What changes a site plan in Virginia
Five Virginia conditions decide how a plan is drawn and how fast it moves.
The shot clock is statutory. For commercial or residential real estate the designated agent "shall act on any proposed plat, site plan or plan of development within 40 days after it has been officially submitted," and resubmittals must be acted on within 30 days or are deemed approved (Va. Code § 15.2-2259(A)(3)) [1]. The agent "shall not delay the official submission... by requiring presubmission conferences, meetings, or reviews" [1]. The agent must identify all deficiencies up front, so a first submittal has to be complete [1].
VDOT sequencing. VDOT will not approve a commercial entrance permit before local site plan approval where a local process exists, and stricter local entrance standards govern (24VAC30-73) [6]. Entrance spacing and shared entrances under 24VAC30-73-120 therefore belong on the concept plan [7].
The Chesapeake Bay overlay lowers the trigger. Erosion and sediment control applies at 10,000 sq ft of land disturbance, but at 2,500 sq ft in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area, where localities also regulate runoff for disturbance of 2,500 sq ft to under one acre (9VAC25-875-740) [2, 8, 9]. Residential permit site plans in Tidewater must show the disturbance area [2, 8].
Seal relief by use group. Virginia's exemption from licensed design turns on use group and floor area: up to 5,000 sq ft of total net floor area or three stories for B and M uses, and up to 15,000 sq ft or three stories for F and S uses (§ 54.1-402) [5]. Local building officials may still require an architect or engineer [10].
One erosion and stormwater program. 9VAC25-875, effective July 1, 2024, consolidated the erosion and sediment control and stormwater regulations and repealed 9VAC25-870 [3, 11].
Approval layers: locality and state
| Layer | Who acts | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Site plan and plat | The county, city or town designated agent | 40 days for commercial and residential plans, 30 days on resubmittal (§ 15.2-2259(A)(3)); other plats 60 days initial and 45 days resubmittal (§ 15.2-2259(A)(1)) [1] |
| State agency review | VDOT and other state agencies | Review within 30 days; the agent then acts within 20 days of receiving all approvals (§ 15.2-2259(B)) [1] |
| Entrances | VDOT, under the access management regulations | No commercial entrance permit before local site plan approval where a local process exists (24VAC30-73) [6] |
| Erosion and stormwater | The local VESMP authority | 9VAC25-875 thresholds [3] |
| Campgrounds | The Virginia Department of Health | Permit under 12VAC5-450 [12] |
On a third resubmission, deficiencies go concurrently to the planning director, who has 14 days to approve, allow minor fixes (with administrative approval within 7 days) or disapprove [1]. If the agent misses a deadline, the applicant may petition the circuit court after 10 days' written notice (§ 15.2-2259(C)), and a disapproval may be appealed within 60 days (§ 15.2-2259(D)) [1].
Who prepares and seals what
| Use | Exempt from licensed design under § 54.1-402 |
|---|---|
| Dwellings | Single- and two-family homes, townhouses and multifamily buildings up to three stories, excluding electrical and mechanical work [5] |
| B and M uses, small churches | Up to 5,000 sq ft of total net floor area or three stories; churches with an occupant load of 100 or less [5] |
| F and S uses | Up to 15,000 sq ft or three stories [5] |
| Conditions | Plans bear the author's name, address and occupation; unique structural design needs an architect or engineer; local building officials may require architect or engineer design anyway, as Prince William County's design chart sets out citing § 54.1-410(A) [10] |
The preliminary site plan is the unsealed first draft that a Virginia submission is built from: building footprints, entrances, drive aisles, parking, pads and yield, with a site data table that states disturbed area against the erosion thresholds. Where the use group or the building official calls for licensed design, the architect or engineer of record seals the set built on the preliminary plan; grading, drainage, stormwater, water and sewer design are theirs. Who prepares a site plan explains the division of work.
