For the purpose of this chapter, certain terms
and words used herein shall be interpreted as follows:
A. Words used in the present tense include the future
tense; the singular includes the plural, and the plural 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 word "person" includes an individual, firm, association,
organization, partnership, trust, company, corporation or any other
similar entity.
D. The words "shall" and "must" are mandatory; the words
"may" and "should" are permissive.
E. The words "used" or "occupied" include the words "intended,
designed, maintained or arranged to be used or occupied."
The following words and phrases, when used in
this chapter, shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise,
the meanings given to them in this section. All words and terms not
defined herein shall be used with a meaning of standard usage.
ADVERSE IMPACT
Any deleterious effect on waters or wetlands, including their
quality, quantity, surface area, species composition, aesthetics or
usefulness for human or natural uses which are or may potentially
be harmful or injurious to human health, welfare, safety or property,
to biological productivity, diversity or stability or which unreasonably
interfere with the enjoyment of life or property, including outdoor
recreation.
ALTERATION
As applied to land, a change in topography as a result of
the moving of soil and rock from one location or position to another;
also the changing of surface conditions by causing the surface to
be more or less impervious; land disturbance.
APPLICANT
A landowner or developer, as hereinafter defined, who has
filed an application for development, including his heirs, successors
and assigns.
CLEARING
The removal of trees and brush from the land, but shall not
include the ordinary mowing of grass.
CULVERT
A pipe, conduit or similar structure, including appurtenant
works, which carries surface water.
DESIGN STORM
The magnitude of precipitation from a storm event measured
in probability of occurrence and duration and used in computing stormwater
management control systems.
DETENTION BASIN
A basin designed to retard stormwater runoff by temporarily
storing the runoff and releasing it at a predetermined rate. A detention
pond is designed to drain completely after a storm event and is not
to create a permanent pool of water.
DEVELOPER
Any landowner, agent of such landowner or tenant with permission
of such landowner who makes or causes to be made a subdivision of
land or land development.
DEVELOP LAND
To change the runoff characteristics of a parcel of land
in conjunction with residential, commercial, industrial or institutional
construction or alteration.
DRAINAGE AREA
An area contributing runoff to a single point measured in
a horizontal plane, which is enclosed by a ridge line.
DRAINAGE EASEMENT
A grant by a landowner to a grantee, allowing the use of
private land for stormwater management purposes.
ENGINEER
A professional engineer registered in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
EROSION
The removal of soil, stone and other surface materials by
the action of natural elements.
FLOODPLAIN
Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from
any natural source and specified by the National Flood Boundary and
Floodways, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Insurance
Administration.
GRADING
Any act by which soil is cleared, stripped, stockpiled, excavated,
scarified, filled or any combination thereof.
INFILTRATION
The passage or movement of water into the soil surface.
INFILTRATION STRUCTURE
A structure designed to direct runoff into the ground, such
as french drains, seepage pits or seepage trenches.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
A.
Any of the following activities:
(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 cumulative, 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 spaces,
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.
B.
Excluded from this definition of "land development"
are the following:
(1)
The conversion of an existing single-family
detached dwelling into not more than three residential units, unless
such units are intended to be a condominium.
(2)
The addition of an accessory building, including
farm buildings, on a lot or lots subordinate to an existing principal
building.
(3)
The addition or conversion of buildings or rides
within the confines of an enterprise which would be considered an
amusement park. For the purposes of this subsection, an "amusement
park" is defined as a tract or area used principally as the location
for permanent amusement structures or rides. This exclusion shall
not apply to newly acquired acreage by an amusement park until initial
plans for the expanded area have been approved by proper authorities.
LAND DISTURBANCE
Any activity involving grading, tilling, digging or filling
of ground or stripping of vegetation or any other activity which causes
land to be exposed to erosion.
MUNICIPALITY
The City of Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania;
also referred to as the "City."
NRCS
The Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States
Department of Agriculture.
ON-SITE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
The design and construction of systems necessary to control
stormwater within an immediate or proposed development.
PEAK DISCHARGE
The maximum rate of flow of water at a given point and time
resulting from a storm event.
PLANS
The final construction or as-built Mylars which have been
approved and signed by all required agencies. The Mylar, after all
signatures, becomes a permanent record of the City.
POROUS PAVING
An open graded asphaltic or reticular concrete or other material
which allows water to pass through it.
RETENTION BASIN
A basin in which the runoff from a given flood event is stored
and is not discharged into the downstream drainage system during the
flood event. A permanent pool of water is retained in such basin.
RETENTION STRUCTURE
A permanent structure that provides for the storage of runoff
by means of a permanent pool of water.
RUNOFF
That part of precipitation which flows over the land and
is not absorbed into the ground.
SEDIMENT
Soils or other surficial materials transported or deposited
by the action of wind, water, ice or gravity as a product of erosion.
SEDIMENT BASIN
A barrier, dam, retention or detention basin located and
designed to retain rock, sand, gravel, silt or other water-transported
material.
SEEPAGE PIT or 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.
SITE
Any tract, lot or parcels of land which are in one ownership,
or are contiguous and in diverse ownership, where development is to
be performed as part of a unit, subdivision or project.
SOIL-COVER COMPLEX METHOD
A method of runoff computation developed by the NRCS and
found in its publication Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds, Technical
Release No. 55, January 1957.
STABILIZATION
The prevention of soil movement by any of the various vegetative
or structural means.
STORMWATER
The drainage runoff from the surface of the land resulting
from precipitation, snow or ice melt.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
A.
For quantitative control, a system of vegetative
and structural measures that control the increased volume and rate
of surface runoff caused by man-made changes to the land.
B.
For qualitative control, a system of vegetative,
structural and other measures that reduce or eliminate pollutants
that might otherwise be carried by surface runoff.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
A set of drawings or other documents submitted by a person
as a prerequisite to obtaining stormwater management approval, which
contain all of the information and specifications pertaining to stormwater
management.
STORM SEWER
A system of pipes or other conduits which carries intercepted
surface runoff, street water and other water or drainage, excluding
domestic sewage and industrial wastes.
STRIPPING
Any activity which removes the vegetative surface cover,
including tree removal, clearing, grubbing and storage or removal
of topsoil.
USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture.
VARIANCE
The modification of the minimum stormwater management requirements
for specific circumstances such that strict adherence of the requirements
would result in unnecessary hardship and not fulfill the intent of
this chapter.
WAIVER
The relinquishment from stormwater management requirements
by the City for a specific development on a case-by-case review basis.
WATERCOURSE
Any natural or artificial stream, river, creek, ditch, channel,
canal, conduit, culvert, drain, waterway, gully, ravine or wash in
an area, including any area adjacent thereto, which is subject to
inundation by reason of overflow or floodwater.
WATERSHED
The total drainage area contributing runoff to a single point.