This chapter shall be known as the "Easttown Township Stormwater
Management Ordinance."
[Amended 12-15-2014 by Ord. No. 424-14]
The Township Board of Supervisors finds that:
A. Inadequate management of accelerated stormwater runoff resulting
from land disturbance and development throughout a watershed increases
flooding, flows and velocities, contributes to erosion and sedimentation,
overtaxes the capacity of 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 infiltration and groundwater recharge,
increases nonpoint source pollution to waterways, and threatens public
health and safety.
B. Inadequate planning and management of stormwater runoff resulting
from land disturbance and development throughout a watershed can harm
surface water resources by changing the natural hydrologic patterns,
accelerating stream flows (which increase scour and erosion of streambeds
and stream banks, thereby elevating sedimentation), destroying aquatic
habitat, and elevating aquatic pollutant concentrations and loadings
such as sediments, nutrients, heavy metals, and pathogens. Groundwater
resources are also impacted through loss of recharge.
C. A comprehensive program of stormwater management, including minimization
of impacts of new development, redevelopment, and other earth disturbance
activities causing accelerated runoff and erosion and loss of natural
infiltration, is fundamental to the public health, safety, and general
welfare of the people of the Township and all of the people of the
commonwealth, their resources, and the environment.
[Amended 10-17-2022 by Ord. No. 452-22]
D. Stormwater is an important water resource that provides infiltration
and groundwater recharge for water supplies and baseflow of streams,
which also protects and maintains surface water quality.
E. Impacts from stormwater runoff can be minimized by reducing the volume
of stormwater generated and by using project designs that maintain
the natural hydrologic regime and sustain high water quality, infiltration,
stream baseflow, and aquatic ecosystems. Cost-effective and environmentally
sensitive stormwater management can be achieved through the use of
nonstructural site design techniques that minimize impervious surfaces,
reduce disturbance of land and natural resources, avoid sensitive
areas (i.e., riparian buffers, floodplains, steep slopes, wetlands,
etc.), and consider topography and soils to maintain the natural hydrologic
regime.
F. Public education on the control of pollution from stormwater is an
essential component in successfully addressing stormwater.
G. Federal and state regulations require the Township to implement a
program of stormwater controls. The Township is required to obtain
a permit and comply with its provisions for stormwater discharges
from its separate storm sewer system under the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
H. Nonstormwater discharges to Township or other storm sewer systems
can contribute to pollution of the waters of the commonwealth.
I. The use
of green infrastructure, low-impact development (LID), and conservation
design (CD) are intended to address the root cause of water quality
impairment by using systems and practices which use or mimic natural
processes to: 1) infiltrate and recharge, 2) evapotranspire, and/or
3) harvest and use precipitation near where it falls to earth. Green
infrastructure practices, LID, and CD contribute to the restoration
or maintenance of predevelopment hydrology.
[Added 10-17-2022 by Ord. No. 452-22]
[Amended 12-15-2014 by Ord. No. 424-14]
The purpose of this chapter is to protect public health, safety
and general welfare, property and water quality by implementing drainage
and stormwater management practices, criteria, and provisions included
herein for land development, construction and earth disturbance activities,
to achieve the following throughout the Township:
A. Reduce the frequency and magnitude of flooding and stormwater impacts
affecting people, property, infrastructure and public services.
B. Sustain or improve the natural hydrologic characteristics and water
quality of groundwater and surface waters.
C. Protect natural resources, including riparian and aquatic living
resources and habitats.
D. Maintain the natural hydrologic regime of land development sites
and their receiving watersheds.
E. Minimize land disturbance and protect and incorporate natural hydrologic
features, drainage patterns, infiltration, and flow conditions within
land development site designs.
F. Reduce and minimize the volume of stormwater generated and manage
and release stormwater as close to the source of runoff as possible.
G. Provide infiltration and maintain natural groundwater recharge to
protect groundwater supplies and stream base flows, prevent degradation
of surface water and groundwater quality, and to otherwise protect
water resources.
H. Reduce stormwater pollutant loads to protect and improve the chemical,
physical, and biological quality of ground and surface waters.
I. Reduce scour, erosion and sedimentation of stream channels.
J. Reduce flooding impacts and preserve and restore the natural flood-carrying
capacity of streams and their floodplains.
K. Protect adjacent and downgradient lands from adverse impacts of direct
stormwater discharges.
