":"A3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"B"},"4":{"id":202406,"text":"Any measures required by an ordinance adopted pursuant to subsection A shall be consistent with the locality’s existing ordinances.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14082,"edition_id":1,"name":"Energy Policy of the Commonwealth","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13194,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:49","permalink":{"id":224919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14082,"identifier":"3","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3","url":"\/45.2\/V\/17\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13194,"edition_id":1,"name":"Other Sources of Energy Generally; Energy Policy","identifier":"17","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12714,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:26","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:26","permalink":{"id":224889,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13194,"identifier":"17","token":"45.2\/V\/17","url":"\/45.2\/V\/17\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12714,"edition_id":1,"name":"Other Sources of Energy; Energy Policy","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12713,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":224887,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12714,"identifier":"V","token":"45.2\/V","url":"\/45.2\/V\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12713,"edition_id":1,"name":"Mines, Minerals, and Energy","identifier":"45.2","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":222539,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12713,"identifier":"45.2","token":"45.2","url":"\/45.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":74963,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1705","catch_line":" Legislative findings","url":"\/45.2-1705\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1705","metadata":false},{"id":71723,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1706","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/45.2-1706\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1706","metadata":false},{"id":84117,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1706.1","catch_line":" Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy","url":"\/45.2-1706.1\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1706.1","metadata":false},{"id":75254,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1707","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/45.2-1707\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1707","metadata":false},{"id":55204,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1708","catch_line":" Role of local governments in achieving objectives of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy","url":"\/45.2-1708\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1708","metadata":false},{"id":61268,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1709","catch_line":" Nuclear energy; considered a clean energy source","url":"\/45.2-1709\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1709","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":75254,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1707","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/45.2-1707\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1707","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61268,"structure_id":14082,"section_number":"45.2-1709","catch_line":" Nuclear energy; considered a clean energy source","url":"\/45.2-1709\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1709","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/45.2-1708\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2011. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 750<\/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":84117,"section_number":"45.2-1706.1","catch_line":" Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy","order_by":null,"url":"\/45.2-1706.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":224937,"object_type":"law","relational_id":55204,"identifier":"45.2-1708","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1708","url":"\/45.2-1708\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/45.2-1708\/","token":"45.2\/V\/17\/3\/45.2-1708","dublin_core":{"Title":" Role of local governments in achieving objectives of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 45.2-1708","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> In the development of any local ordinance<\/span> addressing the siting of renewable energy facilities that generate electricity from wind or solar resources, such ordinance<\/span> shall: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Be consistent with the provisions of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy pursuant to subsection E of § 45.2-1706.1<\/a>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Provide reasonable criteria to be addressed in the siting of any renewable energy facility that generates electricity from wind or solar resources. Such criteria shall provide for the protection of the locality in a manner consistent with the goals of the Commonwealth to promote the generation of energy from wind and solar resources; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Include provisions establishing reasonable requirements upon the siting of any such renewable energy facility, including provisions limiting noise, requiring buffer areas and setbacks, and addressing generation facility decommissioning. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any measures required by an ordinance<\/span> adopted pursuant to subsection A shall be consistent with the locality’s existing ordinances<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMONWEALTH CLEAN\nENERGY POLICY (\u00a7 45.2-1708)\n\nA. In the development of any local ordinance addressing the siting of renewable\nenergy facilities that generate electricity from wind or solar resources, such\nordinance shall:\n\n 1. Be consistent with the provisions of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy\n pursuant to subsection E of § 45.2-1706.1;\n\n 2. Provide reasonable criteria to be addressed in the siting of any renewable\n energy facility that generates electricity from wind or solar resources. Such\n criteria shall provide for the protection of the locality in a manner\n consistent with the goals of the Commonwealth to promote the generation of\n energy from wind and solar resources; and\n\n 3. Include provisions establishing reasonable requirements upon the siting of\n any such renewable energy facility, including provisions limiting noise,\n requiring buffer areas and setbacks, and addressing generation facility\n decommissioning.\n\nB. Any measures required by an ordinance adopted pursuant to subsection A shall\nbe consistent with the locality’s existing ordinances.\n\nHISTORY: 2011, c. 750, \u00a7 67-103; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 327, 387.","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}}