Planning commission recommends Chesapeake Bay code and comp‑plan updates, asks to note enforcement program

The Falls Church Planning Commission voted July 1 to recommend City Council adopt amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and city code to bring local regulations into compliance with the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.

Staff presented amendments to Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 and revisions to Chapters 38 (subdivision) and 48 (zoning) that correct code references and add required CBPA program elements. "City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing and take their final action on this item during their July 13, 2026 meeting," staff noted. Stormwater staff described the changes as required to align city code with state guidance.

Bahu, the city’s stormwater engineer, described inspection and enforcement processes used to monitor land‑disturbing activity and stormwater facilities. He said inspections for single‑family stormwater plans generally follow state scheduling (about every five years), while the city's own inventory of facilities is inspected more frequently; owners receive reports and are required to address deficiencies. "We inspect them every five years and if we have ours we inspect them every years," he said, describing both state and local inspection cycles.

Commissioner Kraner moved that the commission recommend City Council approve TR26‑18 (the comprehensive‑plan amendment) and to include, in the final comprehensive plan implementation section, a reference to the city's current inspection and enforcement program for stormwater management and BMP compliance. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote with all present commissioners voting yes.

The commission also recommended approval of two related code amendments — TR26‑14 (chapter 38 revisions) and TR26‑15 (chapter 48 revisions) — to correct typographical or reference errors and to update requirements to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. Both code‑amendment recommendations passed on unanimous roll‑call votes.

Staff told the commission the council had previously reviewed the drafts at a June 8 work session and that the commission’s recommendations will be forwarded to City Council for their July 13 public hearing and final action.

The commission’s discussion emphasized implementation: commissioners asked staff to ensure the final materials make clear the city has an active inspection and enforcement program and to capture that program in the comprehensive plan’s implementation text so Council and the public know how compliance will be carried out.