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AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, <br />VIRGINIA (1988) BY AMENDING CHAPTER 9.1, PERTAINING TO THE <br />CHESAPEAKE BAY PRESERVATION AREA OVERLAY DISTRICT. <br /> <br /> BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia: <br /> <br /> 1. That Chapter 9.1 of the Code of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia (1988) <br />be amended and reordained to read as follows: <br /> <br /> CHAPTER 9.1 <br /> <br /> CHESAPEAKE BAY PRESERVATION AREA <br /> OVERLAY DISTRICT <br /> <br />Section 9.1-1. Findings of Fact. <br /> <br /> The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries is one of the most important and <br />productive estuarine systems in the world, providing economic and social benefits to the <br />citizens of the City of Portsmouth and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The health of the <br />Bay is vital to maintaining the city's economy and the welfare of its citizens. <br /> <br /> The Chesapeake Bay waters have been degraded significantly by many sources of <br />pollution, including nonpoint source pollution from land uses and development. Existing <br />high quality waters are worthy of protection from degradation to guard against further <br />pollution. Certain lands that are proximate to shorelines have intrinsic water quality <br />value due to the ecological and biological processes they perform. Other lands have <br />severe development constraints from flooding, erosion, and soil limitations. With proper <br />management, they offer significant ecological benefits by providing water quality <br />maimenance and pollution control, as well as flood and shoreline erosion control. These <br />lands together, designated by the City Council as Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas <br />(hereinafter "CBPAs"), need to be protected from destruction and damage in order to <br />protect the quality of water in the Bay and consequently the quality of life in the City of <br />Portsmouth and the Commonwealth of Virginia. <br /> <br />Section 9.1-2. Purpose and Intent. <br /> <br /> (a) This ordinance is enacted to implement the requirements of Section 10.1- <br />2100, et seq., of the Code of Virginia (The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act). The <br />intent of the City Council and the purpose of the Overlay District is to: (1) protect <br />existing high quality state waters; (2) restore all other state waters to a condition or <br />quality that will permit all reasonable public uses and will support the propagation and <br />growth of all aquatic life, including game fish, which might reasonably be expected to <br />inhabit them; (3) safeguard the clean waters of the Commonwealth from pollution; (4) <br />prevent any increase in pollution; (5) reduce existing pollution; and (6) promote water <br />resource conservation in order to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the present <br />and future citizens of the City of Portsmouth. <br /> <br /> <br />