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Planning Department
Special Projects
Find out about and follow along with the Zoning Ordinance Update (including the D-2 District update), the Crawford Corridor Revitalization, and other special projects on the Special Projects Page.
Comprehensive Plan Update - Build One Portsmouth
After numerous civic engagement events and opportunities for the public the provide input, the Comprehensive PlanOpens a New Window., Opens a New Window.Build One PortsmouthOpens a New Window., was adopted by City Council on November 27, 2018.
Core Services
In support of achieving this mission, the Department consists of six core service areas:
- Current Planning (including review of site plans, subdivisions, rezonings, use permits and certificates of appropriateness)
- Environmental Planning (including Chesapeake Bay preservation and flood plain management)
- Transportation Planning and Implementation
- Historic Preservation
- Community Planning and Development (CDBG and HOME programs)
- Long Range, Comprehensive Planning and Implementation
Staff Support
The department also provides staff support to:
- Planning Commission
- Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)
- Downtown Design Committee (DDC)
- Wetlands Board
- Urban Design Committee
- Cradock Advisory Group
- Truxton Advisory Group
Services
By local, State and Federal law, the Planning Department provides the following services:
- Processing applications for Use Permits and Rezonings,
- Processing applications for the subdivision of land,
- Processing applications for Code Amendments,
- Processing applications for construction projects in Historic Preservation areas,
- Processing applications for construction projects in the Downtown Districts,
- Site Plan and Landscape review,
- Administering the VDOT required 527 TIS Program,
- Enforcement of Chesapeake Bay Protection Area regulations,
- Enforcement of Virginia Wetlands regulations,
- Enforcement of Historic Preservation District regulations,
- Enforcement of the Downtown Design District regulations, and
- Maintaining and updating the City of Portsmouth Comprehensive Plan.