Your property is not an island. It is connected to the surrounding landscape. Your property may have utility easements, stormwater management infrastructure, or environmental protections in place. Find out what you are responsible for maintaining and what contractors need to know before altering your property.
An easement is a right granted from a property owner to another for a specific use of a portion of the owner's land. Utility operators (gas, electric, sewer, etc.) often have easements for the purpose of installing and maintaining their utility lines and structures. Learn more about who maintains easements and how to get more information about your property.
What does it mean to be privately maintained? Privately maintained stormwater management facilities are maintained by the facility owner. The county does not have direct maintenance responsibility. However, Fairfax County is still responsible under state and federal stormwater permits for ensuring that the facilities remain in place, operate properly and are functional. To this end the county has established an inspection schedule for all privately maintained facilities, together with reporting and enforcement procedures for communicating inspection results to facility owners and gaining ma
If you have a stream, wetland, pond or other water body on your property, it may be subject to protection based on local ordinances and the multi-state Chesapeake Bay Act. These protections may include restrictions on development and land clearing within a buffer zone around these waterbodies. These sensitive areas provide many environmental benefits and promote water quality by filtering pollutants and slowing stormwater runoff. View Watersheds and RPAs Interactive Map