Chesterfield County staff briefs board on 2026 General Assembly package, urges planning review

A county staff presenter, Mr. Minks, told the Chesterfield County Board that the 2026 General Assembly produced a large and varied legislative package and recommended a mix of immediate referrals and further study.

"We are running a little short on time here, so I'm going to go through this quickly," Mr. Minks told the board, crediting staff members Natalie and Casey for narrowing the list.

The briefing identified two state-mandated changes that must first go to the Planning Commission before the board may take final action: one concerning manufactured housing rules and another about temporary wireless facilities—smaller, wheeled units used for emergency deployments or localized coverage. Mr. Minks said those items are mandatory and will return after Planning Commission consideration.

He also outlined eight categories of optional changes for board review. Among them were provisions to allow solar canopies, a proposal to require EV-capable parking spaces as part of site-plan or subdivision review, and a recommendation to study the establishment of either local or regional suicide fatality review teams with mental-health support services staff asked to report back.

On fiscal administration, Mr. Minks said the General Assembly passed legislation discontinuing the local "penny," which has created implementation work for the Treasurer. "It's going to be slowed down a little bit because the Department of Taxation has to evaluate the options and make recommendations on that. But as soon as they do that, we'll have an ordinance back to you for the benefit of the treasurer," he said.

The presenter flagged other items for follow-up: legislation about separating organic waste from large generators (industrial and some government users) and an omnibus of eight affordable-housing bills that together grant new authorities to localities and to economic development authorities. He recommended the affordable-housing package be studied collectively by planning, budget-management and utilities because multiple departments will be affected.

Staff also noted two items of particular county interest. First, a change related to the Freedom of Information Act that would prohibit a board from taking final action on any matter placed on the agenda after the meeting has begun; Mr. Minks said the change was recommended by the FOIA Council Advisory Council and called it, "actually not a bad bill at all." Second, he described a State Corporation Commission pilot program to approve up to four underground or partly underground electric transmission projects filed between 2025 and 2033, and emphasized local fiscal implications: if the pilot approves a project in a locality, that locality would be expected to cover at least 50% of the marginal cost of burying the line.

For next steps, staff recommended sending the mandatory items to the Planning Commission and referring the broader affordable-housing package to planning, budget-management and utilities for coordinated study. The penny-related ordinance will return after the Department of Taxation offers guidance. "If we don't hear otherwise from the board, then that would be our intention to go forward and we'll be reporting back," Mr. Minks said.

No formal motions or votes on these items were recorded during the briefing; staff described the session as informational and outlined follow-up and referral steps.