For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABATEMENT. Any action taken to remedy, correct or eliminate a condition within, associated with or impacting a storm water drainage system.
AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY. A parcel or lot of land used to support agricultural activities.
APARTMENT/CONDOMINIUM PROPERTY. A lot or parcel of real estate on which is situated a building containing five or greater single-family dwelling units, or on which two or more buildings each containing multiple single-family dwelling units are situated.
APPROVED PLANS. Plans approved by the Department of Storm Water Management according to a permits and plan review which will govern all improvements made within the city that require storm water facilities or changes or alterations to existing storm water facilities.
AS-BUILT PLANS. Drawings depicting conditions as they were actually constructed.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs). Physical, structural and/or managerial practices that, when used singly or in combination, temporarily store or treat storm water runoff to prevent or reduce pollution of water, flooding and provide other amenities that have been approved by the city’s Department of Storm Water Management.
BOARD. The Board of Public Works and Safety of the city.
CITY. The City of New Haven.
CODE. New Haven Code of Ordinances.
COMBINED SEWERS. Pipe or conduit primarily designed to convey sanitary sewage and secondarily intended to convey storm water.
CUSTOMER. The owner of a lot or parcel of residential or non-residential property shall be considered the Department of Storm Water Management’s customer for the purpose of assessing storm water service charges.
DETENTION. The temporary storage of storm water runoff in a basin, pond or other structure to control the peak discharge rates by holding the storm water for a lengthened period of time and which provides some gravity settling of particulates.
DSM. New Haven Department of Storm Water Management.
EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNIT (ERU). A unit value, equal to the average residential amount of impervious area of a single-family residential property within the city, and established at 2,534 square feet of (measured) impervious area. It is also the basis for calculating the proper assessment of storm water charges to all user of the city storm water system.
ILLICIT CONNECTIONS. Illegal and/or unauthorized connections to the municipal separate storm water system whether or not such connections result in discharges into that system.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE. Any discharge to the municipal separate storm sewer system that is not composed entirely of storm water.
IMPERVIOUS AREA. Areas that have been paved and/or covered with buildings and materials which include, but are not limited to, concrete, asphalt, rooftop and blacktop, such that the infiltration of water into the soil is prevented. Excluded from this definition are undisturbed land, lawns and fields.
INFILTRATION. A complex process of allowing runoff to penetrate the ground surface and flow through the upper soil surface.
NON-RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE. All real estate not described by the definition of “residential real estate” shall be defined as NON-RESIDENTIAL. NON-RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE will include:
(1) Agricultural real estate;
(2) Apartment and condominium real estate;
(3) Mobile home parks;
(4) Commercial real estate;
(5) Industrial real estate;
(6) Institutional real estate;
(7) Churches;
(8) Schools;
(9) Federal, state and local government real estate; and
(10) Any other real estate not mentioned in this or the list or residential properties below.
NPDES. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Regulations for storm water discharges are described in the Federal Register, 40 C.F.R. parts 122, 123 and 124 and 327 I.A.C. 15-13.
NPDES PERMIT. Permit issued to the city pursuant to 327 I.A.C. 15-13.
PEAK DISCHARGE. Sometimes called PEAK FLOW. The maximum rate of flow of water passing a given point during or after a rainfall event.
PRIVATE STORM WATER FACILITIES. Various storm water and drainage works not under the control or ownership of the city, county, state and/or Federal Government which may include inlets, conduits, pipes, pumping stations, manholes, structures, channels, outlets, retention or detention basins, other structural components and equipment designed to transport, move or regulate storm water.
PUBLIC STORM WATER FACILITIES. The various storm water and drainage works under the control and/or ownership of the city, county, state or Federal Government which may include inlets, conduits, pipes, pumping stations, manholes, structures, channels, outlets, retention or detention basins, other structural components and equipment designed to transport, move or regulate storm water.
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE. For the purpose of this section, this definition refers to a lot or parcel of real estate on which a building or mobile home is situated which building contains a group of rooms forming a single inhabitable dwelling unit with facilities which are used or are intended to be used primarily for living, sleeping, cooking and eating. This definition also includes a lot containing not more than one individual building containing four or fewer separate or contiguous single-family dwelling units. Each and every residential property shall be assigned one ERU. A lot or parcel of real estate occupied in part by a non-residential use shall be deemed RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE only if the non-residential use is deemed minor or incidental to the residential use.
RETENTION. The holding of storm water runoff in a constructed basin or pond or in a natural body of water without release except by means of evaporation, infiltration or emergency bypass.
SQUARE FOOTAGE OF IMPERVIOUS AREA. For the purpose of assigning an appropriate number of ERUs to a parcel of real property, the SQUARE FOOTAGE OF ALL IMPERVIOUS AREA using the outside boundary dimensions of the impervious area to include the total enclosed square footage, without regard to topographic features of the enclosed surface.
STORM SEWER. A sewer designed or intended to convey only storm water, surface runoff, street wash waters and drainage, and not intended for sanitary sewage and industrial wastes other than unpolluted cooling water. The portion of a sewer intended to carry storm water only, which begins at the grating or opening where water enters said sewer, through the sewer and any other conduits to the outlet structure where water enters a channel, natural watercourse or combined sewer.
STORM WATER SERVICE CHARGE. A charge imposed on users of the city’s storm water collection, impounding and transportation system.
STORM WATER SYSTEM. All constructed facilities, including combined sewers, structures and natural watercourses under the ownership, and/or control of the city used for collecting and conducting storm water to, through and from drainage areas to the point of final outlet, including, but not limited to, any and all of the following: inlets; conduits and appurtenant features; creeks; channels; catch basins; ditches; streams; culverts; retention or detention basins; and pumping stations; and excluding therefore, any part of the system of drains and watercourses under the jurisdiction of the county’s Drainage Board or the City of Fort Wayne.
SUPERINTENDENT. The Superintendent of the city’s Utilities Department shall also serve as Superintendent of the city’s Department of Storm Water Management.
(Prior Code, § 54.03) (Ord. G-04-02, passed 4-27-2004; Ord. G-05-03, passed 4-26-2005)