January 28, 2026
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:Do not click links, open attachments or send payment.Verify directly with staff by contacting the agency or the staff member working on your application.To confirm an email's authenticity or to report a suspicious message related to PLUS fees, email plussupport@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-2222, TTY 711. All official fee payments must be completed only through the PLUS system.Protect yourself by confirming the source of any financial request before responding. Read the full NewsCenter Article about these scams.
December 22, 2025
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.
December 16, 2025
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.