(A) Program objectives.
(1) Protection of the short-term and long-term public health, safety and general welfare. This objective will be achieved by the following:
(a) Providing for regulation and management of the city’s storm water system, including public and private facilities in the city’s service area;
(b) Protecting, and preserving storm water quality and thereby fish and wildlife habitat within the city and in downstream receiving waters; and
(c) Protecting those downstream and adjacent properties from storm water quality impairment.
(2) Compliance with state and federal storm water regulations developed pursuant to the Clean Water Act amendments of 1987 and subsequent amendments. This objective will be achieved by the following:
(a) Benefitting storm water quality to a level of “designated use”, as defined by the Clean Water Act §§ 305(b), being 33 U.S.C. § 1315(b), and 303(d), being 33 U.S.C. § 1313(d), and minimizing the impacts from new development and/or areas of significant redevelopment;
(b) Managing the quality of storm water discharged to the MS4 by controlling the contribution of pollutants associated with new development and redevelopment;
(c) Minimizing damage to public facilities and utilities;
(d) Managing the use of the public and private storm water/drainage system that will not result in excessive maintenance costs;
(e) Encouraging the use of natural and aesthetically-pleasing designs that maximize the preservation of natural areas;
(f) Guiding the construction of storm water management facilities by developing comprehensive master plans that address storm water quantity, quality, design, operation and maintenance;
(g) Encouraging the preservation of floodplains, floodways and open spaces to protect and benefit the community’s quality of life and natural resources; and
(f) Encourage the planning for and use of regional BMPs.
(B) General approach for development.
(1) To most effectively achieve the program objectives, the city promotes an approach that encourages the consideration and use of:
(a) Regional BMPs;
(b) Low-impact development design principles, where consistent with good civil engineering design;
(c) Waterway buffers;
(d) Low maintenance on-site BMPs; and
(e) A series of multiple BMP treatment systems.
(2) The city will encourage a primary preference for regional BMPs through:
(a) Enabling and facilitating private partnerships where on-site storm water quantity and/or quality requirements may be achieved or offset by watershed- based solutions; and
(b) Enabling and supporting private/public partnerships, regional basin approaches and in-lieu fee funds.
(3) In support of this approach, the city integrates into the planning and construction plan review processes, when and where available, the use of:
(a) Adopted watershed studies;
(b) Adopted master plans;
(c) The city’s Storm Water Design and Water Quality Manual; and
(d) FEMA floodplain delineations.
(Ord. 07-2012, passed 4-2-2012)