Agenda - Planning Commission - 01/31/2013 - Special

Home

Special Planning Commission 5. 3. Meeting Date: 01/31/2013 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Ordinance Amendments to Chapter 117 Related to Stormwater Controls and Illicit Discharges Background: The City of Ramsey is required by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to maintain a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, which outlines stormwater pollution control standards for new development. A requirement of the MS4 permit is incorporating into City Code illicit discharge standards, which in essence means having regulations in place prohibiting the discharge of any substance other than stormwater into the storm sewer system. The City is also a member of the Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO), which, in 2012, adopted their 3rd Generation Watershed Management Plan. Each member community is charged with ensuring their municipal regulations comply with the standards of the Watershed Management Plan. The 3rd Generation Plan includes certain new standards related to water quality and volume control that are presently in City Code. Notification: The Notice of Public Hearing was properly published in the Anoka County Union. Observations/Alternatives: The City presently has standards in City Code regarding stormwater pollution control. Subdivision II in Chapter 117, Article II, Division 6 outlines the requirements of stormwater management plans associated with proposed development. However, updates to this Subdivision are now necessary to implement the LRRWMO's 3rd Generation Plan. The main components of the ordinance amendment related to stormwater pollution control are water quality and volume control. Water quality standards focus primarily on phosphorous reduction (sixty percent [60%] removal efficiency) and removal of total suspended solids (ninety percent [90%] removal efficiency). Another component of the ordinance amendment involves removing content that is no longer applicable. Section 117-395 reviews standards related to vegetated buffer protection for water bodies. However, in 2009, the City repealed it's wetland buffer ordinance, and thus, this Section is no longer applicable. The proposed ordinance amendment adds Subdivision III to Chapter 117, Article II, Division 6. The intent of this Subdivision is to control or eliminate stormwater pollution associated with illicit discharges. The provisions within the Subdivision outline what constitutes an illicit discharge, what may be exempted from enforcement action related to illicit discharges, and emergency and non -emergency suspension of utility service related to illicit discharges. Adoption of this amendment would bring the City into compliance with the MS4 permit standards administered by the MPCA. Finally, in concert with the addition of this Subdivision, several new terms are proposed for inclusion in Section 117-1 (Definitions). Action Options: Recommend that the City Council not adopt the proposed ordinance amendments. The proposed ordinance amendments are intended to bring the City into compliance with the requirements of its MS4 permit and the