As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ADMINISTRATION
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Water Management
Administration (WMA).
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.
AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Those methods and procedures used in the cultivation of land
in order to further crop and livestock production and conservation
of related soil and water resources.
AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURE
Any structure used solely for agricultural purposes in which
the use is exclusively in connection with the production, harvesting,
storage, drying, or raising of agricultural commodities, including
the raising of livestock.
APPLICANT
Any person, firm, or governmental agency who or which executes
the necessary forms to procure official approval of a project or a
permit to carry out construction of a project.
APPROVED PLAN
A stormwater management plan which contains the signature
and seal of the designer and a statement of approval and the signature
by the Chief of the Development Services Division, Department of Public
Works.
APPROVING AGENCY
The entity responsible for the review and approval of stormwater
management plans.
AQUIFER
A porous water-bearing geological formation generally restricted
to materials capable of yielding an appreciable supply of water.
BENEFICIAL USERS PLAN
A plan prepared by the engineer detailing the location of
all ESD practices to be used within the development. The plan shall
be recorded along with the inspection maintenance agreement and shall
be used as a guide for maintenance and inspection by the County and
property owners.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)
A structural device or nonstructural practice designed to
temporarily store and/or treat stormwater runoff in order to mitigate
flooding, reduce pollution, and provide other amenities.
CHANNEL PROTECTION STORAGE VOLUME (CPv)
The volume used to design environmental site design and structural
management practices to control stream channel erosion. Methods for
calculating the channel protection storage volume are specified in
the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, Volumes I and II.
CLEARING
The removal of trees, brush or understory from the land,
but shall not include the ordinary mowing of grass, or the removal
of dead trees and noxious weeds.
COASTAL PLAIN REGION
Those areas south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, not
including the Elk Neck Peninsula.
CONCEPT PLAN
The first of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow an initial evaluation of the stormwater management and erosion and sediment control BMPs for any proposed development subject to this chapter (See §
325-14A for plan content requirements.). The concept plan must be reviewed and approved prior to submittal of the concept plat to the Department of Planning and Zoning.
[Amended 11-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-12]
DESIGN MANUAL
The 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, Volumes I and
II, and subsequent revisions that serves as the official guide for
stormwater management principles, methods and practices.
DETENTION STRUCTURE
A permanent structure for the temporary storage of runoff,
which is designed so as not to create a permanent pool of water.
DEVELOP LAND
To change the runoff characteristics of a parcel of land
in conjunction with residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional
construction or alteration.
DEVELOPER
The property owner, company or other entity who or which
directs or executes the development of land.
DIRECT DISCHARGE
The concentrated release of stormwater to tidal waters or
vegetated tidal wetlands from new development or redevelopment projects
in the critical area.
DISTURB
The grading, moving, or digging of soils, the removal of
grass and other ground covers, placement of fill or surface material
(such as stone, concrete, asphalt), or the removal of stumps.
DRAINAGE AREA
That area contributing runoff to a single point measured
in a horizontal plane, which is enclosed by a ridgeline.
EASEMENT
A grant or reservation by the owner of land for the use of
such land by others for a specific purpose or purposes, and which
must be included in the conveyance of land affected by such easement.
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE DESIGN (ESD)
Using small-scale stormwater management practices, nonstructural
techniques, and better site planning to mimic natural hydrologic runoff
characteristics and minimize the impact of land development on water
resources. Methods for designing ESD practices are specified in the
Design Manual.
EXEMPTION
Those land development activities that are not subject to
the stormwater management requirements contained in this chapter.
EXTENDED DETENTION
A stormwater design feature that provides gradual release
of a volume of water in order to increase settling of pollutants and
protect downstream channels from frequent storm events. Methods for
designing extended detention BMPs are specified in the Design Manual.
EXTREME FLOOD VOLUME (QF)
The storage volume required to control those infrequent but
large storm events in which overbank flows reach or exceed the boundaries
of the one-hundred-year floodplain.
FINAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
The last of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow all approvals and permits to be issued by the approving agency (See §
325-14C for plan content requirements.). The final plat will not be recommended by the Department of Public Works for approval by the Planning Commission until the final stormwater management plan has been approved.
