This chapter shall be known as the "Chesapeake
Bay Preservation Area Ordinance for Northumberland County, Virginia."
A.
The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries is one of the
most important and productive estuarine systems in the world, providing
economic and social benefits to the citizens of Northumberland County
and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The health of the Bay is vital to
maintaining Northumberland County's economy and the welfare of its
citizens.
B.
The Chesapeake Bay waters have been degraded significantly
by many sources of pollution, including nonpoint source pollution
from land uses and development. These waters are worthy of protection
from degradation to guard against further pollution. Certain lands
that are proximate to shorelines have intrinsic water quality value
due to the ecological and biological processes they perform. Other
lands have severe development constraints from flooding, erosion and
soil limitations. With proper management, they offer significant ecological
benefits by providing water quality maintenance and pollution control,
as well as flood and shoreline erosion control. These lands together,
designated by Northumberland County as Chesapeake Bay Preservation
Areas (CBPAs), need to be protected from destruction and damage in
order to protect the quality of water in the Bay and consequently
the quality of life in Northumberland County and the Commonwealth
of Virginia.
A.
This chapter is enacted to implement the requirements
of § 10.1-2100 et seq. of the Code of Virginia (the Chesapeake
Bay Preservation Act). The intent of the governing body and the purpose
of these regulations is to protect existing high-quality state waters;
restore all other state waters to a condition or quality that will
permit all reasonable public uses and will support the propagation
and growth of all aquatic life, including game fish, which might reasonably
be expected to inhabit them; safeguard the clean waters of the commonwealth
from pollution; prevent any increase in pollution; reduce existing
pollution: and promote water resource conservation in order to provide
for the health, safety and welfare of the present and future citizens
of Northumberland County.
B.
These regulations shall be in addition to and shall accompany all other County regulations where they are applied, including Chapter 148, Zoning; Chapter 64, Erosion and Sediment Control; Article V, Site Plan Development Process, of this chapter; Chapter 76, Floodplain Management; Chapter 128, Subdivision of Land; and Chapter 45, Building Construction.
C.
This chapter is enacted under the authority of § 10.1-2100
et seq. (the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act) of the Code of Virginia.
If any provision herein is declared unlawful,
it shall be struck from the text leaving the remaining provisions
in effect.
