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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Bushkill
Creek Watershed Act 167 Stormwater Management Ordinance."
The governing body of the municipality finds that:
A. Inadequate management of accelerated runoff of stormwater resulting
from development throughout a watershed increases flood flows and
velocities, contributes to erosion and sedimentation, changes the
natural hydrologic patterns, destroys aquatic habitat, elevates aquatic
pollutant concentrations and loadings, overtaxes the carrying capacity
of streams and storm sewers, greatly increases the cost of public
facilities to carry and control stormwater, undermines floodplain
management and flood control efforts in downstream communities, reduces
groundwater recharge, and threatens public health and safety.
B. A comprehensive program of stormwater management, including reasonable
regulation of development and activities causing accelerated erosion
and loss of natural infiltration, is fundamental to the public health,
safety and welfare and the protection of the people of the municipality
and all of the people of the commonwealth, their resources and the
environment.
C. Stormwater can be an important resource by providing groundwater
recharge for water supplies and baseflow of streams, which also protects
and maintains surface water quality.
D. Public education on the control of pollution from stormwater is an
essential component in successfully addressing stormwater.
E. Federal and state regulations require certain municipalities to implement
a program of stormwater controls. These municipalities are required
to obtain a permit for stormwater discharges from their separate storm
sewer systems under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES).
F. Nonstormwater discharges to municipal separate storm sewer systems
can contribute to pollution of waters of the commonwealth by the municipality.
The purpose of this chapter is to promote the public health,
safety and welfare within the Bushkill Creek Watershed by minimizing
the damages and maximizing the benefits described in § 205-2
of this chapter by provisions designed to:
A. Manage stormwater runoff impacts at their source by regulating activities
which cause such problems.
B. Utilize and preserve the desirable existing natural drainage systems.
C. Encourage infiltration of stormwater, where appropriate, to maintain
groundwater recharge, to prevent degradation of surface and groundwater
quality and to otherwise protect water resources.
D. Maintain the existing flows and quality of streams and watercourses
in the municipality and the commonwealth.
E. Preserve and restore the flood carrying capacity of streams.
F. Provide for proper maintenance of all permanent stormwater management
BMPs that are implemented in the municipality.
G. Provide review procedures and performance standards for stormwater
planning, design and management.
H. Manage stormwater impacts close to the runoff source which requires
a minimum of structures and relies on natural processes.
I. Meet 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.
J. Prevent scour and erosion of streambanks and streambeds.
K. Provide standards to meet the NPDES permit requirements.
The municipality 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 Borough Code.
This chapter shall only apply to those areas of the municipality
which are located within the Bushkill Creek Watershed(s) as delineated
on an official map available for inspection at the municipal office.
A map of the Bushkill Creek Watershed(s) at a reduced scale is included
in Appendix A for general reference.
The following activities are defined as regulated activities
and shall be governed by this chapter:
C. Construction of new or additional impervious surfaces (driveways,
parking lots, etc.).
D. Construction of new buildings or additions to existing buildings.
E. Diversion or piping of any natural or man-made stream channel.
F. Installation of stormwater systems or appurtenances thereto.
G. Regulated earth disturbance activities.
A. Impervious cover. Any proposed regulated activity, except those defined
in § 205-5E and F, which would create 10,000 square feet
or less of additional impervious cover is exempt from the drainage
plan preparation provisions of this chapter. All of the impervious
cover added incrementally to a site above the initial 10,000 square
feet shall be subject to the drainage plan preparation provisions
of this chapter. If a site has previously received an exemption and
is proposing additional development such that the total impervious
cover on the site exceeds 10,000 square feet, the total impervious
cover on the site proposed since the original ordinance date must
meet the provisions of this chapter.
(1) The date of the municipal ordinance adoption of the original Bushkill
Creek Act 167 Stormwater Management Ordinance shall be the starting
point from which to consider tracts as "parent tracts" in which future
subdivisions and respective impervious area computations shall be
cumulatively considered.
(2) For development taking place in stages, the entire development plan
must be used in determining conformance with these criteria.
(3) Additional impervious cover shall include, but not be limited to,
additional indoor living spaces, decks, patios, garages, driveways,
storage sheds and similar structures, any roof, parking or driveway
areas and any new streets and sidewalks constructed as part of or
for the proposed regulated activity.
(4) Any additional areas proposed to initially be gravel, crushed stone,
porous pavement, etc., shall be assumed to be impervious for the purposes
of comparison to the exemption criteria. Any existing gravel, crushed
stone or hard packed soil areas on a site shall be considered as pervious
cover for the purpose of exemption evaluation.
B. Prior drainage plan approval. Any regulated activity for which a
drainage plan was previously prepared as part of a subdivision or
land development proposal that received preliminary plan approval
from the municipality prior to the effective date of this chapter
is exempt from the drainage plan preparation provisions of this chapter,
except as cited in § 205-6C, provided that the approved
drainage plan included design of stormwater facilities to control
runoff from the site currently proposed for regulated activities consistent
with ordinance provisions in effect at the time of approval and the
approval has not lapsed under the Municipalities Planning Code. If
significant revisions are made to the drainage plan after both the
preliminary plan approval and the effective date of this chapter,
preparation of a new drainage plan, subject to the provisions of this
chapter, shall be required. Significant revisions would include a
change in control methods or techniques, relocation or redesign of
control measures or changes necessary because soil or other conditions
are not as stated on the original drainage plan.
C. These exemptions shall not relieve the applicant from implementing
such measures as are necessary to protect health, safety, property,
and state water quality requirements. These measures include adequate
and safe conveyance of stormwater on the site and as it leaves the
site. These exemptions do not relieve the applicant from the responsibility
to secure required permits or approvals for activities regulated by
any other applicable code, rule, act or ordinance.
D. No exemptions shall be provided for regulated activities as defined
in § 205-5E and F.
Approvals issued pursuant to this chapter do not relieve the
applicant of the responsibility to secure required permits or approvals
for activities regulated by any other applicable code, rule, act or
ordinance.
Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter, including exemption
and waiver provisions, any landowner and any person engaged in the
alteration or development of land which may affect stormwater runoff
characteristics shall implement such measures as are reasonably necessary
to prevent injury to health, safety or other property. Such measures
shall include such actions as are required to manage the rate, volume,
direction and quality of resulting stormwater runoff in a manner which
otherwise adequately protects health and property from possible injury.
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