Resource Protection Areas
Keywords: Resource Protection Area, RPA, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, CBLAD
Published: 2004
Richmond GIS Layer Inventory
Contact Richmond GIS
 
Description
  Abstract: Represents Resource Protection Areas, established by the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.
  Purpose: Resource Protection Areas are used in the City's permitting processes, as State regulations and local ordinances can effect development activities in these areas. Development activities can have an impact upon water quality issues of the Chesapeake Bay tributaries within the City of Richmond. These GIS layers are used to flag properties (hence addresses) as to whether or not they are in a Resource Protection Area for use in the City's data warehousing and central address systems.
  Supplemental Information: Definition: The Resource Protection Area (RPA) includes all tidal wetlands; tidal waters; non-tidal wetlands connected by surface flow and contiguous to tidal wetlands or water bodies with perennial flow; shorelines; and a one hundred (100) foot vegetated buffer around each such feature and around all water bodies with perennial flow. The buffer area is designed to retard runoff, prevent erosion, and filter non-point source pollutants from runoff. The buffer area is also designed to achieve a level of 75% reduction in sediments and 40% reduction in nutrients. 2004 Update: (adopted by City Council on 12/13/04: Ordinance 2004-331-321.) In the 2004 update of the Chesapeake Bay Areas additional streams, National Wetlands Inventory data, and soils information were used to delineate the limits of the City's RPA and RMA in accordance with the criteria specified in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. The Commonwealth of Virginia adopted new regulations in 2000 and this update brings our maps into compliance with the new regulations. RPA Additional streams were included that could be 1) identified in USGS quadrangles, 2) interpreted into the GIS from existing orthophotos, and 3) observed from field investigation. These streams were digitized and conformed to the GIS contours, which were derived from the City's digital terrain model. Using the buffering criteria of 100 feet for RPA these additional streams were buffered. Additionally, any of the non-tidal wetlands connected by surface flow or tributary (perennial) streams identified from the National Wetlands Inventory layer, were also buffered by 100 feet and added to the RPA polygons. RMA The RMA was updated by buffering 1) these newly added perennial streams, 2) wetlands not included in the RPA, and 3) contributing upstream intermittent creeks that could be confirmed by at least two different sources (as the rule of thumb), by 500 ft. The RMA areas also include the limits of any soil polygons that were identified as "highly erodable," "steep slopes," or "highly permeable" soils and which intersected the edge of any RPA features. IDA Intensely Developed Areas are a subset of the RPA. They include areas of RPA that have no natural vegetation and have been served by sewer and water priort to 1991. 2007-2008 Update: The City’s Chesapeake Bay Areas were adopted by City Council on 12-13-04. They were amended by Ordinance # 2007-278-233. This ordinance was introduced on 10-08-07 and was unanimously adopted on 10-22-07. The purpose of this ordinance was to remove part of the property at 6903 Midlothian Turnpike from the Resource Protection Area. From the map titled “Gresham Woods RPA” that was attached to the ordinance, the upper extent of the RPA is approximately where the power line cuts through the property. The existing RPA was cut along the power line, as shown in the 2002 aerial photos. As part of the research done by the Timmons Group to determine the extent of the RPA, a new wetland that intersects the existing RMA was discovered on the property. This new wetland was digitized after a drawing showing the wetland was georeferenced to the parcel layer. A 100 foot buffer was created around the wetlands and merged with the edited RPA to create the new RPA. A 500 foot buffer was created around the new RPA to create the new RMA. Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/chesapeake_bay_local_assistance/theact.shtml RPA: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/chesapeake_bay_local_assistance/documents/CBLAD%20-%20Buffer%20Presentation.pdf
 
Contact
  Custodian: Neville Simon
  Department: Community Development
  Position: Engineer III
  Address: 900 E Broad St, 1st Floor
  City: Richmond
  State: Virginia
  Zip Code: 23219
  Email: Neville.Simon@richmondgov.com
 
Time Period of Content
  Date: 2007
 
Status
  Progress: Complete
  Update Frequency: None planned
 
Spatial Domain
  West Coordinate: -77.596753
  East Coordinate: -77.384881
  North Coordinate: 37.600243
  South Coordinate: 37.447211
 
Spatial Data Information
  Data Type: vector digital data
  Data Format: SDE Feature Class
  Data Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic
 
Access and Usage Information
  Access Constraints: none
  Use Constraints: All GIS layers and datasets are owned by the City of Richmond and can not be modified, re-distributed, and/or re-sold without a sub-licensing agreement. All guarantees of validity expire once a dataset leaves the City of Richmond firewall or physical premises. Acknowledgement of the City of Richmond GIS would be appreciated in products derived from these data.
 
Entity and Attribute Information
  Entity Name: vector.ric.area_ResourceProtection
  Entity Type: Feature Class
  Entity Count: 448