For the purposes of this Part 1, certain terms and words used herein shall be interpreted as follows:
A. 
Words used in the present tense include the future tense; the singular number includes the plural, and the plural number includes the singular; words of masculine gender include feminine gender; and words of feminine gender include masculine gender.
B. 
The word "includes" or "including" shall not limit the term to the specific example but is intended to extend its meaning to all other instances of like kind and character.
C. 
The words "shall" and "must" are mandatory; the words "may" and "should" are permissive.
D. 
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
COUNTY
Montgomery County.
CULVERT
A structure with its appurtenant works which carries water under or through an embankment or fill.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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."
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PLAN
A plan for a project site which identifies BMPs to minimize accelerated erosion and sedimentation.
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE
The replenishment of existing natural underground water supplies from precipitation or overland flow.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Added 9-20-2016 by Ord. No. 350]
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:
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
(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;
(2) 
A subdivision of land;
(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.
[Added 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Added 9-20-2016 by Ord. No. 350]
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
REGULATED EARTH DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY (Regulated Activity)
Activity involving earth disturbance subject to regulation under 25 Pa. Code Chapter 92, 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102, or the Clean Streams Law.[1]
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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).
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.[2]
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
STORMWATER
Drainage runoff from the surface of the land resulting from precipitation or snow or ice melt.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
A plan for managing stormwater runoff adopted by Whitpain Township.
STREAM
A watercourse.
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.
[Amended 1-4-2016 by Ord. No. 345]
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.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.