For media queries contact Public Information Officer Danielle Badra at 703-324-2856, TTY 711, or by email.
If you need help with a permit or have a question related to Land Development Services, visit our Meet With Staff page.
For media queries contact Public Information Officer Danielle Badra at 703-324-2856, TTY 711, or by email.
If you need help with a permit or have a question related to Land Development Services, visit our Meet With Staff page.
This notice provides an update to our October 14, 2024, notice to industry on the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ's) two amendments to the ...
Land Development Services’ Site Development and Inspections Division has updated the Parking Tabulation Form. The form contents are updated to reflect the changes adopted by the Zoning Ordinance amendment related to Parking Reimagined and to incorporate minor editorial changes. It has also been reformatted, reorganized and limits supporting document submissions.
All parking studies…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
On December 3, 2024, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors amended Section 6100.4 of the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance to include new minimum requirements for accessible parking. The new requirements apply to any site plan, minor site plan, or parking redesignation plan accepted after December 3, 2024, for a new parking lot or parking structure, or a modified number of parking spaces in…
Land Development Services’ Site Development and Inspections Division has updated the Record Plat review checklists. These updates revise outdated code references and incorporate minor editorial changes to better reflect current practices. The updated checklists include:
Master Checklist for All Plat Types Final Subdivision Plat for Commercial Subdivisions Final Subdivision…Currently, applicants must obtain a VDOT permit for work proposed within the state right-of-way. As part of the county’s infill lot grading plan process, the permit applicant shows proof of the approved VDOT permit at the county’s site pre-construction meeting. The below process outlines how to successfully navigate your VDOT permit package submission with your county infill lot grading…
Separation permits are used in commercial construction when a portion of the approved and permitted work is not ready for final inspection, but the rest of the project is complete. Life safety elements and code-required items cannot be separated from the area intended to occupy and inspected later. Additionally, separation permits are not intended to allow phased occupancy or phased…
Please be advised that the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing two sets of amendments to the Erosion and Stormwater Management (VESM) Regulation [9VAC25-875], which is the regulation governing Fairfax County’s Erosion and Stormwater Management Ordinance (Ch.…
The Land Development Services Site Development and Inspections Division has updated thesite-related plan review checklists. The checklist content has been updated to revise outdated code references and to incorporate minor editorial changes. The updated checklists include:
Site Plan First Submission Checklist Public Improvement Plan First Submission Checklist Subdivision Plan…For projects proposing electrical, mechanical or plumbing (often referred to as “trades”) work, an applicant will now apply for residential trades permit records for projects applying under an R3 or R5 use group, per section 310 of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, matching the…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
The Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Traffic Operations Division has issued an ...
As detailed in Technical Bulletin 23-07, the administrative provisions of the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) became effective January 18, 2024, which will effectively replace the 2018 USBC on January 17, 2025. During the one-year grace period, building permit applicants may choose to use the technical provisions of either the 2018 or 2021 USBC. To navigate Masterfile…
Land Development Services closed briefly from 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, for an LDS awards ceremony. The Customer Experience Team in Suite 324, the Customer Information Center in Suite 111, and the Cashier’s Office in Suite 636 will close during that time. Plan review and inspections services will also be unavailable for this brief period of time.
The ...
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
PLUS Enhancement
LDS…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
Reminder - effective July 1, 2024, the countywide Stormwater Pro Rata Share Assessment rate changed from $26,713.59 to $27,342.66 per increase in impervious acre; the maximum water quality credit increased from 61.7% to 61.9%; and the maximum water quantity credit decreased from 38.3% to 38.1%.
These revenues, collected during the development process and combined countywide, pay…
The Expedited Building Plan Review (EBPR) program, which has been available at Fairfax County’s Land Development Services (LDS) for over 20 years, is one of several methods provided to expedite review of permits for construction projects using certified and approved peer reviewers. EBPR is…
Land Development Services (LDS) staff are continuously developing resources to help improve customer access to our services. To better serve our customers navigating the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS), a new guide is available to explain how to print a payment receipt in PLUS. ...
Thanks to a recent Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) enhancement, customers can now submit their air/duct leakage test reports through PLUS under the new “Air/Duct Leakage Test” amendment type under their original residential building permit (BLDR)…
In our ongoing effort to enhance the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) and better serve our community, the Building Division is implementing an important change regarding the submission of Special Inspection documents. Effective Monday, July 15th, the county will no longer accept Special Inspection documents through email correspondence. Instead, all Special Inspection documents must be…
For any returned payments, regardless of the reason (e.g., insufficient funds, unauthorized user), a stop work hold will be placed on your account. For returned payments, LDS requires a certified check for payment – no online payments via PLUS will be accepted until the account is brought back to good standing. The stop work hold will remain on your account until payment is received, preventing…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
PLUS…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
REMINDER: Land Development Fee Changes Effective July 1, 2024
Land Development Services fee changes effective on July 1, 2024. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved proposed fee adjustments from Land Development Services (LDS) on April 16, 2024, marking the first significant update since 2015. The new fees will better align with the current costs of providing land…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
The General VPDES* Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities, also known as the Construction General Permit (CGP), will expire June 30, 2024. Per the permit regulations, any operator who was authorized to discharge under the expiring general permit and who intends to continue coverage (i.e., continue land-disturbing activities after June 30, 2024) must submit a new…
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized an 18-month extension for an exemption of all electrical and building permit fees for electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS). The current exemption, which was scheduled to expire on May 1, 2024, has been extended through October 31, 2025.
