Title 7. Stormwater Management

Article 941
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sections:

941.01  Short title.

941.02  Statement of findings.

941.03  Purpose.

941.04  Applicability.

941.05  Compatibility with other requirements.

941.01 Short title.

This title shall be known and may be cited as the "City of Meadville Stormwater Quality Management Ordinance." (Ord. 3628 § 1, 2005)

941.02 Statement of findings.

The city council of the city of Meadville finds that:

(A) Inadequate management of accelerated stormwater runoff resulting from new development throughout a watershed contributes to erosion and sedimentation, overtaxes the carrying capacity of existing streams and storm sewers, greatly increases the cost of public facilities to convey and manage stormwater, undermines floodplain management and flood reduction efforts in upstream and downstream communities, reduces groundwater recharge, and threatens public health and safety.

(B) A program of stormwater quality management, including reasonable regulation of development and activities causing accelerated erosion, is fundamental to the public health, safety, welfare, and the protection of the people of the City of Meadville and all the people of the commonwealth, their resources, and the environment. (Ord. 3628 § 1, 2005)

941.03 Purpose.

The purpose of this title is to promote the health, safety, and welfare within the city and its watershed by minimizing potential impacts on water quality of future development by:

(A) Providing review procedures and performance standards for stormwater planning and management.

(B) Utilizing and preserving the existing natural drainage systems as much as possible.

(C) Managing stormwater quality impacts close to the runoff source, utilizing a minimum of structures and relying on natural processes when practical.

(D) Focusing on infiltration of stormwater, to maintain groundwater recharge, to prevent degradation of surface and groundwater quality and to otherwise protect water resources.

(E) Maintaining the existing quality of streams and watercourses.

(F) Meeting legal water quality requirements under state law, including regulations at 25 PA Code Chapter 93.4a to protect and maintain "existing uses" and maintain the level of water quality to support those uses in all streams, and to protect and maintain water quality in "special protection" streams.

(G) Preventing scour and erosion of streambanks and streambeds.

(H) Providing for proper operations and maintenance of all permanent SCSs that are implemented in the city.

(I) Providing a mechanism to identify controls necessary to meet the city’s NPDES permit requirements related to stormwater discharges.

(J) Implementing an illegal discharge detection and elimination program to address non-stormwater discharges into the city’s separate storm sewer system. (Ord. 3628 § 1, 2005)

941.04 Applicability.

(A) This title applies to any regulated earth disturbance activities within the city undertaken after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title, and to the quality of all stormwater runoff entering into the city’s separate storm sewer system from lands within the boundaries of the city related thereto.

(B) Earth disturbance activities and associated stormwater management controls are also regulated under existing state law and implementing regulations. This title shall operate in coordination with those parallel requirements; the requirements of this title shall be no less restrictive in meeting the purposes of this title than state law. (Ord. 3628 § 1, 2005)

941.05 Compatibility with other requirements.

(A) Approvals issued and actions taken under this title do not relieve any applicant of the responsibility to secure required permits or approvals for activities regulated by any other federal, state or local code, law, regulation or ordinance. To the extent that this title imposes more rigorous or stringent requirements for stormwater quality management than the requirements of any other federal, state or local code, law, regulation or ordinance, the specific requirements contained in this title shall be followed.

(B) Nothing in this title shall be construed to affect any of the city’s requirements regarding stormwater matters which do not conflict with the provisions of this title, such as local stormwater management design criteria (e.g., inlet spacing, inlet type, collection system design and details, outlet structure design, etc.). Conflicting provisions in other city ordinances or regulations shall be construed in a manner that retains the requirements of this title for the purpose of meeting all state water quality requirements. (Ord. 3628 § 1, 2005)