Subdivision Regulations

Subdivision ordinances are local regulations that establish requirements for streets, utilities, property platting, and procedures for dedicating land for rights-of-way and easements. Their primary focus is on what might be termed engineering concerns and ensuring that the basic site and public facility needs are met. Roads, lot drainage and water supply are among the concerns to be addressed. If the subdivision involves property in the vicinity of a current or a planned public well, the subdivision should be designed and laid out in a way that would minimize any impacts upon the ground water protection area. The Code of Virginia Section 15.1-466 outlines the provisions of subdivision ordinances and while it does not specifically mention ground water protection areas, how a subdivision is designed can have an influence on preventing ground water contamination and promoting beneficial aquifer recharge. If a new subdivision is to be served by their own community water supply and the locality has wellhead protection overlay district provisions on the books, approval of the subdivision should ideally be coordinated with a rezoning to add the overlay district provisions around the new well site. Consideration should also be given to preparing a contingency plan in the event that supplies were to fail or become contaminated.