Resource protection areas.

Richmond, Va., City Code § 14-231

in effect

Sec. 14-231. - Resource protection areas. (a) At a minimum, resource protection areas shall consist of lands adjacent to water bodies with perennial flow that have an intrinsic water quality value due to the ecological and biological processes they perform or are sensitive to impacts which may cause significant degradation to the quality of State waters. In their natural condition, these lands provide for the removal, reduction or assimilation of sediments, nutrients and potentially harmful or toxic substances in runoff entering the Bay and its tributaries, and minimize the adverse effects of human activities on State waters and aquatic resources. (b) The resource protection area shall include: (1) Tidal wetlands; (2) Nontidal wetlands connected by surface flow and contiguous to tidal wetlands or water bodies with perennial flow; (3) Tidal shores; (4) Such other lands considered by the City to meet the provisions of Subsection (a) of this section and to be necessary to protect the quality of State waters and lands delineated on the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas Map; and (5) A buffer area not less than 100 feet in width located adjacent to and landward of the components listed in Subsections (b)(1) through (4) of this section, and along both sides of any water body with perennial flow. The full buffer area shall be designated as the landward component of the resource protection area notwithstanding the presence of permitted uses, encroachments, and permitted vegetation clearing in compliance with Division 4 (Section 14-262 et seq.) of this article. (c) Designation of the components listed in Subsections (b)(1) through (4) of this section shall not be subject to modification by the City, unless based on reliable, site-specific information as provided for in Section 14-234 and Section 14-263(a)(6). (d) For the purpose of generally determining whether water bodies have perennial flow, the City may use either the designation of water bodies depicted as perennial on the most recent United States Geological Survey 7½ minute topographic quadrangle map (scale 1:24,000) or a reliable, site-specific determination conducted pursuant to Section 14-234. (Code 2004, § 50-321; Code 2015, § 14-231; Code 2020, § 14-231; Ord. No. 2014-116-89, § 2, 5-27-2014; Ord. No. 2018-025, § 1, 2-26-2018)

Source: City of Richmond, Virginia, Code (2026 recodification) and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICICO_CH14FLMAERSECODR_ARTIVCHBAPRAR_DIV3CHBAPRARDECR_S14-231REPRARFetched: 11/8/2026