Norfolk regulates grading and drainage through its code, the Erosion and Stormwater program, and the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. Grading may not redirect runoff onto neighbors, and earthwork near the 100-foot RPA buffer faces added restriction.
Grading and drainage in Norfolk fall under the city building and site-plan codes plus overlapping state law. A land-disturbance permit and erosion control plan are required once disturbance reaches 2,500 square feet, the citywide Bay Preservation trigger. Site grading must direct water away from structures and may not concentrate runoff onto adjoining lots. In this flat, high-water-table city, drainage design also has to manage tidal backflow and heavy rainfall, and retaining walls generally need engineering and a permit. Earthwork inside a delineated Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area or its Resource Protection Area buffer is limited to protect tidal water quality.
Unpermitted grading or redirecting concentrated drainage onto a neighbor brings a stop-work order, corrective regrading, and civil liability for resulting flooding or erosion. Disturbing the RPA buffer adds Bay Act restoration requirements.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Norfolk City, VA
Norfolk lets residents put up holiday decorations on private property without a permit. Displays just cannot block sidewalks or sight lines, create fire or e...
Norfolk City, VA
Norfolk allows small temporary signs to advertise a yard or garage sale on private property, but bars them from the public right-of-way, utility poles, and t...
Norfolk City, VA
Norfolk treats political yard signs as temporary signs under its zoning ordinance and cannot regulate their message. Signs are allowed on private property wi...
Norfolk City, VA
Norfolk runs rental inspection districts under Va. Code 36-105.1:1 and City Code Chapter 36.1. Rental homes in designated older neighborhoods must pass a cod...
Norfolk City, VA
Norfolk follows the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, not a local just-cause law. Landlords must give written notice and sue in court; a month-to...
Norfolk City, VA
Norfolk has no rent control, and it legally cannot enact any. Virginia is a strict Dillon's Rule state, so no locality may cap rent without the General Assem...
See how Norfolk City's grading & drainage rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.