(a) The City Engineer finds that land development projects and associated increases in impervious cover alter the hydrologic response of local watersheds resulting in the following:
(1) The increased risk of flooding. Streams and storm water facilities that receive excessive sediment have a reduced capacity to convey water, The increase of storm water runoff rates and volumes can cause flooding, stream channel erosion and sediment transport and deposition;
(2) Damage to fisheries and habitat quality in streams and wetlands when siltation clogs spawning gravel and when excessive turbidity impairs the survivability of aquatic organisms;
(3) The increase in public expenditures for maintenance of storm water facilities, ditches, culverts and storm sewers that receive excessive amounts of sediment;
(4) Damage to adjacent properties, including public right-of-ways, when sediment is deposited on these properties;
(5) Promotes transport of nutrients to lakes causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
(b) These rules shall apply to all soil-disturbing activities on land within the City corporate limits used or being developed for non-farm commercial, industrial residential, or other non-farm purposes, including, but not limited to: individual or multiple lots, subdivisions, multi-family developments, condominium units, commercial and industrial developments, recreational projects, general clearing and grading projects, underground utilities, highways, building activities on farms, aquaculture ponds, redevelopment of urban areas and all other uses unless expressly excluded as follows:
(1) Activities related to producing agricultural crops and silviculture operations or areas regulated by the Ohio Agricultural Sediment Abatement Rules (H.B. 88).
(2) Strip mining and surface mining operations regulated under Ohio R.C. 1513.01 and 1514.01.
(3) Normal landscape maintenance activities and gardening/horticulture.
(4) A Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan is not required before clearing, grading, excavating, filling or otherwise wholly or partially less than one contiguous acre of land owned by one person or operated as one development unit; however, areas of less than one contiguous acre are not exempt from compliance with all other provisions of these rules.
(Ord. 37-09. Passed 12-15-09.)