Virginia Coastal Resources Management — Tidal Wetlands & Subaqueous Lands (VA)
Tracked preemption from the Virginia overlay bundle.
Overview
← All state preemptionsVirginia overlay roll-upVirginia zoning wikiVirginia building codesFederal overlaysGlossaryFederal-conflict: Yes
Effective
1972-07-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:VA
Other Virginia preemptions
Virginia 2024-2025 Housing Preemption Bills (Status: None Enacted)Virginia Small Cell Wireless Facility Preemption (§§15.2-2316.3 / 15.2-2316.4)Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP)Virginia Military Air Installation Influence Areas (§15.2-2294)Virginia Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Integration (44 CFR 201.6 / Va. Code §44-146.18:2)Virginia Family Day Home Preemption (§15.2-2292)Virginia RPA 100-ft Riparian Buffer (Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act)Virginia Floodplain Management — NFIP Coordination (Va. Code §10.1-600 et seq.)
Trigger predicate
When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.
OR
city.is_in_coastal_zone==Trueparcel.contains_tidal_wetlands==Trueparcel.in_subaqueous_state_owned_bottomlands==Trueparcel.geometrygeographic match
Preempted fields
2 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.
| Field | Op | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
review_type | override | vmrc_or_local_wetlands_board_permit_required | Encroachment in tidal wetlands, beaches, dunes, or state-owned subaqueous lands requires a VMRC permit (§28.2-1203 et seq.) or local Wetlands Board permit per the model Tidal Wetlands Zoning Ordinance (§28.2-1300 et seq.). |
base_districts[*].tidal_wetlands_buffer_ft | override | vmrc_or_local_wetlands_board_jurisdictional_limit | Jurisdiction extends to mean low water line for subaqueous lands and to the limits of vegetated/nonvegetated tidal wetlands. |
Citation
Authority source
Va. Code Title 28.2 (Fisheries and Habitat of the Tidal Waters), Subtitle III (Habitat), Chapters 12 (Subaqueous Lands), 13 (Tidal Wetlands), and 14 (Coastal Primary Sand Dunes)
§ §§28.2-1200 et seq. (subaqueous); §§28.2-1300 et seq. (tidal wetlands); §§28.2-1400 et seq. (dunes/beaches)
Research notes
Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) is the state authority. Tidewater localities may adopt the model Tidal Wetlands Zoning Ordinance and stand up a local Wetlands Board, which then takes primary jurisdiction (with VMRC appellate review). Federal conflict check: NOAA Coastal Zone Management Act federal consistency review applies; USACE §404 permits for fill in waters of the U.S. operate in parallel.