Source: https://ecode360.com/12320020
Timestamp: 2018-09-25 05:23:52
Document Index: 282564099

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 680', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 102', '§ 680']

Borough of Bradford Woods, PA General Provisions
Ch 190 Art II General Provisions
§ 190-3 Statutory authority.
§ 190-5 Exemptions; waivers.
§ 190-6 General requirements.
§ 190-8 Severability.
§ 190-9 Compatibility with other requirements.
§ 190-10 Effect on other requirements.
§ 190-11 Permit requirements by other government entities.
§ 190-12 Erosion and sediment control during regulated earth disturbance activities.
§ 190-13 Enforcement; violations and penalties; appeals.
Chapter 190: Stormwater Management Article II General Provisions
Primary authority. The Borough is empowered to regulate these activities by the authority of the Act of October 4, 1978, P.L. 864 (Act 167), 32 P.S. § 680.1 et seq., as amended, the Stormwater Management Act, and the appropriate municipal code.
Secondary authority. The Borough also is empowered to regulate land use activities that affect runoff by the authority of the Act of July 31, 1968, P.L. 805, No. 247, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.[1]
The standards contained herein shall apply to all regulated activities within the Borough. In addition, all local, county and state erosion and sedimentation control approvals must be in place to proceed with any regulated activity.
All activities related to proper operation and maintenance of approved stormwater management BMPs and all activities that may contribute nonstormwater discharges to a regulated small MS4 are subject to regulation by this chapter.
Activities regulated by this chapter include, but are not limited to, the following:
Land development and redevelopment.
Construction of new or additional impervious or semipervious surfaces (driveways, parking lots, etc.).
Any earth disturbances or any activities that involve the alteration or development of land or removal of trees and vegetation in a manner that may affect post-construction stormwater runoff.
Redevelopments shall conform to the requirements contained in § 190-15C(3) when more than 2,000 square feet in area of an existing facility is reconstructed following the demolition, or partial demolition, of the existing facility. The area determination shall be made using the footprint of the area being reconstructed, including all impervious surfaces proposed in the reconstructed area and the area of the parking lot required to support the reconstructed facility. The area of the parking lot required to support the reconstructed facility shall be determined using the Borough Zoning Ordinance requirements for parking.[1]
With the approval of the Borough's governing body, the following activities may be exempted from on-site stormwater runoff control. An exemption shall apply only to the requirement for on-site stormwater facilities and the preparation of a stormwater management plan. All other stormwater management design elements, such as a storm sewer system, road culverts, erosion and sedimentation control and runoff quality, shall be required. All exemption requests must be filed with the Borough Zoning Officer and approved by the Borough Engineer.
Regulated activities smaller than 400 square feet are exempt from the requirements of this chapter to implement SWM BMPs, unless the activity is found to be a significant contributor to pollution of the waters of this commonwealth.
Small project exemption: Activities having a disturbed area of less than 5,000 square feet are exempt from the peak rate control requirements of this chapter. These projects shall comply with the water quality volume standards contained in § 190-15C(1) and the extended detention requirement contained in § 190-15C(1). The small project standardized SWM guidance document was prepared to assist applicants in meeting this requirement for individual lots only. The reduced site plan requirements contained in the small project standardized SWM guidance document shall apply.
Emergency exemption: Emergency maintenance work performed for the protection of public health, safety and welfare may be exempted from the requirements in this chapter to obtain approval for a stormwater management plan before commencement of the activity; however, a written description of the scope and extent of any emergency work performed shall be submitted to the Borough within two calendar days of the commencement of the activity. If the Borough finds that the work is not an emergency, then the work shall cease immediately and may not resume until a written stormwater management plan is submitted and approved.
Maintenance exemption: any maintenance to an existing stormwater management system made in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the Borough Engineer.
Agricultural activities: agriculture when operated in accordance with a conservation plan, nutrient management plan or erosion and sedimentation control plan approved by the Allegheny County Conservation District, including activities such as growing crops, rotating crops, tilling of soil and grazing animals. Installation of new or expansion of existing farmsteads, animal housing, waste storage and production areas having impervious surfaces that result in a net increase in impervious surface of less than 1,000 square feet are exempt from the requirement to submit a written stormwater management plan.
Forest management: forest management operations which are consistent with a sound forest management plan as filed with the Municipal Zoning Officer and which follow the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's management practices contained in its publication "Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Guidelines for Forestry." Such operations are required to have an erosion and sedimentation control plan.
The provisions of this chapter are the minimum standards for the protection of the public health, safety, property, and welfare.
