(A) Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards and requirements for conservation practices and planning activities designed to control or reduce point and non-point source stormwater pollution, soil erosion, sedimentation, and illicit discharges that may occur within the city.
(B) Scope. Any person, business entity, state agency, or political subdivision proposing a land disturbance activity impacting one acre or more of land within the city shall apply to the city for the approval of the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). No land shall be disturbed until the plan is approved by the city and conforms to the standards set forth herein. This chapter also develops regulations to manage illicit stormwater discharge within the city.
(C) Definitions. Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give them the same meaning as they have in common usage and to give this chapter its most reasonable application. For the purpose of this chapter, the words "must" and "shall" are mandatory and not permissive.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS). Erosion and sediment control and water quality management practices that are the most effective and practicable means of controlling, preventing and minimizing degradation of surface water, including avoidance of impacts, construction-phasing, minimizing the length of time soil areas are exposed, prohibitions and other management practices published by state or designated area-wide planning agencies. Acceptable BMPs are identified in the current version of The Minnesota Stormwater Manual. BMPs must be adapted to the site and can be adopted from other sources. However, they must be similar in purpose and at least as effective.
CITY. Any city official with authority, such as but not limited to, administration, City Council, City Engineer, Inspections Department, law enforcement and public works officials.
CONTAMINATED. Containing a harmful quantity of any substance.
CONTAMINATION. The presence of or entry of any substance which may be deleterious to the public health and/or the quality of the water into the public stormwater system, waters of the state, or waters of the United States.
COSMETIC CLEANING. Cleaning done for cosmetic purposes to the exterior of buildings, motorized vehicles, parking lots, recreational vehicles or similar activity, it does not include industrial cleaning, cleaning associated with manufacturing activities, hazardous or toxic waste cleaning, or any cleaning otherwise regulated under federal, state, or local laws.
DEVELOPER. Any person, business entity, state agency, or political subdivision thereof, engaged in a land disturbance activity.
DEVELOPMENT. Any land disturbance activity that changes the site's runoff characteristics in conjunction with residential, commercial, industrial or institutional construction or alteration.
EROSION. Any process that wears away the surface of the land by the action of water, wind, ice or gravity.
EROSION PREVENTION. Measures employed to prevent erosion.
EXPOSED SOIL AREAS. All areas of the construction site where the vegetation (trees, shrubs, brush, grasses, etc.) or impervious surface has been removed, thus rendering the soil more prone to erosion. This includes topsoil stockpile areas, borrow areas and disposal areas within the construction site, it does not include temporary stockpiles or surcharge areas of clean sand, gravel, concrete or bituminous, which have less stringent protection. Once soil is exposed, it is considered "exposed soil," until it meets the definition of "final stabilization."
FINAL STABILIZATION. All soil disturbing activities at the site have been completed, and a uniform perennial vegetative cover with a minimum density of 70% has been established on all unpaved areas and areas not covered by permanent structures, or equivalent permanent stabilization measures have been employed.
HARMFUL QUANTITY. The amount of any substance that will cause pollution of waters of the city, state or nation that will cause lethal or sub-lethal adverse effects on the representative, sensitive aquatic monitoring organisms residing in waters.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE. A discharge to the MS4 that is not composed entirely of stormwater, except for those discharges exempted under § 54.12.
LAND DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY. Any land change that may result in soil erosion from water or wind and the movement of sediments into or upon waters or lands within this government's jurisdiction, including construction, clearing and grubbing, grading, excavating, transporting and filling of land. Within the context of this rule, land disturbance activity does not mean:
(a) Minor land disturbance activities, such as home gardens, tilling, planting or harvesting of agricultural and horticultural crops, repairs and maintenance work, unless such activity requires a permit.
(b) Emergency work to protect life or property, and emergency repairs. If such a plan would have been required, then the disturbed land area shall be shaped and stabilized in accordance with the city's requirements as soon as possible.
(c) Tilling, planting, or harvesting of agricultural, horticultural, or silvicultural (forestry) crops.
MOBILE COMMERCIAL COSMETIC CLEANING. Power washing, steam cleaning and any other mobile cosmetic cleaning operation of vehicles and/or exterior surfaces engaged for commercial purposes.
MS4 PERMIT. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) permit issued to the city for monitoring and maintaining water quality in its MS4. The Environmental Protection Agency has promulgated the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Phase II stormwater rules. The MPCA has delegated the responsibility to administer the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Phase II stormwater permit system to MS4 communities, Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Phase II stormwater rules. The MPCA has delegated the responsibility to administer the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Phase II stormwater permit system to MS4 communities.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4). The system of conveyances, including sidewalks, municipal streets, driveways, curb and gutter, ditches, channels, retention basins, catch basins or similar stormwater inlets, and/or any other conveyance delivering water to the public storm sewer collection and delivery system.
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES). The program for issuing, modifying, revoking, reissuing, terminating, monitoring, and enforcing permits under the Clean Water Act (§§ 301, 318, 402 and 405) and 33 U.S.C. §§ 1317, 1328, 1342 and 1345.
OWNER. The person or party possessing the title of the property on which the land disturbing activities will occur; or if the land disturbing activities is for a lease holder, the party or individual identified as the lease holder; or the contracting government agency responsible for the land disturbing activities.
PERMITTEE. A person or persons, firm, or governmental agency or other institution that signs the application submitted, and is responsible for compliance with the terms and conditions of this permit.
POLLUTION. The alteration of the physical, thermal, chemical, or biological quality of, or the contamination of, any waters of the state or the MS4, that renders the water harmful, detrimental, or injurious to humans, animal life, vegetation, or property, or to the public health, safety, or welfare, or impairs the usefulness or the public enjoyment of the water for any lawful or reasonable purpose.
REDEVELOPMENT. Any construction activity where, prior to the start of construction, the areas to be disturbed have 15% or more of impervious surface(s).
SEDIMENT. The product of an erosion process; solid material, both mineral and organic, that is in suspension, is being transported, or has been moved by water, wind or ice, and has come to rest on the earth's surface, either above or below water level.
SEDIMENT CONTROL. Methods employed to prevent sediment from leaving the site.
SEDIMENTATION. The process or action of depositing sediment.
STABILIZED. The exposed ground surface has been covered by appropriate materials that prevent erosion from occurring. Grass seeding is not stabilization until it's established.
STORMWATER. Precipitation runoff, stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff, and any other surface runoff and drainage.
STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN (SWPPP). A plan for stormwater discharge that includes erosion prevention measures and sediment controls that, when implemented, will decrease soil erosion on a parcel of land and decrease off-site, non-point pollution.
WATERS OF THE STATE. All streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, watercourses, waterways, wells, springs, reservoirs, aquifers, irrigation systems, drainage systems and all other bodies or accumulations of water, surface or underground, natural or artificial, public or private, that are contained within, flow through, or border upon the state, or any portion thereof.
WETLAND or WETLANDS. Those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.
(Ord. 35, 4th Series, passed 2-22-2011; Am. Ord. 48, 4th Series, passed 1-22-2013; Am. Ord. 82, 4th Series, passed 12-5-2016; Am. Ord. 153, 4th Series, passed 10-3-2022)