Showing ordinances that apply to University Center, VA
University Center is an unincorporated community (population 3,969) in Loudoun County, Virginia. Because University Center is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Loudoun County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The tree replacement requirements rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Loudoun County requires tree replacement primarily through the Facilities Standards Manual (FSM) Chapter 3 (Landscaping) for development site plans, not for residential tree removals. New subdivisions must meet canopy coverage targets (10-20% depending on zone). Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area tree removal requires restoration planting. Loudoun encourages native Virginia species (white oak, red maple, tulip poplar, flowering dogwood). The Loudoun Tree Bank and Plant NOVA Natives programs provide guidance.
Loudoun County's tree replacement requirements tie to development activity, not routine homeowner removals. Facilities Standards Manual (FSM) Chapter 3 Landscaping specifies: (1) Canopy coverage minimums — residential subdivisions target 10-20% of gross site area with tree canopy at maturity; commercial sites 10%; industrial/data center 5-10%. (2) Replacement ratios for site plan-designated preserved trees that are removed: typically 2:1 or 3:1 caliper-inch replacement. (3) Minimum planting stock: 2-inch caliper shade trees, 1.5-inch ornamentals, 6-foot evergreens. (4) Approved species lists favor natives: white oak, northern red oak, tulip poplar, red maple, American holly, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood; invasive species like Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) and Japanese honeysuckle banned. Virginia added Bradford pear to noxious weed list 2024. (5) Establishment period: 2-year survival warranty on commercial plantings. Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (Ord. Ch. 1220) requires restoration planting when RPA trees are removed — typically 2:1 native species. Fee-in-lieu to Loudoun's Tree Fund available in some cases for commercial development. HOAs like Brambleton and Broadlands maintain their own landscape covenants with replacement rules. No county-wide fee-in-lieu for residential tree removal because there's no removal permit to trigger it.
Failure to replace per FSM / approved plan: $500-$5,000 + required planting. Replanting with invasive species or non-compliant stock: reject certificate of occupancy until corrected. RPA restoration failure: Chesapeake Bay penalties $32,500/day.
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