York County, VA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Sec. 23.3-3(a) adopts the Virginia Stormwater Management Law and its regulations, references, guidelines, standards, and specifications as the county's local program, aimed at preventing unreasonable degradation of properties from water pollution, stream channel erosion, groundwater depletion, and localized flooding; the director of the Department of Environmental and Development Services, or a designee, is named the county's Administrator to enforce the chapter. Sec. 23.3-5(a) sets the applicability rule: no person may engage in any land-disturbing activity until a VSMP authority permit is issued, and that requirement reaches every subdivision, site plan, and building permit application, plus smaller activities that are part of a larger common plan of development.

Sec. 23.3-5(e) exempts specific narrow activities, including single-family residences not part of a larger development that disturb less than 25,000 square feet, and any project disturbing less than 2,500 square feet. Sec. 23.3-10 blocks permit issuance until the applicant submits an approved erosion and sediment control plan, a compliant stormwater management plan under Sec. 23.3-14, required fees under Sec. 23.3-30, and any performance bond required under Sec. 23.3-31. Sec. 23.3-20 gives the Administrator inspection authority during construction and requires post-construction inspection of stormwater facilities at least once every five years.

Table 1 under Sec. 23.3-30 sets permit fees ranging from $290 for a small Chesapeake Bay Act site under an acre up to $9,600 for large construction activity disturbing 100 acres or more.