Land Development Services Alert:
Fairfax County Land Development Services has published guidance to help property owners, contractors, and design professionals understand how construction on one property can affect trees on an adjoining property. Excavation, grading, and equipment activity near property lines can damage root systems that often extend well beyond the trunk, creating long-term decline or failure of otherwise healthy trees. The guidance encourages early communication between neighbors, review of approved development plans, and use of certified arborists to evaluate potential impacts and recommend practical protection measures such as root zone barriers, adjusted grading limits, and monitoring during construction. This guidance was created to improve awareness of shared responsibility and to promote proactive steps that reduce conflict while protecting community tree canopy.
Industry professionals are encouraged to incorporate consideration of neighboring trees early in site planning and construction sequencing. Recommended practices include verifying limits of disturbance near property lines, documenting existing tree conditions, coordinating access agreements when protective measures are needed off-site, and consulting a qualified arborist when significant roots may be affected. These actions can help avoid damage, project delays, and post-construction claims.
Fairfax County has been made aware of fraudulent emails sent to applicants that appear to come from the Department of Planning and Development. These messages may reference real application numbers or upcoming hearings and may include fake invoices requesting wire transfers or other forms of payment.
These emails are not from the county. Staff will never request payment through unsolicited emails, wire transfers or invoices sent outside of the official PLUS system. Official fee payments are exclusively processed through the PLUS system using ACH/eCheck, credit card or, in limited instances, a physical check.
If you receive an email that seems suspicious, contains unexpected payment instructions (especially a request for a wire transfer), or appears to impersonate a county employee:
Protect yourself by confirming the source of any financial request before responding. Read the full NewsCenter Article about these scams.
On December 9, 2025, the Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted amendments to Chapter 124.1 (Erosion and Stormwater Management Ordinance). The amendments update Chapter 124.1 to implement changes to the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (Regulation) and clarify existing requirements in the Erosion and Stormwater Management Ordinance. The changes to the water quality control requirements related to the Regulation were implemented by Land Development Services on July 1, 2025, as required by the Regulation (See Letter to Industry #25-05). For detailed information on the adopted amendments, visit Public Facilities Manual and County Code Amendments | Land Development Services.
Living shorelines are effective strategies that can be utilized along tidal shorelines, to protect natural resources and minimize negative impacts. Land Development Services created a Living Shoreline webpage which provides guidance and resources to support projects involving living shoreline features. This new web resource includes a map to identify tidal shorelines in Fairfax County, where living shorelines may be implemented, provides tools to guide designers in decision making, outlines the approval process to obtain necessary permits and approvals from various agencies, and offers contacts for additional support to property owners, designers and contractors pursuing projects involving living shorelines.
Pavement designs for streets within approved site related plans, must be submitted as plan revisions in PLUS. All pavement designs must be signed and sealed by a licensed professional engineer or land surveyor.
Public Streets
Pavement designs for all streets within existing or proposed public right-of-way will be subject to VDOT review, which will generally follow the workflows for plan review outlined in Technical Bulletin 26-01.
When submitting the plan revision in PLUS, the applicant must select “no” to the ESI review field shown below in the PLUS interface.
Private Streets
Pavement designs for privately maintained streets will be reviewed by Fairfax County, for conformance with the Public Facilities Manual, based on review times described in Technical Bulletin 25-06 corresponding to the timelines associated with a revision to the associated plan (e.g., Site Plan, Rough Grading Plan).
Designated Plans Examiners (DPEs) may request an expedited pavement design review through the Engineering Surveyors Institute (ESI), by selecting “yes” to the ESI review field shown below in the PLUS interface.
The ESI expedited review is subject to an additional review fee, to be billed by ESI to the applicant directly. The expedited submission must include the following statement signed by the DPE:
This pavement design is in conformance with the requirements of the Fairfax County Public Facilities Manual and is submitted for approval under the Designated Plans Examiner Program.
ESI expedited review will be completed within 2-3 business days.
On October 14, 2025, the Board of Supervisors (Board) authorized public hearings on amendments to Chapter 124.1 (Erosion and Stormwater Management Ordinance) before the Planning Commission on November 12, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. and before the Board on December 9, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. The amendments update Chapter 124.1 to implement changes to the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (Regulation) and clarify existing requirements in the Erosion and Stormwater Management Ordinance. The changes to the water quality control requirements related to the Regulation were implemented by Land Development Services on July 1, 2025, as required by the Regulation (See Letter to Industry #25-05). For detailed information on the proposed amendments and public hearing schedule, visit Public Facilities Manual and County Code Amendments | Land Development Services.
