For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
APPROVING AGENCY. The county’s Department of Code Enforcement.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs). Techniques or series of techniques which are proven to be effective in controlling runoff, erosion and sedimentation, and in mitigating flooding.
BLUE LINE STREAM. A natural surface drainage structure shown on U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps as a solid blue line. Also, it is classified by the state’s Division of Water as a natural drainage structure having a continuous flow during normal weather conditions.
CHANNEL. A natural stream that conveys water or a ditch excavated for the natural flow of water.
COMMON PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT OR SALE. A contiguous area where multiple separate and distinct construction activities are planned to occur at different times on different schedules under one plan.
DETENTION BASIN. A temporary or permanent, natural or human-made structure that provides for the temporary storage of storm water, runoff designed to prevent the permanent pooling of water.
DEVELOPER. Any person, firm, corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, state agency or political subdivision thereof engaged in a land-disturbance activity.
DITCH. An excavation, either dug human-made or natural, for the purpose of drainage or irrigation and having intermittent flow.
DRAINAGE AREA. An area enclosed by a topographic feature that contributes runoff to a single point that is measurable in a horizontal plane.
EROSION. The wearing away of ground surface as a result of the movement of wind, water, ice and/or land-disturbance activity.
EXTENDED DETENTION. A storm water design feature that provides gradual release of a volume of water in order to increase settling of pollutants and to protect downstream channels from frequent storm events.
FEDERAL CLEAN WATER ACT. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.).
FIFTY-YEAR STORM. A storm that is capable of producing rainfall expected to be equaled or exceeded on the average of once in 50 years. It may also be expressed as a storm having the probability of a 2% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
FLOW ATTENUATION. Prolonging the flow time of runoff to reduce the peak discharge.
IMPERVIOUS COVER. Any surface that cannot effectively absorb or allow water to infiltrate. This may include roads, streets, parking lots, rooftops and sidewalks.
INFILTRATION. The passage or movement of water into the soil surface.
LAND-DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY.
(1) Any construction-related land change that may result in soil erosion from wind, water and/or ice, and the movement of sediments into or upon waters, lands or rights-of-way within city, including, but not limited to, construction, demolition, clearing and grubbing, grading, excavating, transporting and filling of land.
(2) LAND-DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY does not include the following:
(a) Minor land-disturbance activities, including, but not limited to, underground utility repairs, replacement of existing utilities, home gardens and landscaping, minor repairs and maintenance work;
(b) Installation of fence, sign, telephone and electric poles and other kinds of posts or poles;
(c) Cemetery graves;
(d) “Agricultural use”, as defined under KRS 100.111;
(e) Resource extraction activity pursuant to the state’s pollutant discharge elimination system general permit or a facility specific individual KPDES permit; or
(f) Site investigations, such as geotechnical explorations, clearing, for surveying work, monitoring wells and archaeological explorations, that are undertaken prior to submittal of an application for preliminary subdivision platting; and emergency work to protect life, limb or property and emergency repairs. If the
LAND-DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY would have required an approved EPSC permit, except for the emergency, then the land area disturbed shall be shaped and stabilized in accordance with the requirements of applicable ordinances and regulations.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4). A conveyance, or system of conveyances including roads with drainage systems, municipal and county maintained roadways, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, human-made channels and storm drains designed or used for collecting and/or conveying storm water. Sanitary and combined sewers are not included in the definition of a MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM.
ONE HUNDRED-YEAR (100) STORM. A storm that is capable of producing rainfall expected to be equaled or exceeded on the average of once in 100 years. It may also be expressed as a storm having the probability of a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
OUTFALL. The point of discharge to any watercourse from a public or private storm water drainage facility.
POST-DEVELOPMENT. The conditions which exist following the completion of the land- disturbance activity in terms of topography, vegetation, land use and runoff rate, volume or direction.
PRE-DEVELOPMENT. The conditions which existed prior to the initiation of the land-disturbance activity in terms of topography, vegetation, land use and runoff rate, volume or direction.
REDEVELOPMENT. Any construction, alteration or improvement involving land-disturbance activity performed on sites where existing land use is commercial, industrial, institutional or multi-family residential.
RETENTION BASIN. A temporary or permanent natural or human-made structure that provides for the storage of storm water runoff by means of a permanent pool of water.
RETROFITTING. Construction of a structural best management practice in a previously developed area, modification of an existing structural best management practice or implementation of a non- structural best management practice to improve water quality over current conditions.
RUNOFF. Any water flowing over ground surface, including, but not limited to, rainfall, snowmelt or irrigation water.
SEDIMENT. Soils or other superficial materials transported or deposited by surface water as a product of erosion.
SHEET FLOW. Water runoff in a thin uniform layer or rills and which is of a small enough quantity to be treated by sediment barriers.
SITE PLAN. A plan or set of plans showing the details of any land-disturbance activity of a site, including, but not limited to, the construction of structures, open and enclosed drainage facilities, storm water management facilities, parking lots, driveways, curbs, pavements, sidewalks, bike paths, recreational facilities, ground covers, plantings and landscaping.
SIX-MONTH STORM. A storm that is capable or producing rainfall expected to be equaled or exceeded on the average of twice every year.
SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE (SCS). The federal agency now titled the “Natural Resources Conservation Service” (“NCRS”) and is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.
SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE TECHNICAL RELEASE 55 (TR-55). A document titled Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds, which contains simplified procedures to calculate storm runoff volume, peak rates of discharge, hydrographs and storage volumes required for storm water control facilities.
STORM WATER CONVEYANCE SYSTEM. All storm sewers, channels, streams, ponds, lakes or other conveyances used for conveying concentrated storm water runoff or for storing storm water runoff.
STORM WATER DESIGN STANDARDS. The standards set forth in the state’s Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Field Guide, as published by the state’s Division of Water.
STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
(1) QUALITATIVE CONTROL. A system of vegetative, structural and other measures that reduce or eliminate pollutants that might otherwise be carried by surface runoff.
(2) QUANTITATIVE CONTROL. A system of vegetative and structural measures that control the increased volume and rate of surface runoff caused by human-made changes to the land.
STREAM. A body of water running or flowing on the earth’s surface, or a channel in which such flow, which may be intermittent, occurs.
TEN-YEAR STORM. A storm that is capable of producing rainfall expected to be equaled or exceeded on the average of once in ten years. It may also be expressed as a storm having the probability of a 10% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR STORM. A storm that is capable of producing rainfall expected to be equaled or exceeded on the average of once in 25 years. It may also be expressed as a storm having the probability of a 4% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
TWO-YEAR STORM. A storm that is capable of producing rainfall expected to be equaled or exceeded on the average of once in two years. It may also be expressed as a storm having the probability of a 50% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
WATERCOURSE. Any natural or improved stream, river, creek, ditch, channel, canal, conduit, gutter, culvert, drain, gully, swale or wash in which waters flow either continuously or intermittently.
WATERSHED. A region draining to a specific river, river system or body of water.
WATERWAY BUFFER. A defined area adjacent to a watercourse where land-disturbance activities may be permitted, but construction of any new building or structure shall not be permitted.
WETLANDS. Low land areas such as marshes that are saturated with moisture as defined in § 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1987.
(Ord. 012-118, passed 10-8-2012)