Redesigning the Footprint: How Environmental Site Design Is Shaping Smarter, Safer Development Across Virginia

By Eric S. Cavallo
Founder, Earthly Infrastructure® | Advisor, Virginia DHCD | Board Member, VB BZA

Chesapeake, VA – July 2025
As the Commonwealth faces rising development pressure alongside increasing environmental risk, Virginia builders and planners are being asked to do more than just meet minimum code. They’re being called to design with nature, not against it.

Enter Environmental Site Design (ESD)—an integrated planning strategy that places stormwater site design and open space development at the center of project success. As Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) regulations tighten and public expectations rise, ESD is no longer a niche innovation—it’s the foundation of responsible land use.

“In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, how we plan a site is just as important as what we build on it,” said Eric S. Cavallo, founder of Earthly Infrastructure® and advisor to Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development. “Stormwater can’t be treated as an afterthought. It’s the design driver.”

What Is Environmental Site Design?

Environmental Site Design (ESD), also referred to as low-impact development (LID), emphasizes natural systems and minimal disturbance from the outset of a project. The goal is to manage stormwater at the source, reduce runoff volume, and maintain pre-development hydrology.

Core ESD principles include:

• Stormwater Site Design:
  Techniques such as bioswales, rain gardens, infiltration basins, and permeable pavements slow, filter, and absorb runoff close to where it falls. This helps meet VSMP and SWPPP requirements under Virginia’s Stormwater Management Regulations.

• Open Space Development:
  By clustering buildings, reducing roadway footprints, and preserving vegetated buffers, developers can maintain large portions of undisturbed open space. This not only reduces impervious surface coverage, but provides community access to trails, parks, and natural viewsheds.

• Minimizing Land Disturbance:
  Grading only where necessary and preserving native soil and tree cover helps prevent erosion and sedimentation downstream—benefiting both project budgets and the Bay.

“These are not add-ons. They are fundamental planning decisions that influence everything from stormwater credits to market appeal,” Cavallo said.

Why ESD Matters in Virginia

Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and Stormwater Management Program make clear that controlling pollution at the lot level is non-negotiable. Any land-disturbing activity over one acre—or within a Chesapeake Bay Resource Protection Area (RPA)—must include a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) that demonstrates runoff reduction and sediment control.

ESD practices are often the most cost-effective path to compliance. For example:

• Reducing impervious surfaces can lower the cost of underground detention systems.

• Maintaining open space may help meet local overlay or zoning bonus requirements.

• On-site stormwater features can reduce the burden on municipal infrastructure and avoid offsite nutrient credits.

More Than Compliance—A Competitive Edge

Developers and builders who adopt ESD are increasingly gaining faster approvals, community goodwill, and long-term operational savings. In places like Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk, where drainage and flooding are constant concerns, projects that incorporate ESD principles are viewed as forward-thinking—not risky.

“Good stormwater design is good business,” Cavallo emphasized. “It reduces liability, enhances site resilience, and aligns with what local governments are actively prioritizing.”

From the Bay to the Boardroom: Leading by Example

At Earthly Infrastructure®, every project begins with three questions:

1. How will this site absorb or deflect stormwater?

2. How much open space can be preserved without compromising density?

3. How can this design align with both regulatory standards and long-term ecological function?

These are the same questions underpinning Virginia’s statewide efforts to modernize zoning, encourage green infrastructure, and meet its Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) targets.

Through the Built Safe, Built VA™ campaign, Earthly Infrastructure® is highlighting how environmentally intelligent site design can coexist with economic growth—setting a new standard for what it means to build responsibly in the Commonwealth.

About the Author
Eric S. Cavallo is a Virginia Class B Commercial Building Contractor, ICC Member, and Founder of Earthly Infrastructure®. He serves on the Virginia Beach Board of Zoning Appeals and advises the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development on regulatory reform, including building code modernization and environmental planning.

Built Safe, Built VA | Reaffirming the Industry’s Commitment to Jobsite Safety

By Eric S. Cavallo - Licensed Commercial Building Contractor, Virginia | Member, International Code Council (ICC) | Appointed Board Member, Virginia Beach Board of Zoning Appeals (2025–2029) | Advisory Committee Member, Virginia DHCD – SB195 Code Reform | Founder & CEO, Earthly Infrastructure® Building and Infrastructure Development Inc.

Jobsite safety remains one of the most critical obligations within the construction industry—not merely as a matter of project performance, but as a legal requirement, an ethical imperative, and a professional benchmark. In Virginia, construction safety expectations are governed by a combination of federal and state oversight, including the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program, OSHA standards under 29 CFR Part 1926, and enforcement mechanisms contained within the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC). These frameworks exist to ensure a uniform minimum standard for safe practice across every licensed construction activity in the Commonwealth.

However, the successful implementation of safety measures is not accomplished by regulation alone. It is achieved through the culture, planning, and day-to-day decisions of builders, subcontractors, project managers, and trade partners. Effective safety programs demand more than posted signage and required PPE—they require comprehensive pre-task planning, documented job hazard analyses, qualified supervision, and transparent chains of responsibility. When these systems fail, the consequences are not theoretical: injuries, litigation, insurance exposure, and long-term reputational harm become very real.

In Virginia’s rapidly growing markets—particularly in the multifamily, commercial, and infrastructure sectors—the complexity of projects compounds risk. Overlapping scopes of work, dense scheduling, and limited staging areas introduce unique safety challenges that cannot be deferred or overlooked. From excavation support systems and fall protection plans to confined space entry and material handling protocols, each phase of construction demands a risk-aware approach. The firms that compete successfully in today’s industry understand that incident prevention is not separate from business strategy—it is central to it.

Furthermore, jobsite safety is not confined to the physical boundaries of the construction zone. Projects that fail to manage public interface—through improperly secured perimeters, unmarked hazards, or insufficient traffic control—can jeopardize public welfare, invite enforcement action, and erode confidence in the construction profession. Safety, therefore, is not merely internal compliance—it is a signal of professionalism to the broader community, including municipalities, neighbors, and end users.

The Built Safe, Built VA initiative was developed to promote a statewide culture of safety-conscious construction, grounded in law and reinforced by ethical practice. In today’s regulatory environment, it is no longer acceptable to treat safety as a temporary campaign or a check-the-box obligation. It must be embedded into the operational DNA of every contractor and design professional licensed to build in Virginia. When we build safely, we protect lives, uphold our licenses, and elevate the industry as a whole.

I invite fellow professionals, regulators, and stakeholders to share their perspectives on how we can continue strengthening safety practices across Virginia’s construction sector. Your insights are welcome as part of this ongoing conversation.