The exemption supports the county’s climate goal for a carbon-free Fairfax —“a future for…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance Article 6 Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements
The county has just released an electronic calculator to assist in determining required parking for land uses in Fairfax County. This calculator incorporates changes to Section 6100 of the Zoning Ordinance. Using the calculator, you can determine the expected minimum parking…
Land Development Services (LDS) recently introduced a new phone tree system. This new phone tree system enhances the customer service experience for anyone calling LDS for assistance. Phone tree options changed from our previous phone tree system to enhance efficiency. See the below graphic for a list of the current calling options. If you are unsure which option is right for you, press 1 and…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
PLUS Enhancement
LDS Customer Benefit
...The 2024 Unit Price Schedule (UPS) will go into effect on March 1, 2024. This formulaic change reflects a 2.6% increase linked to inflation as published in the Engineering News-Record 2024 Construction Cost Index (published in January 2024). Affected submittals include the following:
New bond requests. Replacement bond requests. Bond…Land Development Services (LDS) recently launched new webpages designed to help customers navigate the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) Digital Plan Room. There are three instructional pages:
Uploading Plans and Documents: Digital Plan Room Instructions ...Land Development Services (LDS) is pleased to host virtual information sessions on proposed amendments to the county’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance (CBPO) and the Public Facilities Manual (PFM). The sessions will be hosted on Microsoft Teams and accessible by either downloading Microsoft…
The public may now sign up for notifications about parking adjustment requests submitted to Land Development Services. The Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the repeal and replacement of parking requirements which took effect on Jan. 1, 2024. The Board also requested notifications to allow members of the public to receive…
The Department of Land Development Services’ introduced an onlinecomprehensive permit libraryof over 60+ help guides for all record types available in the Planning and Land Use system (PLUS). Within the permit library, customers will find a page devoted to each record type…
Land Development Services (LDS) offers many customer service opportunities, both in-person and virtually. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any pertinent land development-related questions or concerns. We are happy to assist you!
If you prefer face-to-face interactions with staff, in-person customer service is available every day at the Herrity…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
PLUS…
Land Development Services (LDS) recently launched a new Proffer/Development Condition module in the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS). Proffers and development conditions are additional requirements to mitigate the impacts of an application (e.g., a development condition for a…
Fairfax County Government offices, including Land Development Services (LDS), will be closed after noon on Friday, Dec. 22. Offices will also be closed all day on Monday, Dec. 25, 2023, and Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
LDS Customer Information Center and Customer Experience Team counters will be closed all day on Friday, Dec. 22. However, staff will be available from 9:15 a.m. to noon to…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
On Sept. 26, 2023, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors repealed and replaced Article 6 of the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance. Article 6 contains the off-street parking and loading regulations for land development in the county. A copy of the approved amendment is available for review on the ...
Staff from the Department of Land Development Services (LDS) and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) conducted a 90-day pilot program beginning in August to test a process change that would reduce the review period for residential deck permits from about ten days to three-business days. The pilot project was successful, and the new process has been…
To better assist customers with site-related plan and document submissions in Fairfax County’s Planning and Land Use System (PLUS), Land Development Services (LDS) created the Site-Related Submission Guidelines webpage. The webpage is also referenced on each site record page…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
Updates to…
The Land Development Services Site Development and Inspections Division has updated the Erosion and Sediment Control (E&S) Checklist. The checklist contents have been re-organized and simplified, and outdated code references and contents…
All plat submissions, including Easement Plats and Record Plats, must clearly identify public easements. This new requirement is effective immediately and is necessitated by a recent court decision regarding Virginia Code Sec. 15.2-2265.
All plats with proposed easements must bear a note saying, “See the accompanying deed to this plat for information on use, ownership, maintenance…
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…Staff at LDS have spent the past several months developing acomprehensive permit libraryfor each building and site-related record type available in the Planning and Land Use system (PLUS). Within the permit library, customers will…
Release 4 of the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS), which allows customers to create and submit building and site-related permit applications online, launched October 2022. The new platform created a learning curve for Land Development Services (LDS) customers. To accommodate this learning curve for existing…
Thanks to a recent Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) enhancement, customers can now submit their Truss Shop Drawings through PLUS under the new “Residential Truss Submission” record type. Customers only need to check the appropriate field in PLUS to start the truss submission process.
