Wetlands Board

The Wetland​s Board​​ is composed of seven members​​​​​, ap​pointed by the City Council, who are responsible for reviewing requests for permits for the use, alteration, or development of Tidal-Wetlands, Coastal Primary Sand Dunes, and beaches.

The Board's wetlands jurisdiction for non-vegetated wetlands (sand flat, mud flat, etc.) lies between mean low water and mean high water. Vegetated wetlands jurisdiction is from mean low water to an elevation one and one-half times the mean tide range. ​The mean tide range is approximately two feet for rivers and bay areas and three and one-half feet for ocean areas.  Upland of that elevation, the Board does not have jurisdiction. However, a waterfront construction permit from the Waterfront Operations Bureau may still be required. If you have questions, contact a Waterfront Inspector at 757-385-8246.

The Board also reviews violations of the regulations and has the option to assess civil charges and/or order restoration of the site. 

​​​​​​​​​​​​Applications for Wetlands and Coastal Primary Sand Dune projects can be obtained from the Army Corps of Engineers. 

Both Wetlands and Coastal Primary Sand Dune applications require a legal advertisement​ posted in a local newspaper, notification of adjacent property owners, and signs advertising the public hearing. The Planning & Community Development Department prepares the legal advertisements. The legal advertisement fee is $120.

Click here to view the City's Specific Guidelines​ on how to fill out the Joint Permit Application submittal.​​

To view Wetlands or Coastal Primary Sand Dune and Beach regulations, please visit Article 14 (Wetlands Zoning Ordinance) or Article 16 (Coastal Primary Sand Dune Zoning Ordinance) of Appendix A (Zoning Ordinance) of the Virginia Beach City Code.

Application Filing Deadline

The Deadline for filing an application to be heard by the Wetlands Board is the 1st day of each month for the following month’s hearing.

Wetlands Board Meeting Times​​

  • The formal hearing is held the third Monday of every month, at 10:00 a.m. in Council Chambers, Municipal Center, Building 1, 2nd Floor.​
  • Citizens are invited to observe the informal briefing, which is held the third Monday of every month at 8:45​​ a.m. in the City Manager's Conference Room, Room 234, Municipal Center, Building 1.

Review Fees​

  • Waterfront Construction and Dredging Projects $230​
  • Wetlands Permits - Projects that impact wetlands $450 
    • Wetland Deferrals - $230
  • Coastal Primary Sand Dune projects​ $450
    • Coastal Primary Sand Dune Deferrals - $230
  • Sand Management Applications $230
  • Public Notification $120*
*The costs of the public notice sign(s), legal advertisements in the Virginia-Pilot/Beacon, and the postage for mailing of requirement notices to property owners adjacent to the subject site is required in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Most recently notification fees were variable and based on the number of signs required, number of adjacent property owners and the amount of text in the legal notice and could not be assessed and paid until after the application fee was paid. Effective October 1, 2017, a flat fee for the Wetlands Board public notice will be implemented and will be paid at the same time as the Board application fee. ​

Please transmit your payment by using a cover letter that references the applicant's name, address, and phone number. All checks and money orders are to be made payable to: Treasurer, City of Virginia Beach and sent directly to the Planning & Community Development Department, Attention: Wetlands/Waterfront, 2405 Courthouse Drive, Room 191, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456. Credit card payments are accepted in-person at the Planning & Community Development Department, 2405 Courthouse Drive, Room 191, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456.

 Joint Permit Applications
Tidewater Joint Permit Application

​Standard Joint Permit Application - for projects including Dredging

Disclosure Statement

Specific Guidelines for the JPA​

 Agendas and Minutes

​2019

Hearing Date​Agendas​Reports​Minutes
​January 22, 2019​​​
​February 18, 2019​​​
​March 18, 2019​​​
​April 15, 2019​​​
​May 20, 2019​​​
​June 17, 2019​​​
​July 15, 2019​​​
​August 19, 2019​​​
​September 16, 2019​​​
​October 21, 2019​​​
​November 18, 2019​​​
​December 16, 2019​​​

2018

​DATE OF HEARING​AGENDAS​REPORTS​MINUTES
​January 16, 2018​    ​     ​​​​   ​​
​February 19, 2018​        ​​  
​March 19, 2018   ​​        ​
​April 16, 2018   ​​        
​May 21, 2018   ​​        ​​
​June 18, 2018​   ​     ​​   ​
​July 16, 2018   ​     ​​   ​​
​August 20, 2018     ​Cancelled       ​Cancelled     ​Cancelled
​September 17, 2018   ​​​     ​   ​
​​
​October 15, 2018   ​​​     ​   ​​
​November 19, 2018   ​     ​​​
​December 17, 2018   ​​​     ​​​​​

2017

​Dates of He​aring ​Agendas​​ ​Reports ​Min​​utes
​​January 17, 2017 ​    ​   ​    
​​February 20, 2017 ​​    ​   ​ ​    
​​March 20, 2017 ​​    ​ ​        ​
​​April 17, 2017 ​       ​ ​     
​​May 15, 2017     ​ ​   ​    
​​June 19, 2017 ​   ​   ​      ​
​July 17, 2017 ​   ​​   ​​​      ​
August ​21, 2017    ​   ​      ​
​September 18, 2017    ​ ​  ​    
​October 16, 2017 ​   ​       ​
​November 20, 2017 ​     ​ ​    
​December 18, 2017    ​   ​

     ​​

 Waterfront Construction and Dredging

​A waterfront construction permit approval is required to construct, alter, or repair, landings, docks, bulkheads, and similar structures. The Planning Administration, Waterfront Operations Office is one of the three primary agencies responsible for review of applications for waterfront construction and dredging in Virginia Beach. Access the Specific Guidelines for Waterfront Construction Submittals.

All waterfront construction and dredging requests must be submitted on a Joint Permit Application​ (JPA) to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). VMRC then distributes the application to other agencies for review, including the Planning Administration, Waterfront Operations Office the Army Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.  Please complete the Tidewater JPA​ unless your project involves dredging. The Standard JPA is required to review projects involving dredging. 

In addition, applicants for dredging permits are required to provide a surety bond or other form of surety prior to the issuance of the permit. The amount of the bond is determined by the Planning Administration, Waterfront Operations Office .

​​Waterfront Construction and Dredging Fee

A $230 non-refundable processing fee is required for all waterfront construction and dredging permit applications.​​​

 Beach Vitex​
​

The plant, native to Korea, was introduced into the United States in the 1980s as a beach stabilization plant. There is still some debate as to how effectively it stabilizes and accomplishes that goal. Eradicating beach vitex is a critical effort. Therefore, the City of Virginia Beach will be working with homeowners to supply them with a list of acceptable replacement beach and dune plants and their growing seasons as well.  Also, we have developed a program to assist homeowners with proper eradication and disposal of beach vitex. For more information and to report your sighting, contact Charles McKenna at cmckenna@vbgov.com​.

 

Help Stop Beach Vitex

If you see beach vitex anywhere in your beach community, particularly on the dunes, please do not try to remove it! Please take a picture, get GPS coordinates, if possible, or find the nearest street address, and ​report your sighting to Charles McKenna at cmckenna@vbgov.com​.

Learn more about beach vitex.

 VIMS Shoreline Permit Application Records
​VIMS Shoreline Permit Records
Contact Information