Construction projects large and small could face a new breed of red tape for the sake of preserving the quality of the Chesapeake Bay's waters.
The state's soil and water conservation board recently adopted a new set of stormwater regulations established to help curb runoff pollution caused by land disturbance and new developments.
Speaking to the Richmond County Board of Supervisors, Michael Sisson, environmental code compliance officer, said that the new regulations will mean higher fees for property owners and developers.
"Anytime a citizen's going to disturb 2,500 square feet or more of land, they're going to need to apply for a stormwater management permit," Sisson said.
In addition to a fee of $250 to $300, the new regulations will also require engineered site plans.
According to D. Barry Sanders, code administrator for Richmond County, Westmoreland County already requires engineered sites plans for any type of construction, adding that engineered plans for a minor home addition recently cost a friend of his $1,600.
"We're looking at raising the price [of construction] a couple thousand dollars and with the housing industry the way it is, we really don't need anything like that," Sanders said.
Chairman Randall Packett, District 3 supervisor, agreed that the regulations could prove burdensome.
"The goals of that are certainly admirable but there sure is a lot of expense and headache to property owners," Packett said. "It just never stops."
Bill Duncanson, Richmond County administrator, informed the board that officials are still wading through several amendments made to the regulations to better gauge how they will affect localities. Duncanson also said that the window for public comment has been extended an addition 30 days due to the substantial number of amendments made to the document in its final phases.
"Right now, we're not absolutely sure what all the ramifications of this will be, other than the review process will be a lot more intense than it has been in the past," Duncanson said, adding that he hopes that the final regulations won't pertain to small scale development, such as building a home.
The regulations stem from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water Act, according to Duncanson, who added that there has been greater emphasis on cleaning up the bay this year than in years past.
According to material created by the Virginia Association of Counties, the soil and water conservation board will adopt final regulations in December. But those guidelines will not go into effect until July 2010 because of guidelines passed by the general assembly.
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