For more information about the new record type and how to submit, watch this ...
The three main causes of flooding in Fairfax County include the following conditions:
Proximity to a floodplain. Location in a sump condition. Lack of overland relief.To identify these conditions, Land Development Services (LDS) staff developed two new Flood Risk Analysis Tools as part of…
County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
Over the March 31, 2023, weekend the county’s technology staff implemented more improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.
Land Development Services (LDS) Site Development and Inspections Division (SDID) welcomes the Forest Conservation Branch (FCON) into SDID. FCON moves from the County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) to LDS. This change will afford more collaboration amongst review disciplines and streamline the plan review process by designating forest conservation review as…
Filing a Residential Masterfile plan has become easier. Long-standing practice has required the Masterfile/initial building permit application tie to a specific grading plan (i.e., individual lot or subdivision plan). With the roll out of Planning Land Use System (PLUS) Release 4 we removed this requirement.
Production builders often use master plans to seek…
Flood Awareness Week is March 12-18 in Fairfax County. There is no better time to issue this important reminder. Storms have the potential to produce heavy rains that could lead to localized flooding, so it is vital for construction site workers to check their erosion and sediment controls before a storm.
Here are some vital steps to take:
Know where drainage patterns…The Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) is the web-based platform for all land use applications. Land Development Services’ (LDS) building and site records transitioned to PLUS on Oct. 21, 2022. Enhancements and fixes continue to make the platform as user-friendly and efficient as possible. Your feedback, along with feedback from our staff, allows us to continue improving the…
The 2023 Unit Price Schedule (UPS) will go into effect on March 1, 2023. This formulaic change reflects a 4.9% increase linked to inflation as published in the Engineering News-Record 2023 Construction Cost Index (published in January 2023). Affected submittals include the following:
New bond requests. Replacement bond requests. Bond extension…All fees for first and subsequent submissions of site plans, subdivision plans, public improvement plans, floodplain studies, and rough grading plans can now be paid without the need for the payer to be logged into the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS).
Here are the steps:
Make sure you have the record ID of the plan to which you want to make a payment. Go to ...The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized the exemption of all electrical, building and sign permit fees for electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) for a trial period of 18 months. The exemption was effective Oct. 31, 2022.
The exemption supports the main vision of the Carbon-Free Fairfax initiative—“a future for Fairfax County that is healthy, sustainable, and…
Release 4 of the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) will launch Oct. 31, 2022, and will replace the existing land use, plan review, inspections and complaint systems (including FIDO, PAWS and ProjectDox). In preparation for PLUS, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted amendments to Appendix Q – the Land Development Services (LDS) Fee Schedule of the ...
Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS) has updated the Resource Protection Area (RPA) Exemption/Exception Request Coversheet.
The latest revision clarifies forms and documents required for different types of…
The Department of Land Development Services (LDS) developed a new 3rd Party Construction Inspection Checklist and Certification form for underground detention chambers submitted to meet the detention requirements for development plans. This checklist…
Effective immediately, zoning documents, including Conceptual Development Plans and Final Development Plans (CDPs/FDPs), are not required to be submitted as plan sheets within site-related plans governed by approved zoning cases.
For all resubmissions of currently pending site-related plans, Land Development Services (LDS) requires CDP/FDP sheets be replaced with blank sheets bearing…
The Chesapeake Bay is one of the world’s most productive coastal water bodies, and it collects water from county streams and rivers. The Board of Supervisors declared June 4-12, 2022, as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week to increase understanding of this important estuary and the role it plays in our environment. ...
Read the original April 19, 2022, notification.
Two changes occurring over the next eight months in Fairfax County will impact the submission of residential Masterfile plans. The first occurs on July 1, 2022,…
The Chesapeake Bay is one of the world’s most productive coastal water bodies, and it collects water from county streams and rivers. The Board of Supervisors declared June 4-12, 2022, asChesapeake Bay Awareness Weekto increase understanding of this important estuary and the role it plays…
The 2018 Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) includes additional certification requirements for floodplain elevation certificate review effective July 1, 2022, upon conclusion of the one-year grace period for applying the 2015 USBC. This certification requirement…
Land Development Services (LDS) recently launched a web application showing recent and current Fairfax County Infill Lot Grading (INF) Plan and Conservation (CON) Plan submissions: Infill Lot Grading Plan and Conservation Plan Viewer. This new web…
As part of our effort to ensure consistency, speed and predictably of the review process, the Fairfax County Department of Land Development Services (LDS) has updated the Water Quality Impact Assessment (WQIA) application.
