In July 2019 a new state legislative mandate was enacted to promote living shoreline approaches to shoreline management. In July of 2020, the Code of Virginia was amended to further stipulate that living shoreline solutions to shoreline stabilization were a priority. Section 28.2-104.1 (D) of the Code of Virginia states that:

" The Commission [VMRC] shall permit only living shoreline approaches to shoreline management unless the best available science shows that such approaches are not suitable. If the best available science shows that a living shoreline approach is not suitable, the Commission shall require the applicant to incorporate, to the maximum extent possible, elements of living shoreline approaches into permitted projects."

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) has prepared and published Wetlands Guidelines, which are a very helpful tool and can be found at:
https://mrc.virginia.gov/Regulations/Final-Wetlands-Guidelines-Update_05-26-2021.pdf

The Center for Coastal Resource Management (CCRM) is a great source for shoreline management information. https://www.vims.edu/ccrm/ccrmp/index.php