As used in this Part 1, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated:
ACCELERATED EROSION
The removal of the surface of the land through the combined
action of human activities and the natural processes, at a rate greater
than would occur because of the natural process alone.
APPLICANT
A landowner, developer or other person who has filed an application
for approval to engage in any regulated earth disturbance activity
at a project site in Whitpain Township.
BMP (BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE)
Activities, facilities, designs, measures or procedures used
to manage stormwater impacts from regulated activities, to meet state
water quality requirements, to promote groundwater recharge and to
otherwise meet the purposes of this Part 1. Stormwater BMPs are commonly
grouped into one of two broad categories or measures: "structural"
or "nonstructural." In this Part 1, nonstructural BMPs or measures
refer to operational and/or behavior-related practices that attempt
to minimize the contact of pollutants with stormwater runoff, or to
provide other environmental or aesthetic benefits such as low-impact
designs, riparian or forested buffers; whereas structural BMPs or
measures are those that consist of a physical device or practice that
is installed to capture and treat stormwater runoff. Structural BMPs
include, but are not limited to, a wide variety of practices and devices,
from large-scale retention ponds and constructed wetlands, to small-scale
underground treatment systems, infiltration facilities, filter strips,
bioretention, wet ponds, permeable paving, grassed swales, sand filters,
detention basins, and manufactured devices. Structural stormwater
BMPs are permanent appurtenances to the project site.
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CISTERN
An underground reservoir or tank for storing rainwater.
CONSERVATION DISTRICT
A conservation district, as defined in Section 3(c) of the
Conservation District Law [3 P.S. § 851(c)], that has the
authority under a delegation agreement executed with DEP to administer
and enforce all or a portion of the regulations promulgated under
25 Pa. Code Chapter 102.
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CULVERT
A structure with its appurtenant works which carries water
under or through an embankment or fill.
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DAM
Any artificial barrier, together with its appurtenant works,
constructed for the purpose of impounding or storing water or any
other fluid or semifluid or any refuse bank, fill or structure for
highway, railroad or any other purpose which does or may impound water,
fluid or semifluid.
DEP
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
DESIGN STORM
The magnitude and temporal distribution of precipitation
from a storm event measured in probability of occurrence that such
magnitude will be equaled or exceeded in any one year (e.g., the twenty-percent
chance, or so-called five-year (recurrence interval) storm), and duration
(e.g., 24 hours), used in the design and evaluation of stormwater
management systems. Also see "return period."
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DETENTION BASIN
An impoundment designed to collect and retard stormwater
runoff by temporarily storing the runoff and releasing it at a predetermined
rate. Detention basins are designed to drain completely soon after
a rainfall event, and to become dry until the next rainfall event.
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DEVELOPER
A person that seeks to undertake any regulated earth disturbance
activities at a project site in Whitpain Township.
DEVELOPMENT
Any human-induced change to improved or unimproved real estate,
whether public or private, including, but not limited to, land development,
construction, installation, or expansion of a building or other structure,
land division, street construction, and site alteration such as embankments,
dredging, grubbing, grading, paving, parking or storage facilities,
excavation, filling, stockpiling, or clearing.
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DEVELOPMENT SITE
The specific tract of land where any earth disturbance activities
in the municipality are planned, conducted or maintained.
DRAINAGE EASEMENT
A right granted by a landowner to a grantee, allowing the
use of private land for stormwater management purposes.
DRAINAGE PLAN
The documentation of the proposed stormwater management controls, if any, to be used for a given development site, the contents of which are established in §
125-26.
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EARTH DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY
A construction or other human activity which disturbs the
surface of the land, including, but not limited to, clearing and grubbing,
grading, excavations, embankments, road maintenance, building construction
and the moving, depositing, stockpiling, or storing of soil, rock
or earth materials.
EROSION
The process by which the surface of the land, including channels,
is worn away by water, wind, or chemical action.
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE
The replenishment of existing natural underground water supplies
from precipitation or overland flow.
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IMPERVIOUS SURFACE (IMPERVIOUS AREA)
A surface that prevents the infiltration of water into the
ground. Impervious surfaces (or areas) shall include, but not be limited
to, roofs, additional indoor living spaces, patios, garages, storage
sheds and similar structures, swimming pools, and any new streets
or sidewalks. Decks, parking areas, and driveway areas are not counted
as impervious areas if they do not prevent infiltration.
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INFILTRATION BASIN
A shallow impoundment that is designed to infiltrate stormwater
into the soil. Infiltration basins are believed to have a high pollutant
removal efficiency and can also help recharge the groundwater, thus
restoring baseflows to stream systems. Infiltration basins can be
problematic at many sites because of stringent soil requirements.
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INFILTRATION STRUCTURE
A structure designed to direct runoff into the ground (e.g.,
French drains, seepage pits or seepage trenches).