If an applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the county or its designee that any mandatory provision of this chapter is unreasonable or causes unique or undue unreasonableness or hardship as it applies to the proposed project, or that an alternate design may result in a superior result within the context of Article I and § 190-15A and B of this chapter, the county or its designee, upon obtaining the comments and recommendations of the Borough and the Allegheny County Conservation District, may grant a waiver or relief so that substantial justice may be done and the public interest is secured, provided that such waiver will not have the effect of nullifying the intent and purpose of this chapter.
Applicants shall refer to the Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), No. 363-0300-002 (2006), as amended and updated, or the Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), 363-2134-008 (2000), as amended and updated, or other appropriate references for guidance in the design of stormwater management facilities most appropriate to individual site conditions. References to the Maryland Manual, if not deleted, should be to specific sections of Maryland's Manual in order to minimize NPDES permitting conflicts with the guidance provided by the Pennsylvania Stormwater BMP Manual. The applicant shall state in full the facts of unreasonableness or hardship on which the request is based, the provision or provisions of the chapter that are involved, and the minimum waiver or relief that is necessary. The applicant shall state how the requested waiver and how the applicant's proposal shall result in an equal or better means of complying with the intent of Article I, Purpose; Objectives; § 190-15A, Design goals, and § 190-15B, General principles, of this chapter.
The applicant shall submit all waiver requests to Allegheny County or its designee for review and approval. Copies of the waiver request shall also be submitted to the Borough.
The governing body shall keep a written record of all actions on waiver requests.
The governing body may charge a fee for each waiver request, which shall be used to offset the administrative costs of reviewing the waiver request. The applicant shall also agree to reimburse the Borough, the county and the Allegheny County Conservation District for reasonable and necessary fees that may be incurred in any review of a waiver request.
In granting waivers, the county or its designee may impose reasonable conditions that will, in its judgment, secure substantially the objectives of the standards or requirements that are to be modified.
The county or its designee may grant applications for waivers when the following findings are made:
That the waiver shall result in an equal or better means of complying with the intent of Article I and § 190-15A and B of this chapter.
That the waiver is the minimum necessary to provide relief.
That the applicant is not requesting a waiver based solely on cost considerations.
That existing off-site stormwater problems will not be exacerbated.
That runoff is not being diverted to a different drainage area.
That increased flooding or ponding on off-site properties or roadways will not occur.
That potential icing conditions will not occur.
That increase of post-development peak flow from the site will not occur and will, in fact, be reduced by the appropriate amount if the site is in a subbasin having a release rate of less than 100%.
That there will be no increase in the post-development total runoff volume for all storms equal to or less than the two-year/twenty-four-hour storm event.
That adverse impact to water quality will not result.
That increased one-hundred-year floodplain levels will not result.
That increased or unusual municipal maintenance expenses will not result from the waiver.
That the amount of stormwater generated has been minimized to the greatest extent allowed.
That infiltration of runoff throughout the proposed site has been provided where practicable and predevelopment groundwater recharge protected at a minimum.
That peak flow attenuation of runoff has been provided.
That long-term operation and maintenance activities are established.
That no receiving streams and/or water bodies within 2,000 feet downstream will be adversely impacted in flood-carrying capacity, aquatic habitat, channel stability or erosion and sedimentation.
Compliance required; intent of design standards.
The management of stormwater on site, both during and upon completion of the disturbances associated with activities permitted under § 190-4, shall be accomplished in accordance with the standards and criteria of this chapter. The design of any temporary or permanent facilities and structures and the utilization of any natural drainage systems shall be in full compliance with this article.
The intent of these design standards is to encourage environmentally sound stormwater management practices that provide necessary drainage facilities while protecting the hydrologic characteristics and water quality of the site and watershed. Developments shall be required to incorporate stormwater management controls. Stormwater management design shall blend into the natural environment and be aesthetically integrated into the site design.
Applicants shall refer to the Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual, as amended, Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas (PACD, 1998), the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual (MDE, 2000), or other appropriate references for guidance in the design of stormwater management facilities most appropriate to individual site conditions. Objectives for design are to reduce the volume of stormwater generated, infiltrate runoff at its source to the maximum extent possible, achieve water quality improvement at the source or during conveyance, and provide for peak flow attenuation. Applicants shall examine design alternatives by viewing them in a series. In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to use structural and nonstructural stormwater management practices that reduce or eliminate the need for detention basins.
All SWM design work must be completed by a qualified design professional. All designs proposing the use of an SWM retention or detention facility with outlet structure(s) shall be completed by a professional engineer licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
All development activity within a special flood hazard area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shall comply with Chapter 124, Floodplain Management, and this subsection. All development shall be designed to maintain the flood-carrying capacity of the floodway such that the base flood elevations are not increased, either upstream or downstream, unless an approval is received from PA DEP. The natural conveyance characteristics of the site and the receiving floodplain shall be incorporated into the stormwater management practices proposed for the site.
