The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act
In 1988, the Virginia General Assembly enacted the
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (CBPA) which required all Tidewater Virginia localities to establish local programs to protect and improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and its tributaries. State leaders recognized that a healthy Chesapeake Bay and healthy local economies are integrally related. Each locality was required to define its Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas and establish enforcement procedures to ensure compliance with state regulations.
In response to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, the City of Suffolk adopted regulations into its Zoning Ordinance on September 19, 1990 known as the
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District. All land located within the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District is subject to special restrictions to prevent damage to water quality within the rivers and streams draining into the Chesapeake Bay.