Current Operations for Office Visits
Effective: November 15, 2021 - The Virginia Beach Planning Department will close the customer service counter on Mondays and Thursdays to walk-in customers. The counter will be open for all walk-in customers Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 AM to noon, and then from 1 to 4:30 PM (to allow for payment processing).
Staff continues to encourage applicants to continue to complete their Joint Permit Applications (JPA) online, and submit their JPA to the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) at jpa.permits@mrc.virginia.gov.
Those without access to the internet may drop off Joint Permit Applications at 2875 Sabre Street, Suite 500, and our staff will forward your application to the Marine Resource Commission for you. The entire submittal package including application, plans, disclosure statement and processing fees (fees in a sealed envelope, checks payable to Treasurer, City of Virginia Beach) may be dropped off in the reception area Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm or anytime in the City Treasurer’s Drop Box located outside of the building in front of the lobby. Please address the envelope to Ms. Shannon Heederik, Department of Planning & Community Development.
Links to the Joint Permit Applications and a schedule of processing fees are noted on this webpage below.
Applicants will be notified by phone or email if additional information is necessary to continue processing of all applications, regardless of submittal method.
For more information, please contact the Waterfront Operations Staff at (757) 385-8246, or waterfront@vbgov.com.
Application Information
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.
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.
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
Sandbridge General Permit Applications - $100
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, 2875 Sabre Street, Suite 500 Virginia Beach, VA 23452.
Wetlands Board Meeting Times & Location
The City of Virginia Beach Wetlands Board will hold Public Hearings in person, the third Monday of every month, in the New Council Chamber - 2401 Courthouse Drive, Building 1, at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center. For a list of additional meeting dates, please refer to the Agendas & Minutes tab below.
An informal session will be held at 9:00 a.m. in the City Manager's Conference Room 2034. During the informal session, Staff briefs the Board on agenda items. All interested persons are invited to attend. There is no opportunity for citizenry to speak at the briefing session; however, the public is invited to speak at the 10:00 a.m. formal Wetlands Board Public Hearing that follows.
For information or to examine copies of the proposed plans, ordinances, amendments and/or resolutions are on file and may be examined by appointment in the Planning Department at 2875 Sabre St, Suite 500, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 or online at www.vbgov.com/wetlands. For information call 757-385-4621. Staff Reports will be available on the webpage 5 days prior to the meeting.
If you require a reasonable accommodation for this meeting due to a disability, please call the Department of Planning & Community Development at (757) 385-4621. If you are hearing impaired, you can contact Virginia Relay at 711 for TDD service.
- The formal hearing is held the third Monday of every month at 10:00 a.m..
- Citizens are invited to observe the informal briefing at 9:00 a.m., in the City Manager's Conference Room 2034, immediately before the formal hearing.