The stormwater management system shall not create an adverse impact on stormwater quantity or quality in either upstream or downstream areas. Off-site areas which discharge to or across a site proposed for development shall be addressed in the stormwater management plan prepared for the development. No stormwater management plan shall be approved until it is demonstrated that the runoff from the project shall not adversely impact downstream areas.
Wetlands shall not be used to meet the minimum design requirements for stormwater management or stormwater runoff quality treatment, except when used as part of a treatment train that incorporates a portion of the outer zone (filter strip) of the wetland's riparian buffer as a stormwater outfall.
All proposed stormwater management systems shall be designed to prevent the pollution of groundwater resources by stormwater, promote safety, minimize health hazards, preserve natural features and provide infiltration and groundwater recharge where appropriate. Neither submission of a plan under the provisions herein nor compliance with the provisions of these regulations shall relieve any person from responsibility for damage to any person or property otherwise imposed by law.
Stormwater management designs shall not alter the alignment of any natural watercourse or adversely impact its flow.
The existing points of concentrated flow that discharge onto adjacent properties shall not be altered without written permission of the adjacent property owner(s).
Where deemed necessary by the Borough Engineer, or as addressed in an approved Act 167 stormwater management plan, the applicant shall construct storm drains to handle on-site runoff; to the maximum extent permitted under the Municipalities Planning Code and Act 167, or any amendments thereto, provide on-site/off-site drainage easements; and provide for the conveyance of off-site runoff to an acceptable outlet in the same watershed.
Where watercourses traverse a development site, drainage easements shall be provided conforming to the line of such watercourses. The terms of the easements shall prohibit excavation, the placing of fill or structures, except as needed for roadways, driveways and walkways, or any alterations that may adversely affect the flow of stormwater within any portions of the easement, and require the establishment and protection of riparian buffers.
For all regulated activities, stormwater management BMPs shall be designed, implemented, operated, and maintained to meet the purposes and requirements of this chapter and to meet all requirements under Pennsylvania Code Title 25, the Clean Streams Law,[1] and the Stormwater Management Act.[2]
Any regulated activity that may affect the stormwater flows toward or onto a state or county highway right-of-way or facility shall be designed, implemented, operated, and maintained in accordance with the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) or Allegheny County, as the case may be.
At the time of application for a building permit for any approved lot created by a subdivision and/or improved as a land development project, issuance of the permit shall be conditioned upon adherence to the terms of this chapter.
Stormwater discharges to critical areas with sensitive resources (e.g., special-protection waters, cold-water fisheries, recharge areas, water supply reservoirs, etc.) may be subject to additional performance criteria or may need to utilize or restrict certain stormwater management practices.
For all regulated earth disturbance activities, erosion and sediment control BMPs shall be designed, implemented, operated, and maintained during the regulated earth disturbance activities (e.g., during construction) to meet the purposes and requirements of this chapter and to meet all requirements under Pennsylvania Code Title 25 and the Clean Streams Law. Various BMPs and their design standards are listed in the Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual (E & S Manual), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection, No. 363-2134-008, as amended and updated.
No regulated earth disturbance activities within the Borough shall commence until the requirements of this chapter are met.
The applicant must document that downstream (off-site) conveyance systems exist to safely transport the discharge and that no erosion, sedimentation, flooding, or other adverse impacts will result from said discharge from each subarea.
All stormwater runoff from disturbed areas shall be pretreated prior to discharge to surfaces or groundwater.
Post-construction water quality protection shall be addressed as required by the stormwater management requirements contained in this chapter.
Operations and maintenance of permanent stormwater BMPs shall be addressed as required by Article V.
All best management practices (BMPs) used to meet the requirements of this chapter shall conform to the state water quality requirements and any more-stringent requirements as required by the Borough.
Techniques described in Appendix B (Nonstructural Stormwater Management Practices) of this chapter are encouraged, because they reduce the costs of complying with the requirements of this chapter and the state water quality requirements.[3]
Permeability and infiltration rate of the site soils.
Creation/protection of aquatic and wildlife habitats.
Transference of runoff from one DEP-designated Act 167 watershed to another shall be prohibited unless approved by the Borough.
Infiltration BMPs should be spread out and shallow as much as practicable.
Any ordinance or ordinance provision of the Borough inconsistent with any of the provisions of this chapter is hereby repealed to the extent of the inconsistency only; provided, however, that this repeal shall in no manner be construed as a waiver, release or relinquishment of the right to initiate, pursue or prosecute, as the case may be, any proceeding at law or in equity pertaining to any act done which would have constituted a violation of such prior ordinance or ordinance provision. All of said ordinances or ordinance provisions shall remain in full force and effect and are not repealed hereby as they pertain to such acts and to the processing of such plans filed prior to the effective date of this chapter, which are protected from the effect of intervening ordinances by Section 508(4) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1]
Should any part of this chapter be declared invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of any other part, nor the chapter as a whole.
