(A) The Village Council finds that land changes and development can alter the hydraulic pathway of rainfall and snow melt among interception, evapotranspiration, groundwater infiltration and surface water runoff. The cumulative effect of increasing land cover, storm water volumes and
rates of flow can increase the risks of flooding, stream bank instability, sediment transport and sediment deposition. When exposed to natural precipitation, human activities can cause waterborne transport of pollutants, such as lawn chemicals, roadway salts, motor oils, trash, soils and chemicals of all kinds, to be carried into our lakes, streams, groundwater and drinking water supplies. The implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to remove pollutants and mimic natural hydrology have proven to be effective in reducing the harmful impacts of land change and development.
(B) The Village Council also finds that storm water regulation and management is a matter of public health, safety and welfare because:
(1) Water bodies, roadways, structures and other property within and downstream of the village are at times subjected to flooding.
(2) Flooding is a danger to the lives and property of the public, and is also a danger to the natural resources of the village and the region.
(3) Changes in land use alter the hydrologic response of watersheds, resulting in increased storm water runoff rates and volumes, which further result in increased flooding, increased stream channel erosion, and increased sediment transport and deposition.
(4) Storm water runoff produced by changes in land use contributes to increased quantities of waterborne pollutants.
(C) Meeting the performance standards may constitute exceptional challenges when contemplating redevelopment of existing sites. However, to be consistent with the goals of this policy, redevelopment is also generally expected to result in increased environmental protection, whenever the overall site is not currently performing to these standards. Therefore, in determining whether to grant a variance and the conditions to impose, for a reconstruction project the village shall be guided by seeking a measurable improvement over existing conditions for water quality or water volume or both.
(Ord. 2013-02, passed 9-3-2013)