Vol. 12 No. 3
June 7, 2005

Fairfax County Chesapeake Bay Maps, Vesting and Stream Character Battles Continue

Fairfax County RPA Maps are Changing
Fairfax County deferred the originally scheduled public hearings regarding the addition of 7.7 miles of perennial streams and removal of 2.2 miles of perennial streams that form the core of a Resource Protection Area (RPA) to: Full Article

Removing Common Sense from Fairfax County's RPA Mapping Process
Currently, Fairfax County’s Public Facilities Manual (PFM) allows a landowner to submit observational data (i.e., a photograph) showing the lack of flowing water in the stream bed in a non-drought period to demonstrate that a stream is, in fact, intermittent and not perennial, if mapped as perennial by Fairfax County. Full Article

Vesting Changes as RPA Maps Change
Modifications to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Vesting Policy for the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance (more accurately known as the Policy for the Treatment of Approved and Pending Plans of Development) are proposed to reflect the new Resource Protection Area (RPA) maps. Anyone owning property should consult with a land use attorney to figure out how this policy affects your specific situation. Full Article

Virginia Marine Resources Commission Adopts Changes to its Tidal Wetlands Mitigation and Compensation Policy
If you develop land along the Potomac River, or any other tidal wetland areas in Virginia, be prepared to mitigate and/or compensate for all impacts to tidal wetlands. In a unanimous vote on May 24, 2005, Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) members officially adopted a new policy of “no net loss” in the tidal wetlands regulatory program. Such a policy for non-tidal wetlands was implemented by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in 2001. Full Article


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

WSSI is the leading provider of natural and cultural resource consulting services in Northern Virginia. The firm has worked on over 1,900 sites, comprising nearly 100,000 acres, and has created hundreds of acres of wetlands and restored miles of streams in the area. Our team of 95 engineers, scientists, archeologists, 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.