The latest revision incorporates a…
In our continuing effort to ensure submitters have the tools necessary for successful record plat submissions, Land Development Services (LDS) has updated the Simple Subdivision Eligibility Checklist.
The updates include the…
Recent changes to the Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) Regulations § 9VAC25-870-65.D.1. impact the use of certain proprietary Best Management Practices (BMPs).
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued ...
A pilot project on Arley Street in Springfield is an environmental success story. With significant community initiative and modest government assistance, 4,300 square feet of asphalt in the Springfield district was converted back to green space.
Community property within the Springfield Station Homeowners Association (HOA) included a…
Fairfax County will launch the third phase (Release 3) of the new Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) in January 2022.
PLUS will serve as Fairfax County’s central platform for customers to complete zoning, building, permitting and other land development processes.
Multiple transactions have…
The Department of Land Development Services (LDS) has launched a Green Building Recognition Program to acknowledge designers and contractors who voluntarily build green in Fairfax County. The new program supports Fairfax County’s environmental vision and recently adopted Green Initiatives. The program highlights the design, construction and operation of new…
Fairfax County’s Public Facilities Manual (PFM) has transitioned to a new platform to provide an enhanced user experience: https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/fairfaxcounty-va-pfm/index.aspx.
The ...
When the coronavirus pandemic reached Northern Virginia, county facilities were insufficient to meet the ongoing and future demands of a virus for a county with a population of more than 1,100,000 spread across 406 square miles. Staff at the Fairfax County Health Department knew a quick, reliable community-wide testing strategy would be critical. Attempting to “box in…
Drainage basins, or watersheds, are areas of land that drain streams and rainfall to a common outlet. This new interactive Geographic Information System (GIS) tool allows users to drop a point on a map and delineate the drainage basin anywhere in the county.
This is valuable data used by engineers to ensure the county’s stormwater management infrastructure is adequately…
By Battalion Chief John L. Walser
While it is entirely too early to know what caused the fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral, it is a stark reminder of the fire hazards in buildings under construction or renovation.
Several fires involving large wooden buildings under construction have occurred in recent years. However, there are fire…
By Richard Grace
In early 2018, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) in conjunction with the International Code Council (ICC) produced a national standard, CSA B805-18/ICC 805-2018, that could be used to assist in the design for rainwater harvesting systems. This standard has been accepted by reference in the 2021 International Plumbing Code for…
By Aaron Morgan
(original publish date: Sept. 10, 2018)
Medical gas systems in healthcare facilities such as dental offices, outpatient surgery centers and hospitals are a lifesaving and critical element of patient care. Because these gases are so vital, proper installation is extremely important. Faulty medical gas…
New amendment to the Public Facilities Manual allows administrative waivers of previously mandatory provisions
Recently, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the Public Facilities Manual (PFM) that provides greater flexibility during the site development…
In May 2018, Fairfax County is participating in the 38th annual Building Safety Month, a worldwide campaign presented by the International Code Council, its members and partners to promote building safety. First observed in 1980, Building Safety Month raises awareness about critical safety issues from structural to fire prevention, plumbing and mechanical systems, and energy…
Fairfax County Land Development Service’s Building Division has been awarded the highest achievable rating for building code effectiveness under the current Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
The division has been given a 1 / 2 (commercial / residential) rating by Insurance Services Offices, Inc. (ISO) on the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS). Working on…
Fairfax County is proud to honor development projects that offer both economic development and environmental protection. The county recognized winners of the…
By Anurag Baral
(original publish date: Aug. 17, 2017)
If you read Section 1109.2 of the 2018Virginia Construction Code (VCC), you are provided with location requirements for accessible restrooms. If you pay particular attention to Exception 3, you will note that while it specifies how many…
By Richard Grace
(original publish date: May 19, 2016)
Virginia Plumbing Code Section 403.1 dictates the minimum number of plumbing fixtures in a space based on its occupancy (function) and occupant load (maximum number of people). The building code requires the occupant load of the space to be calculated using its entire…
By Aaron Morgan and Jay Riat
(original publish date:July 7, 2016)
Every occupied space of a building must be ventilated naturally or mechanically. If choosing mechanical means, the minimum outdoor airflow rate of the HVAC system must be calculated in accordance to Section 403.3 of theVirginia Mechanical Code. Because the…
By Krishna Loomba
A simple issue plagues many electrical plans that can be easily remedied and potentially prevent a plan review rejection. Circuit directories, required on the electrical plans and in the field on switchboards and panelboards, are often incomplete, vague and lack specific detail. Article 408.4(A) of the 2017National Electrical Code requires…
By Brian Foley
Two questions that often plague architects when designing a tenant improvement plan in an existing building are: 1) What’s the type of construction? 2) What code was the base building designed under? With regards to Question 1, the Building Division suggests the following tools:
Land…