Vol. 11 No. 3
July 22, 2004
In This Issue!
LID Requirements for Commercial/Mixed Use
Stormwater Utility in Fairfax County
Landowner Wins RPA Battle in City of Fairfax
Wetlands Mitigation Requirements Evolve
Stream Assessment Protocols Still in Flux

Proposed Low Impact Development (LID) Requirements
The US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) Norfolk District is now proposing to require that its LID site design checklist and runoff calculations worksheet be used in the project design process for all prospective commercial and mixed-use developments that require a COE permit and propose impacts to greater than 1/2-acre of non-tidal wetlands or 300 linear feet of stream. Full Article

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Discuss PFM Changes, Stormwater Utility and LID
During the July 19, 2004 joint meeting of the Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors (BOS) Environmental Committee and the Development Process Committee, the following significant issues related to water quality and land development were discussed: Full Article

City of Fairfax Loses RPA Battle
A recent court decision in Chappell, et al. v. Board of Zoning Appeals for the City of Fairfax gives hope to landowners that when a locality clearly makes an error in designating an RPA on their land, the landowner can have the error corrected. Full Article

The Status of Stream Assessment Protocols
Last December the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) Norfolk District and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) published a new Stream Assessment Methodology which provided a quantitative process to determine the functions and values of streams proposed to be impacted by development. The evaluation was slated to be used to determine appropriate compensation for stream impacts effective January 15, 2004, but was delayed due to public comment. Full Article

New Wetland Mitigation Requirements
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District (COE) and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) have revised and finalized their wetland mitigation recommendations. These recommendations are likely to increase design and monitoring costs, but are also expected to increase the probability of success – and thus reduce overall compensation costs. Full Article



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About Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI):

WSSI is the leading provider of wetland science and water resource engineering consulting services in Northern Virginia. The firm has worked on over 1,400 sites, comprising more than 80,000 acres, and has created hundreds of acres of wetlands and restored miles of streams in the area. Our team of 56 engineers, scientists, technicians, GIS/survey specialists, and administrative staff yield a unique combination of disciplines focused on wetlands and water resources and provide creative solutions for integrating the constraints of economics and land plan requirements with local, state and federal environmental regulations. For more information about WSSI, visit our web site at www.wetlandstudies.com.