HB881: Solar energy collection devices; no community association shall prohibit installation or use.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 67-701 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 67-701. Covenants regarding solar power.
A. Effective July 1,
2008, no No
community association shall prohibit an owner from installing or using a solar
energy collection device on that owner's property. However a community
association may establish reasonable restrictions concerning the size, place,
and manner of placement of such solar energy collection devices.
B. The community association may prohibit or restrict the installation of solar energy collection devices on the common elements or common area within the real estate development served by the community association. A community association may establish reasonable restrictions as to the size, place, and manner of placement or installation of any solar energy collection device installed on the common elements or common area.
C. This section
shall not apply with respect to any provision of a restrictive covenant that
restricts the installation or use of any solar collection device if such
provision became effective prior to July 1, 2008.
Nothing in this section
shall be construed to (i) invalidate any provision of a restrictive covenant
that prohibits or restricts the installation or use of any solar collection
device if such provision was in effect before July 1, 2008, or (ii) prohibit
the amendment of a restrictive covenant to prohibit or restrict the
installation or use of any solar collection device, or to remove prohibitions
or restrictions on the installation or use of any solar collection device if
such amendment is adopted by the membership of the community association in
accordance with such association's governing documents.