Site Plan Review

Contacts (PDF)

Site plan review is the interdepartmental and inter-agency review of a proposed development that assures the site is compliant with city and state code requirements. Reviews include, but are not limited to:

• Erosion and sediment control
• Drainage
• Landscaping
• Lighting
• Stormwater management
• Streets
• Traffic

When is it required?

Major site plan review is required for:

• New construction and substantial improvements of all non-residential and residential uses, excluding new single-family detached residential construction of two zoning lots or less, with land disturbance greater than 2,500 square feet;
• New single-family detached residential construction of two zoning lots or less; unless built in compliance with the standards of Section 5.12. Resilience Quotient;
• Additions to non-residential uses with land disturbance or additions greater than 2,500 square feet;
• Non-residential accessory buildings with land disturbance or with the size of 2,500 square feet or greater;
• Construction or creation of parking areas with more than four parking spaces; and
• Common Plans of Development.

Minor site plan review is required for:

• Construction and site improvements that do not require Major site plan review.

How long does the site plan review process take?

Typically the site plan review process normally can range between 2 to 6 months for review and final approval. Times will vary based on the scale and scope of the project.

To schedule a pre-application meeting, please email

Major Site Plan Review Requirements

• Application (PDF) and Submittal Checklist (PDF)
• No Hard/Paper copies of plans are to be submitted to the Department of City Planning.
• All e-submittals are to be emailed in a link to a Shared Drive or DropBox.
  • New submittals will be reviewed for completeness Friday afternoons after which an application complete or incomplete letter will be emailed to the applicant.
• Requirements for major site plan content are located in Article 2.4.18 of the Zoning Ordinance
• 1 digital submittal including:
  • Proposed site plan
  • Stormwater calculations and/or booklet
  • Utilities calculations and checklists
  • Fire protection plan (PDF)
  • Fire flow calculations (ISO and IFC)
  • Any additional required documentation
• Fee Schedule (PDF)
  • Major site plan review fee: $785
  • Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) Fee (PDF)(if applicable)
    • ½ VSMP fee due at time of Site Plan submittal (separate check required from Site Plan Review fee) along with VSMP Fee Form (PDF) - only required if land disturbance is one (1) acre or greater
    • ½ VSMP fee due prior to issuance of Land Disturbance Permit

 Minor Site Plan Review Requirements

• Application (PDF)
• No Hard/Paper copies of plans are to be submitted to the Department of City Planning.
• All e-submittals are to be emailed in a link to a Shared Drive or DropBox.
• Requirements for minor site plan content are located in Article 2.4.19 of the Zoning Ordinance
• 1 digital submittal including:
  • Proposed site plan
  • Stormwater calculations and/or booklet
  • Utilities calculations and checklists
  • Fire flow calculations (ISO and IFC)
  • Any additional required documentation
• Fee Schedule (PDF)
  • Minor site plan review fee: $95

After Site Plan Approval is Issued

Post-Plan Approval Permits and Inspections Checklist (PDF)

Please review your approved site plan, and check with the departments listed, to ensure that you have been issued all required permits and have scheduled and completed all required inspections prior to requesting your Certificate of Occupancy. This list is NOT exhaustive, and not all permits and inspections apply to all projects.

Revisions to Approved Site Plans

Minor Revisions

Submittals of revisions to approved plans that include revisions to 3 or fewer plan sheets must be submitted as follows:

• A letter from the engineer that includes a bulleted list of all revisions
• 1 digital copy of the revised plan sheets, with revisions clearly clouded/called out
• A check for $95 with the memo: Revision Fee for (and the Site Plan #)

Please email Site Plan Review with these items.

Major Revisions

Submittals of revisions to approved plans that include revisions to 4 or more plan sheets must be submitted as a new site plan review (see requirements above), and must also include the narrative from the engineer that includes a bulleted list of all revisions.

Additional Documentation

• City of Norfolk’s Tree & Shrub Planting Details (PDF)

For questions, please email Site Plan Review