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Does
the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance (CBPO) apply
to my home improvement project?
The answer depends on the type of home improvement project you
are planning and the location of your home.
The CBPO is designed to improve water quality in the Chesapeake
Bay and its tributaries by requiring wise resource management
practices in the use and development of environmentally sensitive
land features. At the heart of the Bay Act is the idea that
land can be used and developed in ways that minimize impact
on water quality.
Certain areas of the County have been designated Chesapeake
Bay Preservation Areas (CBPAs) and divided into Resource Protection
Areas (RPAs) and Resource Management Areas (RMAs). The CBPO
does not apply to home improvement projects if you are planning
an interior alteration or if you are in a RMA. Most of the County
is in a RMA.
The CBPO does
apply if you are disturbing land in a Resource Protection Area
(RPA). Contact the Site Permits Branch at 703-324-1510,
TTY 711
to determine if you are in an RPA. If your home is near water
(a creek, river, lake, pond, etc.) it may lie within an RPA.
What
are the permit requirements for land disturbing activity?
You do not need a land disturbing permit unless your project:
- Disturbs more than 2500 square feet, (2500 square
feet includes 10 feet added to each side of the perimeter
of the
footprint of your project), or
- blocks existing drainage patterns, or
- requires more than 18 inches of cut or fill.
Note: this
refers to cut or fill left outside after project completion
and excludes the cut or fill that is part
of a completed structure. Cut or fill is soil that is removed
or added in order
to create the desired contour or flatness in an area
of land.
For further information regarding Fairfax County policies,
you may call the Site Permits Branch at 703-324-1510, TTY
711.
How
do I get my conservation deposit back?
After construction is complete, request the release of the
Conservation deposit in writing to the Site Permits Branch,
12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, Virginia, 22035-5504.
Submit a completed Federal W-9 form with this letter.
Once the request is received, an inspection will be conducted
to verify conformance with the approved grading plan and to
ensure
that
the lot
is properly stabilized.
After the inspector has approved the release of the escrow,
the Site Permits Branch will prepare the escrow release voucher.
The Department of Finance will release the funds by check. This
process may take 4 weeks.
Does
it make any difference what types of soil are on my lot?
Yes, some soils are of poor quality and may not be suitable
for supporting certain types of structures. Poor or problem
soils are soil types that may have a high water table, expansive
clays, or other poor qualities. If your property contains a
problem soil, you may need to hire a geotechnical engineer to
investigate the soil and a structural engineer to design the
foundation system for a new structure.
To determine what types of soil are on your lot, you may call
the Site Permits Branch at 703-324-1510, TTY 711. One
of the technicians can check the county soil maps and determine
the type(s) of
soil on your lot and give you some general information regarding
the soil types in Fairfax County. Approximately 20% of the
county's
soils are not yet mapped. Please refer to our Soil
Ratings publication for additional information.
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