The city is working on updating its storm drain design manual.
Nate Besich, with the city public works department, said the current manual was established in 1990.
He discussed the proposed changes with City Commissioners during their Sept. 5 work session.
Since 1990, there’s been changes in water quantity and quality requirements through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, or MS4, program.
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Besich said staff is proposing to add some guidelines and clarifications.
He said the purpose of the storm water design requirements are to protect the community and environment from flooding and increased demand on public infrastructure.
The city is currently updating its storm water master plan,, which will help determine drainage deficiencies and plan for the future, he said.
Staff is also planning to provide revisions to city code to consolidate storm water requirements.
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The storm drain design manual is part of the standards for design and construction for any development in the city, Besich said.
He said the proposed updated manual includes guidelines on how to obtain a storm drainage permit, how to appeal the storm drainage fee, and when to get a storm water plan.
Besich said the EPA adopted the first phase of the MS4 rules in 1990, but they only applied to municipalities with populations of more than 100,000.
The city did codify MS4 requirements in 1993, which was proactive on the city’s part, Besich told commissioners.
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The city was issued its first National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System MS4 permit from the EPA in 2005.
Besich said those permits are issued on a five-year cycle and the requirements have been more stringent with each permit.
Besich said the manual will be updated with the MS4 requirements, which the city is already enforcing and aren’t new to developers.
He said staff are proposing some new programs included in the new manual, to include a preferred contractor program.
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That program would include a training course provided by the city on requirements for stormwater pollution prevention plans, or SWPPP.
The program would include the initial training and an annual refresher, with a fee, as well as incentives such as faster SWPPP review, and would develop better working relationships between staff and the development community, he said.
The proposed manual update also includes a regional treatment facility policy, allowing the city to act as the primary responsible party for large common stormwater facilities for larger development areas.
Besich said the city has been setting aside funds to prepare for that plan and “we believe that this would be a huge aid, specifically in residential development.”
He said public works staff are planning a town hall meeting and are gathering input from the development community.
Staff is planning to bring the first read of the ordinance changes to commissioners in October and public hearing in November.
