Planning: Nelson County Stormwater Management Project Grant Agreement

Nelson County Stormwater Management Project Grant Agreement

NELSON COUNTY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECT
GRANT AGREEMENT 91934-2001-WQIA-12

SEVENTH QUARTER REPORT - Semi-Final
April 1, 2003 - June 30, 2003

Submitted by: Alyson Sappington, TJSWCD
June 30, 2003

Project Summary

Following the approval of grant funds for this project, the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District (TJSWCD) and Nelson County officials formed a local Stormwater Management Steering Committee, representing local developers, local citizens, farmers, county officials and the TJSWCD. This Committee, in partnership with a consultant contracted for the project, was charged with developing a Stormwater Management Program that would be appropriate for the growing, but still rural, County of Nelson.

During early meetings of the Steering Committee, it was decided that water quality components were not a priority for a Stormwater Program in Nelson County. The Committee believed that the primary focus of a Nelson County Stormwater Program should be to control flooding and streambank erosion problems in a consistent, long-term manner, and to encourage the recharge groundwater supplies. The Committee wanted a program that minimized restrictions on residents while meeting the intent of laws and policies. They wanted a program that was not overly bureaucratic, and one that used incentives to encourage innovative practices rather than detention and retention ponds.

At the same time that the Stormwater Committee was gearing up, Nelson County was in the process of selecting a consultant to help the County revise its Zoning Ordinance. Considering that many "innovative" stormwater management practices are related to zoning policies (open space preservation, minimal curb and gutter requirements, landscaping, parking requirements, street widths, buffer requirements, etc.), the Committee decided to include many of the desired stormwater provisions in the new Zoning Ordinance.

It was decided that the Zoning Ordinance would include all enforcement mechanisms and practice maintenance requirements for the Stormwater Program. A technical manual would provide the practice standards, incentives for utilizing innovative practices, and guidance on measurability to ensure that using innovative practices meets the quantitative requirements for controlling stormwater. The draft of the manual, Design Guidelines and Development Standards for Stormwater Management in Nelson County is included as Appendix I of this report. This manual is intended to serve as a locally specific supplement to the Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook. It provides a choice of applicable practices that are acceptable in Nelson County. The manual encourages the use of infiltration practices by establishing a measurable reduction in runoff volume for each practice to meet the requirements of Virginia Law (i.e. MS-19).

While the intent of the Steering Committee was not to include water quality requirements in the new Stormwater Program, the resulting program will indeed encourage the use of practices that enhance water quality. The innovative practices, which are encouraged in the Nelson County program to meet quantity requirements of the law, are practices that encourage stormwater infiltration into the ground. Such practices are the same practices that are required in standard stormwater ordinances to meet quality goals.

During their June 10, 2003 meeting, the Nelson County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to introduce the new manual and guidelines to the County on a voluntary basis until the Zoning Ordinance is adopted. When the revised Zoning Ordinance is adopted, with references to the new stormwater manual, the guidelines will become requirements. A copy of the agenda to the meeting and the relevant section of the meeting minutes are included as Appendix II of this report. A memo was sent to the Zoning Ordinance consultant to provide direction on the incorporation of the Design Guidelines and Development Standards for Stormwater Management in Nelson County into the final Zoning Ordinance. A copy of the memo is included as Appendix III of this report.

Enclosures with this report (available in the Planning Office):

Appendix I: Design Guidelines and Development Standards for Stormwater Management in Nelson County (DRAFT)
Appendix II: Agenda and meeting minutes from June 10 Board of Supervisors meeting
Appendix III: Copy of memo to Zoning Ordinance consultant
Appendix IV: Copy of letter of support to Board of Supervisors from Steering Committee Chair
Appendix V: Updated Project Milestone Table
Appendix VI: Project Financial Report, DCR Grant Agreement Attachment B (Corrected 6th quarter Attachment B also included) & Invoice
Appendix VII: Detail sheets of grant & match expenditures