Regulatory Guidance for Localities

As part of CBLA's ongoing technical assistance program, the staff develops guidance documents to provide clarification on certain aspects of the Regulations. All guidance documents adopted by the Board are provided below:

Official Guidance

Resource Protection Areas: Nontidal Wetlands
revised as of 12-10-2007

For more information contact: Nathan Hughes, Watershed Specialist nathan.hughes@dcr.virginia.gov.

• Exceptions
• Nonconforming structures and uses
• Silvicultural operations
• RPA: Onsite buffer area delineation
• RPA: Buffer area encroachments
• Stormwater management requirements
• Determinations of Water Bodies with Perennial Flow

To learn more about this guidance and its development/history, visit our perennial stream page. Below are the supporting documents mentioned in the guidance.

• Perennial Stream Field Identification Protocol, May 2003 (Fairfax County)
• Field Datasheet (Fairfax County)
• Internal Technical Guide for Stream Work in North Carolina April 2001 Version 3.0
• Internal Guidance Manual, N.C. Division of Water Quality Stream Classification Method, January 19, 1999, Version 2.0
• NCDWQ Stream Classification Form
• James City County Perennial Stream Protocol Guidance Manual
• James City County Field Datasheet
• Administrative Procedures for the Designation and Refinement Of Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Boundaries
• Resource Protection Areas: Permitted Development Activities
• Riparian Buffer Modification and Mitigation Guidance Manual

CBLA Policy/Guidance in the Virginia Register: Sections 2.2-4008 and 2.2-4103 of the Code of Virginia require annual publication in the Virginia Register of guidance document lists from state agencies covered by the Administrative Process Act and the Virginia Register Act. A guidance document is defined as "any document developed by a state agency or staff that provides information or guidance of general applicability to the staff or public to interpret or implement statutes or the agency's rules or regulations..." Agencies are required to maintain a complete, current list of all guidance documents and make the full text of such documents available to the public. Our list on the Register contains subject matter pertaining to: Attorney General Opinions, CBLAB Policies, a list of Manuals and Handbooks etc., and General Programmatic Guidance.