L. Minimize impervious surfaces and connected impervious surfaces to
promote infiltration and reduce the volume and impacts of stormwater
runoff.
M. Provide proper long-term operation and maintenance of all permanent
stormwater management facilities, BMPs and conveyances that are implemented
within the Township.
N. Reduce the impacts of runoff from existing developed land undergoing
redevelopment while encouraging new development and redevelopment
in urban areas and areas designated for growth.
O. Implement an illicit discharge detection and elimination program
that addresses nonstormwater discharges.
P. Provide stormwater management performance standards and design criteria
on a watershed basis.
[Amended 10-17-2022 by Ord. No. 452-22]
Q. Provide standards to meet certain NPDES stormwater permit requirements.
R. Meet legal water quality requirements under state law, including
regulations at 25 Pa. Code Chapter 93, to protect, maintain, reclaim
and restore the existing and designated uses of the waters of the
commonwealth.
S. Implement the requirements of total maximum daily load (TMDLs) where
applicable to waters within or impacted by the Township.
T. Provide review procedures and performance standards for stormwater
planning and management.
U. Fulfill the purpose and requirements of Pennsylvania Act 167 (PA
Act 167, Section 3):
(1) Encourage planning and management of stormwater runoff in each watershed
which is consistent with sound water and land use practices.
(2) Authorize a comprehensive program of stormwater management designated
to preserve and restore the flood-carrying capacity of commonwealth
streams; to preserve to the maximum extent practicable natural stormwater
runoff regimes and natural course, current and cross section of waters
of the commonwealth; and to protect and conserve groundwaters and
groundwater recharge areas.
(3) Encourage local administration and management of stormwater consistent
with the commonwealth's duty as trustee of natural resources and the
people's constitutional right to the preservation of natural, economic,
scenic, aesthetic, recreational and historic values of the environment.
[Amended 12-15-2014 by Ord. No. 424-14]
The Township is empowered or required to regulate land use activities
that affect runoff and surface and groundwater quality and quantity
by the authority of:
A. The Act of October 4, 1978, P.L. 864 (Act 167), 32 P.S. § 680.1
et seq., as amended, the Storm Water Management Act (hereinafter referred
to as "the Act");
B. The Second Class Township Code, 53 P.S. § 65101 et seq.;
C. The Act of July 31, 1968, P.L. 805, No. 247, 53 P.S. § 10101
et seq., as amended, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code,
Act 247 (hereinafter referred to as the "MPC").
[Amended 12-15-2014 by Ord. No. 424-14]
For all activities requiring submittal of a stormwater management
(SWM) site plan that involve subdivision or land development, the
applicant shall post financial security to the Township for the timely
installation and proper construction of all stormwater management
facilities as required by the approved SWM site plan and this chapter,
and such financial security shall:
A. Be equal to or greater than the full construction cost of the required
facilities, except to the extent that financial security for the cost
of any of such improvements is required to be and is posted with the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in connection with a highway
occupancy permit application; and
B. Be determined, collected, applied and enforced in accordance with
Sections 509 to 511 of the MPC and the provisions of Chapter
400, Subdivision and Land Development, of this Code (SALDO).
[Amended 12-15-2014 by Ord. No. 424-14]
A. General. The requirements of this chapter are essential and shall be strictly adhered to. For any regulated activity where, after a close evaluation of alternative site designs, it proves to be impracticable to meet any one or more of the mandatory minimum standards of this chapter on the site, the Township may approve measures other than those in this chapter, subject to Subsections
B and
C.
B. The Township Board of Supervisors shall have the authority to waive
or modify the requirements of one or more provisions of this chapter
if the literal enforcement will exact undue hardship because of peculiar
conditions pertaining to the land in question, provided that such
modification will not be contrary to the public interest and that
the purpose and intent of this chapter is observed. Cost or financial
burden shall not be considered a hardship. Modification may also be
considered if an alternative standard or approach can be demonstrated
to provide equal or better achievement of the results intended by
this chapter. A request for modification shall be in writing and accompany
the SWM site plan submission. The request shall state in full the
grounds and facts on which the request is based, the provision or
provisions of this chapter involved and the minimum modification necessary.
C. PADEP approval required. No waiver or modification of any regulated
stormwater activity involving earth disturbance greater than or equal
to one acre may be granted by the Township unless that action is approved
in advance by PADEP or the Chester County Conservation District.
[Amended 10-17-2022 by Ord. No. 452-22]