The governing body of the Municipality finds that:
A. Inadequate management of accelerated stormwater runoff resulting
from development throughout a watershed increases flood flows and
velocities, contributes to erosion and sedimentation, overtaxes the
carrying capacity of existing streams and storm sewers, greatly increases
the cost of public facilities to convey and manage stormwater, undermines
floodplain management and flood reduction efforts in upstream and
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,
is fundamental to the public health, safety, welfare, and the protection
of the people of the Municipality and all the people of the Commonwealth,
their resources, and the environment.
C. Through project design, impacts from stormwater runoff can be minimized
to maintain the natural hydrologic regime, and sustain high water
quality, groundwater recharge, stream baseflow, and aquatic ecosystems.
The most cost effective and environmentally advantageous way to manage
stormwater runoff is through nonstructural project design, minimizing
impervious surfaces and sprawl, avoiding sensitive areas (i.e., stream
buffers, floodplains, steep slopes), and designing to topography and
soils to maintain the natural hydrologic regime.
The purpose of this Part
2 is to promote health, safety, and welfare within the East Branch Perkiomen watershed by minimizing the damages described in §
129-34A of this Part
2 through provisions designed to:
A. Promote alternative project designs and layout that minimizes impacts
to surface and ground water.
B. Promote nonstructural best management practices.
C. Minimize increases in stormwater volume.
D. Minimize impervious surfaces.
E. Manage accelerated runoff and erosion and sedimentation problems
at their source by regulating activities that cause these problems.
F. Utilize and preserve the existing natural drainage systems.
G. Encourage recharge of groundwater where appropriate and prevent degradation
of groundwater quality.
H. Address the quality and quantity of stormwater discharges from the
development site.
I. Maintain existing flows and quality of streams and watercourses in
the municipality and the commonwealth.
J. Preserve and restore the flood-carrying capacity of streams.
K. Provide proper maintenance of all permanent stormwater management
facilities that are constructed in the Municipality.
L. Provide performance standards and design criteria for watershed-wide
stormwater management and planning.
The Municipality is empowered to regulate land use activities
that affect runoff 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 applicable Municipal Code.
Approvals issued pursuant to this Part 2 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.