Section 19.2-26
Dimensional standards
Servicing
- Applies near
- water bodies with perennial flow
- Geographic extent
- Entire County is designated as RMA; RPA includes tidal wetlands, nontidal wetlands connected by surface flow, tidal shores, and a 100-foot vegetated buffer adjacent to water bodies with perennial flow.
Uses
Extracted standards
14 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Other
- Minimize imperviousImpervious coverageThe share of a lot covered by anything water cannot soak through — roofs, drives, patios. cover
Land development shall minimize impervious cover consistent with the use or development allowed.
- Minimize land disturbance
No more land shall be disturbed than is necessary to provide for the proposed use or development.
- Preserve indigenous vegetation
Indigenous vegetation shall be preserved to the maximum extent practicable consistent with the use or development allowed.
- Prohibit imperviousImpervious coverageThe share of a lot covered by anything water cannot soak through — roofs, drives, patios. surfaces on sewage disposal sites
Building or construction of any impervious surface shall be prohibited on the area of all sewage disposal sites until the structure is served by public sewer or an on-site sewage treatment system which operates under a permit issued by the state water control board.
- Reserve sewage disposal site required
A reserve sewage disposal site with a capacity at least equal to that of the primary sewage disposal site shall be provided on each lot or parcel proposed for new construction.
- RPA buffer performance standards
The 100-foot-wide RPA buffer area shall be deemed to achieve a 75% reduction of sediments and a 40% reduction of nutrients.
- RPA buffer width100 ft
a vegetated RPA buffer area a minimum of 100 feet in width
- Septic system pump-out frequency5 years
Systems shall be pumped out at least once every five (5) years, unless the owner submits documentation every five (5) years...
- Water quality impact assessment threshold2,500 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
A water quality impact assessment is required for any proposed land disturbance. Minor assessment for 2,500 sq ft or less; major for greater than 2,500 sq ft.
Setback
- Residential setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from nontidal wetlands not in RPA (except Upper Swift Creek)25 ft
all new construction and substantial improvements of residential dwellings shall have a minimum setback of at least 25 feet horizontal distance from the outer most boundaries of nontidal wetlands not located within resource protection areas.
- Residential setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from nontidal wetlands in Upper Swift Creek Watershed35 ft
In the Upper Swift Creek Watershed, all new construction and substantial improvements of residential dwellings shall have a minimum setback of at least 35 feet horizontal distance from the outer most boundaries of the nontidal wetlands not located within resource protection areas.
- Residential setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from RPA (except Upper Swift Creek)25 ft
all new construction and substantial improvements of residential dwellings shall have minimum setbacks from an RPA which encroaches within a lot or parcel that is the lesser of the applicable yard setback requirement of the underlying zoning district or 25 feet.
- Residential setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from RPA in Upper Swift Creek Watershed35 ft
In the Upper Swift Creek Watershed, all new construction and substantial improvements of residential dwellings shall have a minimum setback from the RPA of 35 feet.
Signage
- RPA boundary signs required
For sites subject to subdivision review, the subdivider shall post signs demarking the limits of the RPA so builders and homeowners are informed as to the limitations imposed on these areas.
From the ordinance
Resource protection areas shall consist of: a. Tidal wetlands. b. Nontidal wetlands connected by surface flow that are contiguous to tidal wetlands or water bodies with perennial flow. c. Tidal shores. d. A vegetated RPA buffer area a minimum of 100 feet in width...