Wetlands are
valuable natural resources that have a long history of abuse and
misuse. These areas, not always wet and not always dry,
offer a wide variety of values and functions: Detritus
production - providing nutrients and feeding areas for marine
organisms; Habitat - providing
unique environments for waterfowl and wildlife; Erosion control -
reducing shoreline erosion; Improved water quality - through
sediment trapping and filtering; and Flood buffering - absorbing
flood waters and slowly releasing them.
As a result of their
recognized significance, wetlands are protected at the local,
state and federal level. There are two types of wetlands, tidal and
non-tidal.
(Click here to view the Corps of Engineers "Recognizing Wetlands"
web page.)
In Gloucester
County, activities in or adjacent to a tidal water body or tidal
wetlands will require a permit and/or review from on one more of
the following agencies:
Common examples of
activities that require authorization include the construction of
bulkheads, riprap (stone) revetments, jetties and groins, piers,
marinas, and boat ramps.
Fortunately, one
application is used to apply to all of these eight agencies
(except the County's Building and Zoning permit). This
application is called the
Joint Permit Application, or JPA,
which may be obtained from the Gloucester County
Codes Compliance Office at 6582 Main Street, Gloucester,
Virginia. Once completed, the
JPA should be mailed to the
Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) in Newport News,
Virginia. VMRC will distribute your application to all the
appropriate agencies for review.
Proposed activities
within the Wetlands Board's jurisdiction (tidal wetlands) require
a public hearing and Board approval prior to commencement of the
project. The permit application requires project drawings to
be submitted as part of the application. It is important to
include all requested information on these drawings, as they will
become part of the wetland permit and will be a measure of project
compliance. Once a completed application, drawings and
permit fees have been received by the Gloucester County Wetlands
Board staff, a site visit will be made and your project will be
scheduled for public hearing. The public hearing provides an
opportunity for public review and comment. During the
hearing, the Board may make modifications to a request, or may
require that certain conditions apply.
Wetland permit fees
for non-commercial projects are $200. Permit fees for
commercial projects are $300. This amount includes the cost
of advertising the proposed project in the public notice section
of the local newspaper, as required by law. Gloucester
wetland permits are valid for 1 year from the date of Board
approval. Permit expiration dates may be extended by the
Board upon written request and approval at public hearing.
Please note that
authorization from the U.S. army Corps of Engineers, Virginia
Marine Resources Commission, Department of Environmental
Quality,
the Gloucester Wetlands Board, and the Gloucester Building and
Zoning office must all be obtained prior to conducting work within
wetlands. It is the landowner's responsibility to obtain all
necessary permits.