Effective immediately, the Health Department’s Onsite Sewage and Well Water Section will no longer conduct reviews of Infill Grading Plans (INFs) until an Onsite Sewage System Design (HOSSA) has been approved. This change is intended to streamline the review process and reduce the need for multiple re-reviews by our plan review staff.
If you have any questions regarding this process change, please contact the Health Department at HDEHD@fairfaxcounty.gov.
On September 9, 2025, the Board of Supervisors (Board) authorized advertisement of public hearings before the Planning Commission and Board to consider proposed amendments to the Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances necessary to implement changes required by changes to the Code of Virginia §§15.2-2259 and 15.2-2260 made by Chapter 100 of the 2025 Virginia Acts of the Assembly (House Bill 2660) and Chapter 594 of the 2025 Virginia Acts of the Assembly (Senate Bill 974), which became effective on July 1, 2025.
The amendments:
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on October 8, 2025, at 7:30 p.m., in the Board Auditorium at 12000 Government Center Parkway. Information on ways to testify can be found on Ways to Provide Public Hearing Testimony.
The Board will hold a public hearing on October 28, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., in the Board Auditorium. Information on the ways to testify can be found on Ways to Provide Public Hearing Testimony.
If adopted, the amendments are proposed to become effective October 29, 2025.
A copy of the staff report may also be found under the “Proposed Amendments Authorized for Public Hearing” section on the Public Facilities Manual and County Code Amendments | Land Development Services (fairfaxcounty.gov) webpage.
For more information contact Jerry Stonefield, Site Code Research and Development, Land Development Services, at 703-324-1791, TTY 711.
The Land Development Services (LDS) Site Development and Inspections Division (SDID) has updated the following 3rd Party construction inspection checklists and certifications for various stormwater controls. The checklist contents have been updated to reflect the new Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) specification references and to incorporate minor editorial changes. The updated checklists include:
The 3rd Party Construction Inspection Checklists and Certifications for BMP inspection are required for each BMP/stormwater facility constructed per the approved plan. Copies of updated checklists are available at the LDS Forms and Publication Library. The revised checklists may be used immediately but are required for all submissions made on or after September 15, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact the Site Development and Inspections Division at 703-324-1720, TTY 711.
Land Development Services’ (LDS) Site Development and Inspections Division (SDID) is pleased to announce the promotion of two individuals into key leadership positions.
Kirsten Munz, Director of SDID, said, “I am thrilled with the new leadership these talented individuals bring to our team in SDID. With their strong technical backgrounds, and deep commitments to customer service, SDID is well positioned to continue to evolve and grow to better serve the development community and citizens of Fairfax County.”
Bin Zhang, PE, has been promoted to the Assistant Director of Engineering for SDID. In this new position, Bin will provide technical leadership and expertise over the plan review process, overseeing the four plan review branches. In this role, she will promote efficiency, consistency and teamwork among all stakeholders and participants. Bin will lead internal training and improvements to processes and resources related to site review, while strengthening our relationships with industry and our partner agencies.
Bin has worked in SDID for over 12 years, first as the Tysons site reviewer, and most recently as the chief of the North Branch, where she has been intimately involved in a wide range of highly complex, high-profile projects. She has demonstrated her ability to provide strong leadership among diverse stakeholders, upholding important regulatory requirements while remaining committed to delivering top-notch customer service. Bin’s technical proficiency and exceptional ability to distill complex processes and problems into clear, streamlined systems and solutions are an ideal fit for this new role.
Daniel Rizzo, PE, has been promoted to Chief of South Branch plan review. In this position, Dan will provide leadership to a diverse group of engineers and code specialists performing plan reviews in Franconia, Mason, and Mount Vernon Districts.
Dan came to LDS two years ago after over a decade of extensive civil engineering design and project management experience in the private sector. As a stormwater specialist for the past two years on the South Branch team, he has reviewed numerous projects and studies, where he has skillfully collaborated with diverse stakeholders to find common sense solutions, and provide clear guidance to submitting engineers. Dan’s creativity and innovation will be an outstanding addition to the SDID leadership team in developing new policies and tools to promote consistency and streamline our processes.