Senate Bill 358 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg AlbrittonSenator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Solar farms; certain county commissions authorized to establish zoning requirements

Summary

SB358 would authorize Gulf coast counties to regulate solar farms through zoning and permitting rules, with penalties and appeal options.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill would let county commissions in Gulf-border counties adopt resolutions that regulate the permitting, construction, placement, or operation of solar farms in the county, including unincorporated areas. They could set standards, specify where solar farms may be located or prohibited, and create exemptions or variances. Violations could bring fines up to $1,000, be treated as a public nuisance, and allow removal of offending structures with removal costs placed as a lien on the property. The bill also authorizes permit and application fees to cover administration and review costs, and it provides a formal variance process and appeals to circuit court. The act would take effect October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Property owners/landowners in counties bordering the Gulf of Mexico who could face fines, removal of structures, and liens on their property if they violate county solar-farm regulations.
• Solar developers and operators in Gulf-bordering counties who would need to obtain approvals, pay fees, follow location and operation standards, and have access to variance and circuit-court appeals.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes Gulf-border counties to adopt resolutions regulating the permitting, construction, placement, or operation of solar farms.
• Allows standards, criteria, and conditions to be set for solar farms in unincorporated areas and to determine appropriate locations or prohibitions.
• Imposes penalties for violations, including fines up to $1,000, designation of violations as public nuisances, and removal of violative structures with costs as a lien on the property.
• Authorizes permit and application fees to administer the resolutions and cover review costs, including expert or consultant costs.
• Creates a process for exemptions or exemptions, including a variance process and variance appeals to the circuit court, for aggrieved parties.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 10, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Counties & Municipalities