LAND DEVELOPMENT
Any of the following activities:
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(1)
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts,
or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
(a)
A group of two or more residential or nonresidential buildings,
whether proposed initially or cumulatively, or a single nonresidential
building on a lot or lots regardless of the number of occupants or
tenure; or
(b)
The division or allocation of land or space, whether initially
or cumulatively, between or among two or more existing or prospective
occupants by means of, or for the purpose of, streets, common areas,
leaseholds, condominiums, building groups, or other features;
(3)
Development in accordance with Section 503(1.1) of the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Planning Code.
MUNICIPALITY
Whitpain Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, the federal
government's system for issuance of permits under the Clean Water
Act, which is delegated to DEP in Pennsylvania.
OUTFALL
"Point source" as described in 40 CFR § 122.2 at
the point where Whitpain Township's storm sewer system discharges
to surface waters of the commonwealth.
PADEP
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
PEAK DISCHARGE
The maximum rate of flow of storm runoff at a given point
and time resulting from a specified storm event.
PENNDOT
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
PERSON
An individual, partnership, public or private association
or corporation, or a governmental unit, public utility or any other
legal entity whatsoever which is recognized by law as the subject
of rights and duties.
POINT SOURCE
Any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including,
but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, or conduit from
which stormwater is or may be discharged, as defined in state regulations
at 25 Pa. Code § 92.1.
PROJECT SITE
The specific area of land where any regulated earth disturbance
activities in the municipality are planned, conducted or maintained.
RAIN BARREL
An above-ground reservoir or tank that holds no greater than
75 gallons of fluid for the collection of stormwater from roof leaders,
from which a person may recycle such rainwater for various uses, including,
but not limited to, watering vegetation and washing vehicles.
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RAIN GARDEN
A BMP that is a planted depression or shallow hole that collects
stormwater runoff from impervious areas, such as roofs, driveways,
hardscaping and paved parking lots. Rain gardens are designed, constructed
and maintained for the purpose of providing infiltration or recharge
of stormwater into the soil and/or underground aquifer. A rain garden
shall have a maximum ponding depth of one foot and shall be in conformance
with the Pennsylvania DEP BMP guidelines, as amended from time to
time.
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REDEVELOPMENT
Any development that requires demolition or removal of existing
structures or impervious surfaces at a site and replacement with new
impervious surfaces. Maintenance activities such as top-layer grinding
and repaving are not considered to be redevelopment. Interior remodeling
projects and tenant improvements are also not considered to be redevelopment.
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RELEASE RATE
The level of control of the postdevelopment peak rate of
runoff to be achieved for a particular site, expressed as a percentage
of the predevelopment peak rate of runoff.
RETURN PERIOD
The average interval, in years, within which a storm event
of a given or greater magnitude can be expected to recur. For example,
the twenty-five-year return period rainfall would be expected to recur
on the average of once every 25 years, or conversely would have a
four-percent chance of occurrence or exceedance in any given year.
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ROAD MAINTENANCE
Earth disturbance activities within the existing road cross
section, such as grading and repairing existing unpaved road surfaces,
cutting road banks, cleaning or clearing drainage ditches and other
similar activities.
RUNOFF
That part of precipitation which flows over the land.
SCS
The Soil Conservation Service, United States Department of
Agriculture.
SEEPAGE PIT/SEEPAGE TRENCH
An area of excavated earth filled with loose stone or similar
material and into which surface water is directed for infiltration
into the ground.
SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM
A conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with
drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters,
ditches, man-made channels or storm drains) primarily used for collecting
and conveying stormwater runoff.
SOIL-COVER COMPLEX METHOD
A method of runoff computation developed by the National
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that is based on relating soil
type and land use/cover to a runoff parameter curve number (CN).
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STATE WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
The regulatory requirements to protect, maintain, reclaim,
and restore water quality under Title 25 of the Pennsylvania Code
and the Clean Streams Law.
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STORMWATER
Drainage runoff from the surface of the land resulting from
precipitation or snow or ice melt.
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SUBAREA
The smallest unit of watershed breakdown for hydrologic modeling
purposes for which the runoff control criteria have been established
in the stormwater management plan.
SUBDIVISION
The division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land
by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions
of land, including changes to existing lot lines for the purpose,
whether immediate or future, of lease, transfer of ownership or building
or lot development.
SURFACE WATERS
Perennial and intermittent streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs,
ponds, wetlands, springs, natural seeps, and estuaries, excluding
water at facilities approved for wastewater treatment, such as wastewater
treatment impoundments, cooling water ponds, and constructed wetlands
used as part of a wastewater treatment process.
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SWALE
A low-lying stretch of land which gathers or carries surface
water runoff.
TOWNSHIP
Whitpain Township, with offices located at 960 Wentz Road,
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.
WATERCOURSE
A channel or conveyance of surface water, such as a stream
or creek, having defined bed and banks, whether natural or artificial,
with perennial or intermittent flow.
WATERSHED
Region or area drained by a river, watercourse or other body
of water, whether natural or artificial.