Bill > HB1154

This bill requires local governments to adopt ordinances that clarify how boundary line adjustments are handled for properties that existed before the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, which is a state law aimed at protecting the Chesapeake Bay. Specifically, if a boundary line adjustment involves lots that are located in a Resource Protection Area (a sensitive area designated for protection under the Act) and were already established before the Act took effect on October 1, 1989, the adjustment should not be treated as creating a new lot. Instead, such adjusted lots should be considered as if they predate the Act, ensuring that existing property rights are maintained without creating new development potential that could negatively impact the Bay. The bill also clarifies that these provisions do not override a locality's general zoning authority and directs the State Water Control Board to update its regulations to allow property owners in any locality to apply for such boundary line adjustments without inadvertently creating a new lot of record.

Government Affairs

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1154