Land Development Services Technical Bulletin
Subject:  Verification of Green Building Proffer Commitments	Date: June 21, 2022	No.: 22-03

 

 

Summary: Green building proffers require verification of compliance at multiple points during the building construction process. This Technical Bulletin provides the steps necessary to ensure the verification process is as timely as possible for applicants. Please note the term “commitment” in this document applies to multiple types of compliance including rezoning proffers, special exception and special permit development conditions.

 

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Background: The Green Building Verification Team has the lead responsibility in reviewing and verifying green building proffer commitments and is comprised of staff from the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) Environment and Development Review Branch (EDRB), Land Development Services (LDS) Site Development and Inspections Division (SDID), Operations Division and Building Plan Review (BPR). LDS Facilitation and Addressing Center (FAC) now serves as the industry point of contact for initiating the process of satisfying green building proffer commitments.

 

Frequently, green building proffer commitments must be verified before important project milestones like building or site plan approval, building occupancy (called Residential Use Permit, or RUP, non-RUP if not residential) and bond release. Since the verification process can take time, it is critical that applicants follow the process outlined herein and be as proactive and timely with submittals associated with this verification process as possible to ensure it does not hold up the project.

 

Note: alternative green building programs not specified by relevant commitments may be accepted. However, DPD must approve alternative green building programs prior to site plan approval. For alternative green building program questions and for green building proffer equivalency determinations, please contact DPZEDRB@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-1380, TTY 711.

 

Policy: To demonstrate compliance with green building commitments, the applicant must follow the procedure below: 

 

1. To initiate the compliance verification process the applicant will submit all green building certifications and other related documents as required by the proffer via the Green Building Proffer Verification Form . Please note, the applicant must complete each field in this form for staff to accurately verify compliance with the green building commitment. The applicant will also complete this form at the time of each milestone, even if a form was completed prior for the same project. If you have questions regarding how to fill out the form, please contact FAC via email at LDSFAC@fairfaxcounty.gov, or by phone at (703)-222-0801.

 

2. The Applicant must submit the form by clicking the “Submit” button located at the bottom of the form.

 

3. Upon receipt of a completed form, FAC will assign a staff member from the Green Building Verification Team (verifier) to verify the form’s content. Please note, if you submit the form after 3 p.m. the submission will not be assigned a verifier until the next business day.

 

4. If during verification more information is needed the verifier will request that information from the applicant via the applicant’s email account listed on the Green Building Proffer Verification Form. Please allow up to five (5) business days for EDRB and LDS to review the submission for compliance.

 

5. Once the verifier has confirmed compliance with the green building commitment the verifier will notify the applicant via the applicant’s email account listed on the email through the Green Building Proffer Verification Form of the compliance finding and close out other project records and escrows accordingly. In addition, FAC will update the proffer or special exception condition status to “met” in the Proffer Tracking Smartsheet and LDS-NET system of record.

 

Please contact Building Inspections at LDSBuildingInspections@fairfaxcounty.gov or by phone at 703-631-5101, TTY 711 (the cut off time for inspection requests is 3 p.m.) if you have questions related to inspections. If you have any process related questions, please contact the Facilitation and Addressing Center at LDSFAC@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-222-0801, TTY 711.

 

Approved by:  William D. Hicks, P.E., Director

                        Land Development Services

                        12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 659

                        Fairfax, VA 22035

                        (703) 324-1780 TTY 711