Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas

City of Hopewell Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas

The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries are one of the most important and productive estuarine systems in the world, providing economic, ecological, and social benefits to the citizens of Hopewell and all of Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (CBPA) is intended to protect and improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries, and other state waters by minimizing the effects of human activity upon these waters. The Act provides for the definition and protection of certain lands called Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas, which if improperly used or developed may result in substantial damage to the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The City of Hopewell’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas consist of Resource Protection Area (RPA) and Resource Management Area (RMA). Intensely Developed Areas (IDAs) may be designated and included within the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area.

Resource Protection Area (RPA)

Resource protection areas (RPA) consist of lands adjacent to water bodies with perennial flow that have an intrinsic water quality value due to the ecological and biological processes they perform or are sensitive to impacts which may cause significant degradation to the quality of state waters. In their natural condition, these lands provide for the removal, reduction or assimilation of sediments, nutrients, and potentially harmful or toxic substances in runoff entering the bay and its tributaries, and minimize the adverse effects of human activities on state waters and aquatic resources.

Resource Management Area (RMA)

Resource management areas include land types that, if improperly used or developed, have the potential for causing significant water quality degradation or for diminishing the functional value of a resource protection area.

Intensely developed areas (IDA)

A portion of a resource protection area or a resource management area designated by City Council where development is currently concentrated or was previously concentrated and where little of the natural environment remains. The City of Hopewell has not designated any IDAs.

CBPA Map

The interactive Hopewell Map Viewer displays estimated locations of RMAs and RPAs in the City of Hopewell. Look to the left hand side of the page and check the box next to the layer titled “CBPA” to view the RMA and RPA’s.

Policies and Regulations

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District of the City of Hopewell. Code of Ordinances, Appendix A: Article XV-A

Riparian Buffers Modification & Mitigation Manual

Hopewell Comprehensive Plan: Chapter XI 

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act

City of Hopewell Subdivision Ordinance, Appendix B: Article 6-9-10