This site-related plan type is used by the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) for specific infrastructure improvement projects disturbing more than 2,500 square feet and identified under the requirements section of this page. Projects beyond this list require formal site plan submission.

Depending on the scope of your project, you may need to apply for a separate building permit record in PLUS. To determine whether your project requires a permit, visit When a Permit is Required. Once you determine the appropriate record type, review the associated Permit Library guide to find details regarding the submission and review process.

 

This information is the most common for how to obtain the necessary approval for your project and is not representative of all the conditions you may encounter.

 

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

DPWES plans may be submitted by Fairfax County DPWES staff or their duly authorized agent, however, the plan itself must be certified by a professional engineer, land surveyor, architect or landscape architect licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and meeting the respective code requirements.

 

PLAN AHEAD

Before submitting, ensure you are aware of all applicable regulations and conditions that could affect your project to avoid surprises during the review process. Some of those factors include:

• Zoning Information
• Design Codes and Standards
• Do I Need to Hire a Design Professional?
• Floodplains
• Resource Protection Areas (RPA)
• Grading/Site Plans
• Parking Tabulation
• Types of Soils and Problem Soils
• Researching Site Conditions

To get a detailed description about each regulation and condition, visit our Plan Ahead page.

 

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY RECORD?

PLUS Application

Apply for your DPWES plan online in PLUS under the Site tab. If you are a first-time user, you must first register for an account.

 

 

Tutorial on Uploading Plans and Documents in PLUS

 

 

Requirements

Infrastructure improvement projects include:

• Walkways, trails, bus shelters, bus stop pads, and benches
• Sanitary sewer repairs, rehabilitations, extensions and improvements
• Sanitary sewer pump stations (requires separate building permit with LDS)
• Road improvements to be maintained by VDOT
• Transportation improvements for Board of Road Viewers (BRV) and Fairfax County Road Maintenance Improvement Program (FCRMP) projects
• Neighborhood improvement projects
• Commercial revitalization projects (streetscape improvements such as brick paver sidewalks, crosswalks, benches, trash receptacles, landscaping, etc.)
• Streetlights
• Projects managed by DPWES for the state and reviewed by the Bureau of Capital Outlay Management (BCOM) per state protocols
• Storm drainage conveyance projects
• Stormwater management facility projects outside of RPAs
• Retrofit or maintenance repairs of existing stormwater management facilities (including those within RPAs)
• Water Quality Impact Assessments when included within the approved construction plan
• Flood protection (house flood proofing) projects
• Streambank and stream stabilization/rehabilitation projects
• Stormwater outfall stabilization/rehabilitation projects
• Stream buffer restoration projects
• Grading plans associated with structural demolitions
• Routine maintenance projects
• BMP/LID practices within the RPA that do not require an RPA exception or within a major floodplain, if a Special Exception is not required

 

Submission Documents:

• Environmental Compliance Project Datasheet - for more information on filling out the datasheet, please see the Environmental Compliance Project Datasheet Instructions
• Land Disturbance Application
• VPDES Construction General Permit Coverage, if required

 

Land Disturbance Permit Revisions:

When a DPWES applicant wants to update the certified Responsible Land Disturber (RLD) for their project, email the request to the LDSSAC@fairfaxcounty.gov mailbox and include:

• The revised Land Disturbance Application listing the DPW plan number and new RLD contact information
• Copy of the RLD Certificate

Staff will issue an updated Land Disturbance Permit accordingly. There are no fees associated with this type of administrative revision.

 

What's Next?

To get a step-by-step guide on PLUS statuses and what they mean, see our What is My PLUS Status? Site Plans Infographic.

 

Review Process

Staff from the Site Application Center will review your package for completeness and compliance with applicable codes and county ordinances. You will be notified of any deficiencies. Plan corrections, resubmission fees and additional supporting documents may be required.

• Queue Times
• Fees
• Workflow Routing Slip to track review and plan assignment

For a detailed summary of application progress, to include the name(s) of assigned review staff, click on “Reports” in the top-right corner of the PLUS screen, when you are in a specific record, and select “Workflow Routing Slip Report.”

 

Plan and Permit Issuance

Once all reviews are approved, fees have been paid and all associated post-approval conditions have been satisfied, your land disturbance permit and approved plans will be available to download from PLUS.

Once you obtain your issued land disturbance permit and approved site-related plan, you may proceed with your associated building permit record(s). For more information on building record types to include when a permit is required and how to apply, visit When a Permit is Required.
 

Helpful Video:

 Access Approved Plans in PLUS - YouTube Video

 

Site Inspections

Before beginning any land disturbing activities associated with your approved site/grading plan and land disturbance permit, you are required to coordinate a pre-construction meeting.  For projects inspected by LDS-SDID, request a pre-construction meeting. Before requesting your pre-construction meeting, certain items must be completed such as an approved Virginia 811 ticket. To review all required items, visit the Site Inspection web page.