In 1989, the County adopted its Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Program, implementing ordinances and maps in accordance with State law. The Critical Area is generally defined as all lands within 1,000 feet of the shoreline or head of tidal waters for the Bay proper and its tidal tributaries.
The Critical Areas Program and Maps are considered as overlays to County zoning regulations and maps. All land within the Critical Area is designated into one of three categories.
These land use designations of IDA (Intensely Developed Areas), LDA (Limited Development Areas) and RCA (Resource Conservation Areas) were applied based on land use patterns as of December 1, 1985.
Areas designated IDA are those where existing residential, commercial, institutional and/or industrial developed land uses predominate and relatively little natural habitat, if any, remains. Therefore, IDA lands are permitted to develop at the densities and intensities allowable under the County’s zoning ordinance.
LDA lands are areas currently developed in low or moderate intensity uses but still contain some area of natural plant and animal habitats, and where the quality of stormwater runoff has not been substantially altered or impaired. LDA lands are permitted to develop at the density permitted by the County zoning ordinance, but are limited to 15 percent impervious coverage with a few exceptions.
RCA lands are those characterized by natural-dominated environments such as wetlands, forests, abandoned fields, and is utilized for resource related activities including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture. Density is limited one (1) dwelling unit per 20 acres and the land cannot be re-zoned for institutional, industrial or commercial development.
State law governing the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area regulations provides little discretion for local governments to change environmental protection standards. The County’s local Critical Area regulations are essentially prescribed by the State.
However, in accordance with State law, the County does have the ability to change a limited amount of Critical Area mapping in order to facilitate local growth management objectives. Read: Growth Allocation
