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Portsmouth planning commission backs ordinance changes to add sea‑level rise, tree protections to Chesapeake Bay overlay
Summary
The Portsmouth Planning Commission voted to approve amendments to City Code Chapter 9.1 that add resiliency and mature‑tree protections to local Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area rules; localities must adopt matching changes by Oct. 31, 2025.
The Portsmouth Planning Commission voted to approve amendments to City Code Chapter 9.1 on Oct. 7 to add requirements that developers evaluate sea‑level rise, storm surge and coastal flooding as part of project reviews in Chesapeake Bay preservation areas.
The changes, presented by Principal Planner Valerie Malzone, add a requirement for a resiliency assessment for projects within resource protection areas, new landscaping standards that require individual identification and protection of mature trees during construction, and a provision to exempt "living shorelines" from certain performance criteria to encourage shoreline stabilization. "Localities are required to adopt these provisions by 10/31/2025," Malzone said during her presentation.
Why it matters: The amendments…
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