Statewide overlays
| Overlay | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Building code | 2021 USBC (13VAC5-63), effective January 18, 2024; the one-year option to use the prior edition has ended [13, 14, 4] |
| Erosion and stormwater program | 9VAC25-875, effective July 1, 2024, consolidating the erosion and sediment control and stormwater regulations and repealing 9VAC25-870 [3, 11] |
| Thresholds | Erosion and sediment control at 10,000 sq ft; 2,500 sq ft in Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas; the construction general permit at 1 acre [2, 3] |
| Chesapeake Bay fee | Land disturbance in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area of 2,500 sq ft to under one acre: $290 [11] |
| Chesapeake Bay runoff | Localities regulate runoff for disturbance of 2,500 sq ft to under one acre in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (9VAC25-875-740) [9] |
| Entrances | 24VAC30-73 amendments moved references from the Road Design Manual 2011 Appendix F to the "terms of the permit" [15] |
Asset rules that reach the plan
Campgrounds. Virginia's campground code sits with the Health Commissioner under 12VAC5-450.
| Rule | Standard |
|---|---|
| Permit | Required to operate (12VAC5-450-40); the application goes to the local health department at least 30 days before opening (12VAC5-450-40(B)) [12] |
| Plans | Plans for sewage, water and the number, location and dimensions of campsites are submitted before construction (12VAC5-450-30) [12, 16] |
| Sanitary facilities, 1 to 15 sites | 2 toilets, 2 lavatories, 2 showers (12VAC5-450-100) [17] |
| 16 to 30 sites | 4 toilets, 4 lavatories, 2 showers [17] |
| 31 to 45 sites | 6 toilets, 6 lavatories, 2 showers [17] |
| 46 to 60 sites | 8 toilets, 6 lavatories, 4 showers [17] |
| 61 to 75 sites | 10 toilets, 8 lavatories, 4 showers [17] |
| Temporary camping | VDH treats three or more campsites as likely a campground; temporary use runs up to 14 days in a 60-day period, with 1 portable toilet per 75 campers [18] |
| Scale | 370 permitted campgrounds were reported in 2017 [19] |
Fuel stations. Virginia's fire code, 13VAC5-52-280, carries IFC Chapter 23 with state amendments [20].
| Provision | Standard |
|---|---|
| Dispenser to lot lines | 10 ft or more (IFC 2303.1 item 1) [20] |
| Smoking and open flames | Prohibited within 20 ft of dispensers (IFC 2305.4, Virginia text) [20] |
| Physical protection | Dispensers within 10 ft of vehicle traffic sit on a 6 in concrete island or have Section 312 protection [20] |
| Vapor processing | 10 ft from buildings or buildable lot lines; 20 ft from dispensers (IFC 2306 as amended in Virginia) [20] |
Industrial outdoor storage. Henrico County's REZ-2025-102340 sought a conditional rezoning from A-1 and B-3 to M-2C for outdoor storage; staff were "Not supportive," and the Planning Commission deferred it from June 11 to July 9, 2026 [21]. The rezoning ran on an unsealed concept exhibit, a "Conceptual Layout Plan dated November 8, 2024" [21]. The staff report records an 8 ft wooden fence around gravel storage with TB50 and TB35 transitional buffers, questions whether that fence could screen trailers about 14 ft tall, and notes 4 tractor-trailer spaces at 12 ft by 50 ft plus 12 regular spaces [21]. Proffers capped office space at 1,515 SF and storage, service and repair space at 3,711 SF [21]. Staff noted that unpaved storage lets engine leakage "be absorbed into the ground rather than captured," and the record began with code violations in April 2021 and June 2025 [21].
Shared parking for mixed-use and multifamily. Alexandria's Article VIII sets shared parking by time of day: each use's required spaces are multiplied by the period percentage, each period is summed, and the highest period controls [22].
| Use (Alexandria) | Weekday day / weekday evening / weekend day / weekend evening |
|---|---|
| Residential | 60 / 100 / 90 / 100 percent [22] |
| Office | 100 / 5 / 5 / 5 percent [22] |
| Hotel | 80 / 100 / 80 / 100 percent [22] |
| Retail and commercial | 60 / 90 / 100 / 70 percent [22] |
| Restaurant | 50 / 80 / 80 / 100 percent [22] |
Layout standards by class sit on the asset pages for campgrounds, gas stations, industrial outdoor storage, mixed-use and multifamily projects; car wash and gas station regulations by state compares fuel siting across states.
Law changes, 2024 to 2026
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| January 18, 2024 | The 2021 USBC takes effect [4] |
| July 1, 2024 | 9VAC25-875 takes effect, combining erosion and stormwater programs (VESMP) [3] |
| November 21 and December 18, 2024 | Technical amendments to 9VAC25-875 [2, 11, 23] |
| December 30, 2024 | 24VAC30-73 amendments shift entrance references to the "terms of the permit" [15] |
| 2025 | HB2660 shortens the § 15.2-2259 and § 15.2-2260 timelines, bars presubmission delays and adds the third-resubmission escalation, now in the Code text [1] |
Localities are carrying the new timelines into their own codes: Prince William County's DORAC summarized the state-mandated changes to site and subdivision review times in April 2026, and Middlesex County's June 2025 planning commission agenda carried a local ordinance update citing § 15.2-2259 [24, 25].
