(a) It is the purpose of this article to protect, maintain, and enhance the environment of Greenville County and the short-term and long-term public health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of Greenville County by establishing requirements and procedures to control the potential adverse effects of increased stormwater runoff associated with both future development and existing developed land. Proper management of stormwater runoff will minimize damage to public and private property, ensure a functional drainage system, reduce the effects of development on land and stream channel erosion, attain and maintain water quality standards, enhance the local environment associated with the drainage system, reduce local flooding, reduce pollutant loading to the maximum extent practicable and maintain to the extent practicable the pre-developed runoff characteristics of the area, and facilitate economic development while mitigating associated pollutant, flooding and drainage impacts.
(b) It is further the purpose of this article to comply with the Federal and corresponding state stormwater discharge (NPDES) regulations (40 CFR 122.26 and South Carolina Regulation 61-9.122.26) developed pursuant to the Clean Water Act, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq. and to ensure that Greenville County has the authority to take any action required by it to obtain and comply with its NPDES permit for stormwater discharges. Among other things, these regulations require Greenville County to establish legal authority which authorizes or enables Greenville County at a minimum to:
(1) Control the contribution of pollutants to the Greenville County MS4 and receiving waters by stormwater discharges associated with residential, commercial, industrial, and related facilities activity and the quality of stormwater discharged from sites of residential, commercial, industrial, and related facilities activity;
(2) Prohibit illicit discharges to the Greenville County MS4 and receiving waters;
(3) Control, the discharge to the Greenville County MS4 and receiving waters of spills, dumping or disposal of materials other than stormwater;
(4) Control, through intergovernmental agreements, contribution of pollutants from one municipal stormwater system to another;
(5) Require compliance with conditions in ordinances, permits, contracts or orders;
(6) Carry out all inspection, surveillance and monitoring procedures necessary to determine compliance and noncompliance with permit conditions including the prohibition on illicit discharges to Greenville County MS4 and receiving waters.
(c) The application of this article and the provisions expressed herein shall be the minimum stormwater management requirements and shall not be deemed a limitation or repeal of any other powers granted by statute. In addition, if site characteristics indicate that complying with these minimum requirements will not provide adequate designs or protection for local property or residents, it is the responsibility of the owner and the operator to provide appropriate management practices, control techniques and system, design and engineering methods and such other programs and controls as are required by Greenville County’s NPDES permit.
(d) This article is to be construed to further its purpose of controlling and reducing pollutant discharges to the Greenville County MS4 and thus to the Waters of the State to assure the obligations under its NPDES permit issued by the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) as required by 33 U.S.C. 1342 and 40 CFR 122.26.
(1976 Code, § 8-54) (Ord. 3551, passed 11-11-2001; Ord. 4281, passed 5-5-2009; Ord. 4698, passed 5-5-2015)