FLOW ATTENUATION
Prolonging the flow time of runoff to reduce the peak discharge.
GRADING
Any act by which soil is cleared, stripped, stockpiled, excavated,
scarified, filled or any combination thereof.
IMPERVIOUS AREA
Any surface that does not allow stormwater to infiltrate
into the ground.
INFILTRATION
The passage or movement of water into the soil surface.
MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE (MEP)
Designing stormwater management systems so that all reasonable
opportunities for using ESD planning techniques and treatment practices
are exhausted and only where absolutely necessary a structural BMP
is implemented.
NARRATIVE
A document prepared and submitted with each plan approval
phase which describes how ESD will be implemented to the MEP. The
document must describe each ESD element which will be used, justify
any proposed structural practices and must incorporate a list of all
comments received from all of the reviewing agencies/departments and
how each comment was satisfactorily addressed.
OVERBANK FLOOD PROTECTION VOLUME (QP)
The volume controlled by structural practices to prevent
an increase in the frequency of out-of-bank flooding generated by
development. Methods for calculating the overbank flood protection
volume are specified in the Design Manual.
PERSON
The federal government, the state, any county, municipal
corporation or other political subdivision of the state, or any of
their units or an individual receiver, trustee, guardian, executor,
administrator, fiduciary or representative of any kind, or any partnership,
firm, association, public or private corporation, or any other entity.
PLANNING TECHNIQUE
A combination of strategies employed early in project design
to reduce the environmental impact from development and to incorporate
natural features into a stormwater management plan.
PRELIMINARY PLAN
The second of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow a detailed evaluation of a proposed project (See §
325-14B for plan content requirements.). The preliminary plan must be reviewed and approved by the required agencies prior to the submittal of the preliminary plat to the Department of Planning and Zoning.
[Amended 11-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-12]
RECHARGE VOLUME (Rev)
That portion of the water quality volume used to maintain
groundwater recharge rates at development sites. Methods for calculating
the recharge volume are specified in the Design Manual.
REDEVELOPMENT
Any construction, alteration, or improvement performed on
sites where the existing land use is commercial, industrial, institutional
or multifamily residential and the existing impervious area exceeds
40% of the site.
RETENTION STRUCTURE
A permanent structure that provides for the storage of runoff
by means of a permanent pool of water.
RETROFITTING
The implementation of ESD practices, the construction of
a structural BMP or the modification of an existing structural BMP
in a previously developed area to improve water quality over current
conditions.
SEDIMENT
Soils or other surficial materials transported or deposited
by the action of wind, water, ice or gravity as a product of erosion.
SITE
A.
For new development, any tract, lot, or parcel of land or combination
of tracts, lots, 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.
B.
For redevelopment, the area of new construction as shown on
an approved site plan; or the original parcel. Final determination
of the applicable area shall be made by the Department of Public Works.
SMALL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Any development which meets all of the limitations, conditions
and requirements contained within the standard stormwater management
plan and the standard erosion and sediment control plan for minor
earth disturbances.
STABILIZATION
The prevention of soil movement by any of various vegetative
and/or structural means.
STORMWATER
Water that originates from a precipitation event.
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; and
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 a stormwater management approval, which
contains all of the information and specifications pertaining to stormwater
management for the site.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Natural areas, ESD practices, stormwater management measures,
and any other structure through which stormwater flows, infiltrates,
or discharges from a site.
STRIPPING
Any activity that removes the vegetative surface cover, including
tree removal, clearing, grubbing and storage or removal of topsoil.
TRANSITION REGION
Those areas north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and
south of Interstate I-95, including the Elk Neck Peninsula.
VARIANCE
The modification of the minimum stormwater management requirements
for specific circumstances such that strict adherence to the requirements
would result in unnecessary hardship and not fulfill the intent of
this chapter.
WAIVER
The reduction of stormwater management requirements by the
Cecil County Department of Public Works 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 and including any adjacent area that is subject to inundation from
overflow or floodwater.
WATER QUALITY VOLUME (WQv)
The volume needed to capture and treat the runoff from 90%
of the average annual rainfall volume at a development site. Methods
for calculating the water quality volume are specified in the Design
Manual.
WATERSHED
The total drainage area contributing runoff to a single point.