Actions taken under this chapter do not affect any responsibility, permit or approval for any activity regulated by any other code, law, regulation, or ordinance.
Permits and approvals issued pursuant to this chapter shall not relieve the applicant of the responsibility to comply with or to secure other required permits or approvals for activities regulated by any other applicable code, rule, act, statute or ordinance. This chapter shall not preclude the inclusion in such other permit of more-stringent requirements concerning regulation of stormwater and erosion. Where a conflict exists between a provision within this chapter and that of the PA DEP Phase II NPDES Regulations, as amended, or any other ordinance of the Borough, the more-stringent requirements shall govern.
All regulated earth disturbance activities are subject to permit requirements by the DEP under regulations at 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 102.
Work within natural drainageways is subject to permit by the DEP under 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 105.
Any stormwater management facility that would be located in or adjacent to surface waters of the commonwealth, including wetlands, is subject to permit by the DEP under 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 105.
Culverts, bridges, storm sewers or any other facilities which must pass or convey flows from the tributary area and any facility which may constitute a dam are subject to permit by the DEP under 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 105.
No regulated earth disturbance activities within the Borough shall commence until the Borough receives a copy of any required approvals from the Conservation District or DEP for an erosion and sediment control plan.
The DEP has regulations that require an erosion and sediment control plan for any earth disturbance activity of 5,000 square feet or more, under 25 Pa. Code § 102.4(b).
Evidence of any necessary permit(s) for regulated earth disturbance activities from the appropriate DEP regional office or County Conservation District must be provided to the Borough.
A copy of the erosion and sediment control plan and any required permits, as required by DEP regulations, shall be available at the project site at all times.
Additional erosion and sediment control design standards and criteria are recommended to be applied where infiltration BMPs are proposed and shall include the following:
Infiltration BMPs shall not be constructed nor receive runoff until the entire contributory drainage area to the infiltration BMP has achieved final stabilization.
The Borough shall be authorized to enforce regulations specified under 25 Pa. Code, Chapters 92, 102, and 105, for regulated earth disturbance activities authorized by the Allegheny County Conservation District and/or the DEP.
Right of entry. Upon presentation of proper credentials, the Borough may enter at reasonable times upon any property within the Borough to inspect the condition of the stormwater structures and facilities in regard to any aspect regulated by this chapter.
Inspection. Stormwater management BMPs should be inspected by the landowner/developer (including the Borough for dedicated facilities) according to the following list of frequencies:
It shall be unlawful for a person to undertake any regulated activity except as provided in an approved SWM site plan.
It shall be unlawful to alter or remove any control structure required by the SWM site plan.
Inspections regarding compliance with the SWM site plan are a responsibility of the Borough.
The Building Inspector or his designee shall withhold building permits to ensure compliance with this chapter, if deemed necessary.
Any approval for a regulated activity issued may be suspended or revoked, in whole or in part, by the Borough for:
Noncompliance with or failure to implement any provision of the approval.
A violation of any provision of this chapter or any other applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation relating to the regulated activity.
The creation of any condition or the commission of any act during the regulated activity which constitutes or creates a hazard or nuisance, pollution, or which endangers the life or property of others.
A suspended approval may be reinstated by the Borough when:
The Borough has inspected and approved the corrections to the violations that caused the suspension.
An approval that has been revoked by the Borough cannot be reinstated. The applicant may apply for a new approval under the provisions of this chapter.
Prior to revocation or suspension of a permit, if there is no immediate danger to life, public health, or property, the Borough may notify the landowner/developer to discuss the noncompliance.
Any activity conducted in violation of the provisions of this chapter is declared to be a public nuisance under the authority of the Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Act, 32 P.S. § 680.15. Anyone violating the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a summary offense and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 for each violation, recoverable with costs. Each day that the violation continues shall be a separate offense, and penalties shall be cumulative.
In addition, suits to restrain, prevent, or abate violations of this chapter may be instituted in equity or at law by the Department of Environmental Resources of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, any affected county or municipality, or any aggrieved person. Except in cases of emergency where, in the opinion of the court, the circumstances of the case require immediate abatement of the unlawful conduct, the court may, in its decree, fix a reasonable time during which the person responsible for the unlawful conduct shall correct or abate the same. The expense of such proceedings shall be recoverable from the violator in such manner as may now or hereafter be provided by law.
Appeals. Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Borough, relevant to the provisions of this chapter, may appeal to the County Court of Common Pleas in the county where the activity has taken place within 30 days of the Borough's decision.