An ordinance of vacation or encroachment will likely be required if you plan to build in, over or under an existing (or planned) County property interest, whether fee ownership or easement.
Required Forms and Fees
- Real Estate Vacation Application
- Fee $350
- Real Estate Encroachment Application
- Fee $150
- All documentation and attachments required by the applications, including:
- Plats showing the area to be vacated or area of encroachment with existing conditions and future conditions
- Photos
Process
- Complete the application and return it with the required fee and documents to the Real Estate Bureau, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 800, Arlington, VA 22201.
- Application and documentation will be reviewed for completeness.
- Application will be reviewed by staff and discussed with the applicant prior to any recommendation.
- Compensation to the County is required for many vacations and encroachments.
- An appraisal at the applicant’s expense may be required to determine the amount of compensation.
- The application and County staff recommendation require consideration at public meetings of the County Board and, in some cases, the Transportation Commission and Planning Commission.
- Advertisement of public hearing(s) on the application by the County Board and commissions, if applicable, is required.
- Notices of the public hearing(s) must be sent by the applicant to the surrounding property holders.
- After County Board approval, the applicant must fulfill all conditions of the approved ordinance; obtain approval of the final plat; and draft, obtain approval of and record deed and plat (vacation), or ordinance and approved plat (encroachment).