A New Day for Solar in Albemarle County
Hot on the heels of Albemarle County’s decision in May to add climate-specific funding to the FY26 budget, the County’s staff and Board of Supervisors have achieved a second major climate victory. After over a year of revisions, public hearings, and powerful community input, Albemarle County passed its long-awaited solar ordinance, representing a major step forward in aligning local land use policy with our climate commitments.
This new ordinance provides a clearer, more consistent framework for how solar projects can be reviewed and permitted across the County. It balances potential impacts of land use change in the Rural Area with Albemarle’s urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. It is among the most climate-forward solar ordinances within the Commonwealth of Virginia: a major climate win in a state with significant pushback on solar development.
Community-Led, Climate-Backed
The passage of this ordinance is a testament to what’s possible when communities organize around climate solutions.
Since the first draft was released in January 2024, C3 has played a key role in advocating for a fair, equitable, and climate-aligned ordinance.
We sought input from our partners, including conservation advocates, farmers, soil quality scientists, beekeepers, solar developers, and renewable energy experts that informed our technical recommendations to County staff and public representatives.
We organized public engagement workshops and supported residents in raising their voices, ensuring that local values, climate science, and climate justice did not go unaddressed.
We persisted in advocating for changes up to the very last moment, achieving the passage of several key, last-minute modifications to add clarity and remove barriers to equity.
The Policy: What’s New, and Why It Matters
The adoption of a solar ordinance for the first time in Albemarle County means that now, developers, landowners, County permitting staff and the Board of Supervisors have a clear set of minimum standards that should be met before a project will be approved. Here are some key highlights of the adopted ordinance, adapted from the Engage Albemarle website:
Allows accessory solar (used for on-site, small-scale energy production) and battery energy storage by right in all zones.
Permits solar installations by right over existing impervious surfaces like parking lots.
Allows up to 21 acres of solar panels on existing parcels by right in Rural Areas.
Requires a Special Use Permit (SUP) for larger solar installations in Rural Areas.
Permits larger-scale battery energy storage systems by SUP in Rural and Industrial zones.
Establishes standards for height, fencing, setbacks (to property lines, streets, other facilities), and screening.
Requires achieving Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Pollinator Smart Gold Status for facilities over 2 acres, making it the first county in the Commonwealth to do so.
Sets expectations around decommissioning, including equipment removal, soil restoration, and financial sureties.
Restricts project siting within high-quality forest blocks, USDA-defined prime agricultural soils and areas of significant importance to biodiversity.
Enables by-right agrivoltaics and dual-use solar on prime agricultural soils for projects up to 21 acres.
Even up to that very last minute of the passage of the ordinance, voices with opposing priorities were calling for modifications to the draft, or calling for the draft to be sent back yet again to the drawing board. As the Supervisors noted from the dais, it is impossible to satisfy every priority when so many differing perspectives are being considered. With that said, C3 believes that the adopted ordinance does a commendable job of incorporating the most urgent needs of the community and striking compromise where needed.
Our advocacy made a difference right up to the moment of the final vote - modifications explicitly based on two of C3’s recommendations were added to the proposed draft during the public hearing. First, vague language on “other relevant and accepted resources” to determine important areas of biodiversity was clarified to “other County-designated resources for this purpose”; second, a proposed 10-year restriction on former farmland to five years – opening doors for small landowners to join the clean energy future.
What Comes Next
The County has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050. Meeting that commitment will require clean energy to power homes, schools, and local businesses; this ordinance is one part of a roadmap to get us there.
With the ordinance passed, Albemarle is now better positioned to attract and approve solar projects that align with its land use priorities and climate goals. This is a win, not just for advocates or policymakers, but for residents who want a livable future in our region and who want us to step up to our responsibilities.
Of course, the work doesn’t stop here. With your continued support, C3 will be watching implementation closely to ensure the County’s clean energy future unfolds with transparency, accountability, and community voice.
Thank You
To the residents who wrote or spoke their public comments, showed up to hearings that stretched into the night, made pun-laden signs at our office pizza parties, or just stayed curious – thank you. Policy change is never easy, and it’s your committed engagement that helped to push this over the finish line.
