Virginia Beach Site Plan Requirements | Permits & Zoning Guide

By Site Plan Creator Team •

Everything you need to know about creating a site plan for building permits in Virginia Beach, VA. Covers zoning requirements, setbacks, stormwater management, and submission procedures.

Virginia Beach Site Plan Requirements: Complete Guide for Building Permits

Creating a site plan for a building permit in Virginia Beach, Virginia requires meeting specific requirements set by the Department of Planning and Community Development. Virginia Beach is an independent city governed by the City Zoning Ordinance (CZO), with critical considerations for coastal flooding and sea-level rise, Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (CBPA) compliance, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story and NAS Oceana military compatibility zones, and resort area development standards along the Oceanfront.

Required Site Plan Elements

  • Property boundaries with dimensions and total lot area
  • Setbacks per CZO
  • Existing and proposed structures
  • Lot coverage and impervious surface calculations
  • Parking per CZO
  • CBPA Resource Protection Area (RPA) and Resource Management Area (RMA) delineation
  • Stormwater management per Virginia Stormwater Management Act
  • FEMA flood zone and BFE
  • AICUZ (Air Installations Compatible Use Zones) if applicable
  • North arrow, scale, vicinity map
  • Virginia Beach property ID (GPIN)

Virginia Beach Zoning and Setback Requirements

  • R-5D (Residential Single-Family, 5,000 sq ft lot): Front 20 feet, side 5 feet, rear 20 feet. Lot coverage max 45%. Height max 35 feet.
  • R-7.5 (Single-Family, 7,500 sq ft lot): Front 25 feet, side 6 feet, rear 20 feet. Lot coverage max 40%.
  • R-10 (Single-Family, 10,000 sq ft lot): Front 30 feet, side 8 feet, rear 20 feet. Lot coverage max 35%.
  • R-20 (Single-Family, 20,000 sq ft lot): Front 30 feet, side 12 feet, rear 25 feet. Lot coverage max 30%.
  • A-12/A-18 (Apartment): Front 30 feet, side 12-15 feet, rear 20-25 feet.
  • RT (Resort Tourist): Special standards for the Oceanfront resort area with higher density and enhanced design requirements.

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (CBPA)

Virginia Beach is entirely within the Chesapeake Bay watershed:

  • Resource Protection Area (RPA): 100-foot buffer from tidal wetlands, tidal shores, and perennial streams — nearly undevelopable without exception
  • Resource Management Area (RMA): Remainder of the city with performance criteria for development
  • Water Quality Impact Assessment (WQIA): Required for projects disturbing RPA or exceeding RMA thresholds
  • Impervious surface limits: Stricter than standard zoning in CBPA areas
  • Best Management Practices (BMPs): Required for stormwater treatment in CBPA areas

NAS Oceana and Military Compatibility

  • NAS Oceana AICUZ: Air Installations Compatible Use Zones restrict residential density, heights, and uses in noise and accident potential zones
  • APZ-1 and APZ-2 (Accident Potential Zones): Significant development restrictions in flight approach/departure corridors
  • Noise zones (65+ dB DNL): Residential restrictions in high-noise areas; sound attenuation required for permitted uses
  • Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story: Compatibility zones for amphibious training base

Coastal Flooding and Sea-Level Rise

  • Extensive FEMA flood zones: VE and AE zones along the coast, Back Bay, and Lynnhaven River
  • BFE compliance: Elevation above BFE plus 3 feet of freeboard (Virginia Beach's enhanced standard)
  • Sea-level rise adaptation: City's Sea Level Rise Resiliency Strategy addresses future flood risk
  • Recurrent flooding: Special considerations for Sandbridge, Oceanfront, and low-lying neighborhoods

Stormwater Management

  • Virginia Stormwater Management Act: VSMP permit required for projects disturbing 1+ acres
  • Water quality and quantity: Phosphorus nutrient load reduction and peak flow management required
  • Stormwater management plan: Required for regulated projects

How to Submit

Submit through Virginia Beach's ePlan portal at vbgov.com/permits. Walk-in at Municipal Center, Building 2, 2405 Courthouse Drive.

Fees and Timeline

  • Fees: Per fee schedule; includes stormwater utility fee, proffers for rezoning
  • Timeline: Residential 4-6 weeks. Commercial 6-12 weeks. CBPA and military reviews concurrent.

Creating Your Virginia Beach Site Plan with Site Plan Creator

Site Plan Creator makes it easy to generate a professional, permit-ready site plan for your Virginia Beach property. Simply enter your address, and the tool automatically loads your property boundaries, building footprints, and aerial imagery. You can then add setback lines, label structures, draw proposed construction, mark CBPA areas, and export a scaled PDF ready for submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the typical residential setbacks?
R-7.5 zones (7,500 sq ft) have 25-foot front, 6-foot side, 20-foot rear with 40% coverage. R-10 (10,000 sq ft) has 30-foot front, 8-foot side with 35% coverage. R-5D (5,000 sq ft) has 20-foot front, 5-foot side with 45% coverage. RT resort zone has special standards.
What CBPA requirements apply?
Virginia Beach is entirely in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. RPAs have 100-foot buffers from wetlands and streams. RMA performance criteria apply elsewhere. Water Quality Impact Assessment required for RPA disturbance. Impervious surface limits and BMPs required.
What NAS Oceana restrictions apply?
AICUZ zones restrict residential density, heights, and uses in noise and accident potential zones. APZ-1 and APZ-2 limit development in flight corridors. Sound attenuation required in 65+ dB DNL noise zones. Check AICUZ map for your property.
What flood zone requirements exist?
Extensive VE and AE zones along the coast. Virginia Beach requires BFE plus 3 feet freeboard (exceeding FEMA minimum). Sea-level rise adaptation strategies affect coastal development. Recurrent flooding impacts Sandbridge and Oceanfront areas.
What is the enhanced freeboard requirement?
Virginia Beach requires 3 feet of freeboard above BFE — more than the standard 1-foot FEMA recommendation. This enhanced standard reflects sea-level rise projections and addresses recurrent flooding.
Can I build an ADU?
Virginia Beach has adopted ADU regulations. Check the current CZO for size, setback, and parking requirements. Virginia law increasingly supports ADU development.
How do I submit?
Submit through vbgov.com/permits. Walk-in at Municipal Center, 2405 Courthouse Drive. Residential 4-6 weeks.
How long does review take?
Residential 4-6 weeks. Commercial 6-12 weeks. CBPA and military reviews concurrent. Stormwater review concurrent. Enhanced flood zone review for coastal properties.

How to Create a Site Plan in Virginia Beach

  1. Look Up Property: Use Virginia Beach GIS to find zoning, CBPA (RPA/RMA), AICUZ overlay, FEMA flood zone, BFE, and lot dimensions. Note your GPIN.
  2. Assess Environmental and Military Constraints: Determine CBPA status, AICUZ zone, flood zone, sea-level rise exposure, and stormwater requirements.
  3. Create Site Plan: Enter your Virginia Beach address in Site Plan Creator to load property data. Add setback lines per CZO. Mark CBPA boundaries.
  4. Include Required Elements: Include boundaries, setbacks, lot coverage, impervious surface, CBPA RPA/RMA, flood zone, BFE, AICUZ, stormwater, and north arrow with scale.
  5. Prepare Documents: WQIA for CBPA disturbance. Stormwater management plan. Elevation certificate for flood zones. AICUZ compatibility documentation.
  6. Submit Through ePlan: Upload through vbgov.com/permits. Pay fees.
  7. Obtain Permit: Respond to comments. Navigate CBPA and AICUZ reviews. Once approved, pay fees, receive permit, schedule inspections.