Post-Construction Stormwater Runoff Control Model Ordinance: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Land development projects and associated increases in impervious cover alter the hydrology of local watersheds and increase stormwater runoff rates and volumes, flooding, stream channel erosion and sediment transport and deposition. Stormwater runoff, soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution can be controlled and minimized through the regulation of stormwater runoff from development sites. This model ordinance is intended to be a tool for communities who are currently or may soon be responsible for meeting the stormwater management requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulations.
The model ordinance provides language communities can use to regulate stormwater runoff. The ordinance is broken into ten sections. The ordinance first introduces the purpose of the regulation and defines appropriate terms. It then discusses permit procedures and requirements, waivers of stormwater management requirements and performance and design criteria. The document ends with sections concerning management plan approval, construction inspection, maintenance and repair, enforcement and penalties.
This document provides exact ordinance language for local governments interested in regulating stormwater runoff in their community. The ordinance is designed to be flexible so that any local government can use the language once the “blanks” are filled with the appropriate jurisdictional stormwater authority. It should be noted that this ordinance is not an exhaustive listing of all the language needed for a local ordinance, but represents a good base that communities can build upon and customize to be consistent with the staff resources available in their locality.
