Solar permitting — Charlottesville city, Virginia
On file: public meetings, PSC dockets, local news.
University city; progressive council; supports solar but no utility-scale land. Permitting: Charlottesville: Site plan / CUP through city planning commission; hard N/A — independent city; limited developable land. Track record: CPV County…
Permitting process
Local permitting pathway
Charlottesville: Site plan / CUP through city planning commission
Setbacks & buffers
No solar-specific setbacks; governed by general municipal zoning — NOTE: the distances above are a STATE-level fallback, not a figure read from this county's own ordinance. We hold siting-rule records for this county which may include a stricter local limit we have not yet extracted. Verify against the county's own ordinance before relying on these.
Spacing requirements
No spacing requirements codified
Size restrictions
No size restrictions codified
Penalties & bonding
No penalties or adjustments. Standard CUP/SUP process.
State-level permits & approvals
Local zoning approval via city council/planning commission; DEQ PBR for >5 MW; SCC PBR for 5–150 MW utility-scale under VCEA framework HB 711/SB 347 (signed Apr 13 2026, eff. July 1 2026): OUTRIGHT BANS and blanket exclusions on ≥1 MW solar in ag/commercial/industrial/institutional zones PROHIBITED. Localities must accept and review SE/SUP for every ≥1 MW application. Statewide minimum setbacks: 150–200 ft from adjacent houses; 50–100 ft from state roads; 100–250 ft from streams/wetlands. Decommissioning plan required + updated every 5 yrs. Denials reported to SCC public database. Counties CAN still DENY on case-by-case basis. VACo opposed; Virginia Farm Bureau opposed. Passed House 63-33 / Senate 21-17. Source: lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB347
Full records for this county are part of a SitePath subscription.
State policy & grid context
State RPS & clean energy policy
100% carbon-free by 2050 (Dominion), 2045 (APCo) | Virginia Clean Economy Act (2020) | Va. Code §56-585.5
State incentive programs
Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA); Dominion/AEP net metering (residential/commercial); state solar equipment tax exemption; locality solar revenue share option (SB 1258)
Grid & interconnection
PJM / Dominion zone
Full records for this county are part of a SitePath subscription.
Battery storage (BESS) P1 State-Default Permitting
Standalone BESS (not co-located with approved solar): still requires county SE/SUP and host siting agreement
BESS ordinances & bylaws
County-level battery-storage status, safety requirements, and projects — each linked to a primary source.
Community opposition P1
No organized opposition on record for this county yet — no petition, group, or oppositional coverage tracked. Read that as nothing found, not as nothing there: absence of records is not evidence of local support.
Subscriber intel Subscribers
Researched for this county and available with a subscription:
- Project track record
- Developer intelligence
- Governing board
Energy-related meetings & dockets P1
Halo color matches the energy category tagged on each meeting.
- 2022-10-12 OtherSolar
City to review and update code standards for trees in new property developments to preserve canopy and accommodate density, utility lines, and fire/emergency response access.
- OtherTransmission
The city plans to rebuild and reconduct a 20-mile transmission line between Charlottesville and Gordonsville substations.
- OtherTransmission
The city plans to rebuild and reconduct a 20-mile transmission line between Charlottesville and Gordonsville substations.
- OtherSolar
City discusses a solar project with LEED Gold aspirations
- OtherSolar
City discusses a solar project with LEED Gold aspirations
- OtherSolar
City discusses expanded financing options for Solarize Virginia program
- OtherSolar
City discusses expanded financing options for Solarize Virginia program
- OtherSolar
City discusses expanded financing options for Solarize Virginia program
Full records for this county are part of a SitePath subscription.
State PSC dockets P1
- 2026-04-24 PUR-2026-00050 · PUR
- 2025-10-29 PUR-2025-00189 · PUR
Local news P3
- 2026-10-05 America Data Center Capital Virginia House Battleground Midterms 12520217
- 2026-10-03 Republican Senate Nominee Bert Mizusawa Zeroes Affordability Data Centers Ahead Midterms
- 2026-09-25 Garvie Do Not Let Data Center Development Fly Under The Radar
- 2026-09-10 Hexagon Weyerhaeuser Ink Geothermal Development Deal For Pacific Northwest
- 2026-09-07 News Links Amtrak Halts Most Virginia To D C Trains Manassas Closes Lot For Data Center Work
- 2026-08-12 Agrivoltaics On Farm Solar Food Clean Energy
- 2026-07-16 Vcij Energystorage
- 2026-07-09 Central Virginia Data Center Moratorium
- 2026-06-24 National View Americas Lead In Ai At The Mercy Of Local Zoning Boards
- 2026-06-18 Va Senate Impact Fee Proposal Data Centers Meets Pushback Budget Negotiations Move Forward
- 2026-06-18 Energy Advocates Urge Lawmakers Slow Timeline Dominion Nextera Merger
- 2026-06-09 Vcij Energy Watchdogs
- 2026-06-08 Turbines Are Going Up At Rocky Forge Wind
- 2026-06-02 Appalachian Power To Hold Open House For Data Center Grid Upgrades
- 2026-05-27 Virginia Budget Negotiations Stall Over Data Center Tax Breaks Shutdown Concerns Grow
Filter by grade, state, moratorium status, and compliance stringency. Compare counties side by side.