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Prince George planning commission initiates ordinance updates after 2026 General Assembly changes
Summary
The Planning Commission voted unanimously June 25 to start drafting zoning and comprehensive-plan amendments to implement several 2026 General Assembly bills affecting solar and battery storage siting, accessory dwelling units, manufactured housing, and affordable housing on religious/exempt properties. Staff will prepare draft ordinances and hold public hearings next month.
The Prince George Planning Commission on June 25 voted to initiate zoning ordinance and comprehensive-plan amendments to address multiple bills enacted by the 2026 Virginia General Assembly.
County planning staff presented a summary of state changes and recommended that the commission start the formal amendment process. "So there'll be plenty of discussion to follow from the planning commission and the board on these items, but we just need to get the processes started," Mr. Graves, county planning staff, told the commission.
Why it matters: several of the bills take effect quickly and will require local adjustments. Staff identified House Bill 711, which revises rules for solar energy facilities and requires the county to consider special-exception applications on agricultural, industrial or commercial land; House Bill 891, which updates siting rules for battery energy storage facilities and allows battery storage as an accessory or stand-alone use; Senate Bill 531, which requires accessory dwelling units to be allowed by right in residential districts; House Bill 1279, which expands by-right affordable housing on religious or tax-exempt properties; and House Bill 655, which changes how manufactured housing is treated in single-family districts.
Graves said staff will review the county zoning ordinance and the comprehensive plan and return draft language and recommendations to the commission. He told commissioners the solar- and battery-related provisions are urgent because they become effective July 1, 2026, and that other changes have later effective dates that will also require ordinance updates.
The commission approved a resolution to initiate the ordinance amendments by unanimous roll call. The clerk read the vote with commissioners recording affirmative votes. No dissenting votes were recorded.
What comes next: staff will draft specific ordinance language, coordinate any required comprehensive-plan amendments, and schedule public hearings; Graves said staff expects to bring drafts forward and recommended public hearings in the coming month. The commission took no final regulatory action tonight beyond initiating the amendment process.
The Planning Commission also received staff previews of two separate ordinance items to be heard next month: proposed text for default zoning of land entering the county's jurisdiction (section 90-10-34) and a repeal of section 90-13.1 (trash, weed and debris enforcement) because enforcement responsibilities will move into another chapter of the county code. Those items were informational previews with no votes tonight.
The commission adjourned after routine communications about recent board decisions and upcoming July hearings.
