VirginiaZoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units, delayed effective date.
What it does
Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units. Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinances for single-family residential zoning districts accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, as defined in the bill, as a permitted accessory use. The bill requires a person to seek a permit for an ADU from the locality, requires the locality to issue such permit if the person meets certain requirements enumerated in the bill, and restricts the fee for such permit to $500 or less.
More detail
The bill prohibits the locality from requiring (i) setbacks for the ADU that are greater than the setback required for the primary dwelling or the setback required for accessory structures on the residential lot, whichever is less; (ii) conditions for ADUs that are more restrictive than those for single-family dwellings within the same zoning area with regard to height, rear, or side setbacks, lot size or coverage, or building frontage; or (iii) consanguinity or affinity between the occupants of the ADU and the primary dwelling. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 895 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 14Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 14Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026Minor
- Mar 10Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 10Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 10Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB531ER)Major
- Mar 10EnrolledMinor
- Mar 4Passed House (62-Y 37-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Read third timeMinor
- Mar 3Read second timeMinor
- Feb 27Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (13-Y 8-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3Minor
- Feb 17Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and TownsMinor
- Feb 17Read first timeMinor
- Feb 17Placed on Calendar
- Feb 12Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 11Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 11Read second timeMinor
- Feb 10Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 10Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 10Rules suspended
- Feb 9Committee substitute printed 26107523D-S1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Local Government with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 9Reported from Local Government with substitute (8-Y 7-N)Minor
- Feb 9Senate committee offered
- Jan 21Rereferred from General Laws and Technology to Local Government (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Rereferred from General Laws and Technology. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 13Referred to Committee on General Laws and TechnologyMinor
- Jan 13Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105326DIntroduced