What the preliminary plan carries in Virginia
For a Virginia parcel the studio draws the whole project short of engineering: buildings and floor plans, entrances, internal roads, drive aisles, parking, pads and units, with the yield. Because the 40-day clock starts at official submission and resubmittals are deemed approved after 30 days [1], the plan is resolved before it is filed. Its site data table states disturbed area against the 10,000 sq ft and 2,500 sq ft erosion thresholds [2] and shows entrance spacing for VDOT review under 24VAC30-73-120 [7]. Preliminary versus final site plan follows the plan to the sealed set, and do I need an architect for a site plan takes up the use-group seal question.
Virginia borders Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina; the service areas index lists every state the studio covers.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Virginia county have to act on a commercial site plan?
40 days after official submission, under Va. Code § 15.2-2259(A)(3) [1].
Can a Virginia county require a pre-application meeting first?
It may not delay official submission by requiring a presubmission conference, meeting or review (§ 15.2-2259(A)(3)) [1].
What if a resubmitted site plan is not acted on?
A commercial or residential resubmittal not acted on within 30 days is deemed approved (§ 15.2-2259(A)(3)) [1].
How long does VDOT have to review?
State agencies, VDOT included, must complete their review within 30 days (§ 15.2-2259(B)) [1].
When is an erosion and sediment control plan needed in Virginia?
Can a non-engineer design a small retail building in Virginia?
Yes, for B and M uses up to 5,000 sq ft of total net floor area or three stories, excluding electrical and mechanical work (§ 54.1-402) [5].
Which building code applies in Virginia?
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, effective January 18, 2024 [4].
When must a Virginia campground permit be applied for?
At least 30 days before opening, to the local health department (12VAC5-450-40(B)) [12].
Sources
- 1)Va. Code § 15.2-2259, designated agent to act on proposed plat or site plan, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 2)Virginia Register Vol. 41 Iss. 4 (Fast-Track), 9VAC25-875, Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (October 7, 2024), Virginia Register of Regulations. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 3)Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program, City of Alexandria. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 4)Codes, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 5)Va. Code § 54.1-402, further exemptions from license requirements for architects, professional engineers and land surveyors, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 6)Documents Incorporated by Reference (24VAC30-73, Access Management Regulations), Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 7)24VAC30-73-120, Commercial entrance access management, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 8)Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program (revised 4/8/2024), Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 9)9VAC25-875-740, land-disturbing activities in Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 10)Architect and engineer design requirements chart (citing Va. Code § 54.1-410(A)), Prince William County. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 11)Virginia Register Vol. 40 Iss. 8 (Final), 9VAC25-875, Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (December 4, 2023), Virginia Register of Regulations. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 12)12VAC5-450-40, Permits (Rules and Regulations Governing Campgrounds), Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 13)Virginia Building Code News, AIA Virginia. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 14)Documents Incorporated by Reference (13VAC5-63, Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code), Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 15)Virginia Register Vol. 41 Iss. 10 (Final), 24VAC30-73, Access Management Regulations (December 30, 2024), Virginia Register of Regulations. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 16)12VAC5-450-30, Approval of plans required, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 17)12VAC5-450-100, Sanitary facilities, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 18)Temporary Campgrounds, Virginia Department of Health, Environmental Health. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 19)Virginia Register Vol. 33 Iss. 20 (Proposed Regulation), 12VAC5-450, Rules and Regulations Governing Campgrounds (May 29, 2017), Virginia Register of Regulations. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 20)13VAC5-52-280, IFC Chapter 23, Motor Fuel-Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 21)REZ-2025-102340 staff report, DRB III Trucking LLC, Henrico County Planning. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 22)Zoning Ordinance Article VIII, Off-Street Parking and Loading, City of Alexandria (via Municode). Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 23)Virginia Register Vol. 41 Iss. 7 (Final), 9VAC25-875, Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (November 18, 2024), Virginia Register of Regulations. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 24)State-mandated changes for site/subdivision review times (DORAC, April 2026), Prince William County. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- 25)Agenda, Middlesex County Planning Commission, June 12, 2025, Middlesex County, Virginia. Accessed 2026-10-10.