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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia HB 549

Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (8)

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED

Conservation and replacement of trees during development process; work group; report. Expands certain existing local government authority to plant or replace trees during the development process by expanding such authority statewide. The bill allows localities to establish higher tree canopy replacement percentages based on density per acre. The bill also alters the current process for granting exceptions to a local ordinance by modifying a provision that requires the granting of an exception when the strict application of the ordinance would result in unnecessary or unreasonable hardship to the developer, and replacing it with a requirement that the locality concur with such a determination. The bill permits localities to monitor and assess the condition and coverage of tree canopies at development sites during a period of up to 20 years after the trees are planted. The bill also allows any town within Planning District 8 belonging to an eight-hour nonattainment area for air quality standards to require, by ordinance, that a subdivision or development provide for the preservation or replacement of trees on the development site such that the minimum tree canopy or cover 10 years after development is projected to meet specified coverage criteria. Under current law, the criteria apply to tree canopy coverage 20 years after development. Finally, the bill directs the Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience to convene a work group to conduct a comprehensive review of the tree canopy laws and regulations and report the work group's findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 995 and is identical to SB 589.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 8:01 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 14, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 14, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 14, 2026
Senate		Adopt Conference Committee Report RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 14, 2026
Senate		Accede Second Conference Committee RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 10, 2026
Senate		Insist & Request RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 6, 2026
House		H VOTE:failSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 4, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 3, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 2, 2026
Senate		Reported from Local Government with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 12, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 6, 2026
House		Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see

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