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Solar permitting — Richmond city, Virginia

FIPS 51760

On file: public meetings, local news, known opposition groups.

B
Richmond city, VA
Risk score 39/100 · Full scorecard →
Compliance: LowNo local solar ordinanceTrajectory: StableSaturation: High

State capital; dense urban; Dominion HQ; pro-solar council. Permitting: Richmond City: Site plan / CUP through city planning commission; hard N/A — independent city; limited developable land. Track record: Bookers Mill Solar, 127 MW, 2024, Domi…

Permitting process

Local permitting pathway

Richmond City: 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 permitting requirements

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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 state policy & grid detail

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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

Organized opposition signals on record for this county — petitions, community groups, and oppositional coverage — each linked to its primary source.

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Energy-related meetings & dockets P1

solar · bess · data center

Halo color matches the energy category tagged on each meeting.

  • Other
    BESS

    The city discussed a program offering discounted prices for battery storage and electric vehicle chargers.

  • Other
    Solar

    The city council proposed a plan to promote solar energy installations in frontline communities through education, incentives, and workforce development.

  • Other
    Solar

    (05) Battery Systems Battery Systems PERMIT TITLE: Battery System CODE SECTION: (Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code) 601.2 FEE: Annual $200 Payable to the City of Richmond SCOPE: Permits shall be obtained for refrigeration systems, bat

  • Other
    Data Center

    The city discussed federal and state incentives for alternative fuel vehicles.

  • Other
    Solar

    Checklist Clarification Letter (Note: This letter is to clarify any modification to plans that the City did not comment on) COMCheck Coordination Study Emergency Lighting Test Checklist Engineer Letter Fault Current Letter Motor Efficiency

  • Other
    Solar

    The City of Richmond will issue a Request for Interest (RFI) to solicit innovative responses for a solar farm and pollinator meadow.

  • Other
    Data Center

    The city discussed federal and state incentives for alternative fuel vehicles.

  • Other
    BESS

    The city discussed a program offering discounted prices for battery storage and electric vehicle chargers.

  • Other
    Solar

    The City of Richmond will issue a Request for Interest (RFI) to solicit innovative responses for a solar farm and pollinator meadow.

  • Other
    Solar

    The City of Richmond is considering a project to repurpose a capped landfill into a solar array and pollinator meadow.

  • Other
    Data Center

    The Richmond city council discussed a zoning ordinance amendment for a data center project.

More energy-related meetings

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State PSC dockets P1

No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.

Local news P3

More news items

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Data sources: public agendas/minutes from local government sites; PSC dockets from state regulators; news from GDELT and curated RSS. Last refreshed 2026-10-11. See the county risk scorecard or the full Virginia permitting index.