Land Development Services

To better serve you, we continue to improve the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS). Check out these new PLUS updates for Land Development Service s (LDS) customers. Building & Site: Updated the digital plan room to include a PDF. Customers can download the PDF by selecting the PDF icon to see general comments as well as comments made on a specific sheet. The PDF is available when comments are in the “open” status, meaning they have not been “answered/addressed." Added help bubbles to all permit records, linking to the corresponding Permit Library webpage for each building and site application. Building: Corrected the date field on the Elevator Vertical Transportation Inspection report. Created the Building Records Issued report to allow customers to view permits issued monthly, by record type, similar to what was available in our previous permitting system (FIDO). Updated street names for Lee Highway (Route 29) and Lee Jackson Memorial Highway (Route 50) to reflect the county-wide name change for these roads to their route numbers 29 and 50. Created a new TRUSS record allowing customers to submit truss shop drawings under their own record type, streamlining the process and increasing efficiency for applications to now be directly managed by the Building Division. Site: Updated the General Information Tab on Waiver applications (WAIV) to provide more options to the customer in selecting the appropriate code reference based on the application type, such as invasive vegetation removal in the RPA under 118-3-3(d)(3) and then assess fees appropriately based on the request type. Corrected the Floodplain Study record to no longer require a wetland delineator for submission. Updated site email notifications to better inform the customer on the status of their record and any necessary actions, such as a notification directing the applicant that the modest corrections needed for approval can be submitted as a “signature submission” along with the necessary steps and timeframe in which to satisfy the comments without being charged an additional review fee. Updated Pro Rata Share assessment to account for July 1 fee change. Corrected the Minimum Submission Review (MSR) fee for temporary (TMP) records which were previously charging incorrectly.  We welcome your feedback on future PLUS enhancements. If you have ideas to improve the system, please take a moment to enter them here: LDS Customer PLUS Feedback Form.  

Staff at LDS have spent the past several months developing a comprehensive permit library for each building and site-related record type available in the Planning and Land Use system (PLUS). Within the permit library, customers will find a page devoted to each record type providing guidance through the application and approval process. In addition to developing detailed content for each permit library guide, staff worked with a web design consultant to ensure the layout for each page is intuitive and user friendly. Our goal is to make the permitting process easier and more transparent. Each permit library page is formatted in a similar way to provide consistency and quick reference across each record type by including the following information: The first section of each guide gives a detailed description of what projects are applicable under the record type. For example, for the residential addition/alteration record type, the description begins, “Residential additions and alterations include renovations, decks, finished basements and more…” Quick links at the top of each page take customers to specific sections. An explanation of who should apply for the record type – property owners or contractors. Useful links and resources to help plan for your project. Guidance on submitting applications in PLUS along with relevant YouTube tutorials. Detailed information on requirements to complete your application in PLUS. (Requirements may include architectural plans, house plats or other documents and authorizations.) An explanation of what happens after applications are submitted including how review works, who is reviewing your application, any fees due and the estimated timeframe for review and approval. Once customers reach permit or plan issuance, the permit guides explain how to access the permit card and other approved documents in PLUS. Depending on the record type there may be additional sections providing information on the inspections process, conservation/bond release, occupancy and more. Once fully indexed by Google each record type page will be accessible from a Google search, such as “Fairfax County household appliance permit.” LDS will continue to strive to bring excellent customer service to the Fairfax County community. Staff believes the permit library is a big step forward in furthering that commitment by providing our customers with the tools to succeed. We appreciate feedback and will be offering an online form at the bottom of each permit guide to capture your suggestions. Thank you for your commitment to building safely by applying for land development permits through Fairfax County.