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General
Purpose of the Design Standards Manual (DSM):
As part of
the Department of Community Development’s proposed
refinements to the construction plan and major site plan
review process presented in January of 2005, the Board of
Supervisors identified the completion of a Design
Standards Manual as a priority project to be completed
over a 12-month period. The document will present the
minimum technical requirements, recommended criteria and
practices, and procedures for development in Fauquier
County. Its purpose is to guide applicants and design
professionals through the design requirements and criteria,
as well as submission, bonding, construction, and inspection
procedures all leading to final permitting for all
categories of development. It also will identify the
appropriate references to referral agencies involved in the
process, as well as their associated development and design
standards.
DSM
Design Team:
The
Engineers & Surveyors Institute (ESI) assists the Department
in completing minimum checklist review of all construction
plans and major site plans prior to their submission to the
County.
Most design
firms working within Fauquier County are also members of ESI
in other Northern Virginia jurisdictions. Therefore, the
Department took advantage of that experience and invited
five practicing engineers from the ESI participating firms
of Carson & Harris (Rick Ashley, P.E.), Christopher
Consultants (Lance Kilby, P.E.), DRH Design (David Hall,
P.E.), Rickmond + Bury Engineering (Paul Bernard, P.E.) and
Patton, Harris Rust & Associates (Fred Ameen, P.E.) who have
volunteered their time to prepare this document. These
referenced professionals meet twice monthly to speed the
development of this key technical manual.
Attached is the detailed Design Standards Manual,
which includes:
ü
Table of Contents. This element serves as the
skeleton topic outline for the entire document. The
Committee prefers to incrementally prepare the technical
elements and subject them to Planning Commission and Board
of Supervisors public hearing and adoption as they are
completed. This method will show consistent progress and
immediate implementation in key areas.
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Chapter 1: General Provisions. This chapter
focuses on the overall document purpose and administration.
It also provides an opportunity to request engineering
waivers with justification, an appeals procedure, and
procedures for updating DSM material;
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Chapter 2: Drainage. Consolidates and
includes general drainage, stormwater management, Best
Management Practices (BMP), erosion and sediment control
requirements, and associated bonding and inspection
requirements; and
ü
Chapter 8: Performance Guarantee. This
chapter identifies the types of surety for
construction/public infrastructure (e.g., bond, cashier’s
check, letter of credit, or cash), documents required,
procedures for performance guarantee reductions and
releases, street acceptance procedures, and unit price list
upon which performance guarantees are based.
The Planning Commission conducted its public hearing on July
28, 2005 and unanimously forwarded Chapters 1, 2 and 8 to
the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval.
Draft copies of the Design Standards Manual are also
available for public review in the Department of Community
Development (Planning Division), 3rd Floor,
Warren Green Building, 10 Hotel Street, Warrenton. |