Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 03/02/2015

Home

Updated Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) City of Ramsey, Minnesota I. PURPOSE OF PLAN The purpose of this Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) is to promote, preserve and enhance the natural resources within the City of Ramsey. The City will protect water quality and unique and fragile environmentally sensitive land from adverse effects that can potentially be caused by poorly sited development or incompatible activities. The City proposes to accomplish this by regulating land disturbances and development activities. Minnesota Rules Chapter 8410 (Metropolitan Area Local Water Management) requires specific elements to be addressed in local water management plans. The various chapters of this report are designed to address each element required under these rules. In addition, this plan follows the Metropolitan Council's 2030 Water Resources Management Policy Plan requirements. In 2002, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency designated the City of Ramsey as a mandatory Municipally Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) community needing to submit a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit regulating its storm water runoff. As such, the City submitted a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) with its permit application in 2003. Accordingly, an additional purpose of this SWMP is to control or eliminate storm water pollution. Key contributors to storm water pollution are soil erosion and sedimentation. The city-wide SWPPP includes ordinance changes that address erosion control, sedimentation associated with construction activities as well as illicit discharges to surface waters, all primary contributors of storm water pollution. The MPCA is in the process of reviewing the City's SWPPP. Any changes requested by the MPCA should be incorporated into the fmal SWMP. The City's goal is to minimize conflicts and encourage compatibility between land disturbing activities, water quality and environmentally sensitive lands. This will be accomplished through detailed development ordinances, plan review standards and recommended pollution control procedures in an effort to strike a balance between urban growth and the protection of water quality and natural areas. This SWMP, in conjunction with the policies set forth in the City ordinances, establishes standards and specifications for conservation practices and planning activities to minimize storm water pollution, soil erosion and sedimentation. This submittal is a culmination of research, mapping, land use analysis/planning and hydraulic design. The end product is a detailed design tool that can be used by the City of Ramsey in planning growth and infrastructure replacement. This summary report represents only a small part of the total work product created through the master planning process. The current City ordinances have also been revisited as part of this process, as they are the best means to implement the recommendations made in this report. Following the approval of this SWMP and ordinances by the Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO), the City will have administrative authority for the approved SWMP and ordinances. The City will also have the duty to enforce the SWMP and associated ordinances. The City places a high priority in improving impaired waters and intends to work with the LRRWMO and other agencies to achieve water quality goals by reducing the impact created by the City. Section II February 20, 2015March 6, 2015 Page 1