ALTERATION OF DRAINAGE CHARACTERISTICS
Any activity on an area of land that changes the water quality,
force, direction, timing or location of runoff flowing from the area.
Such changes include: change from distributed runoff to confined,
discrete discharge; change in the volume of runoff from the area;
change in the peak rate of runoff from the area; and change in the
recharge to groundwater on the area.
APPLICABLE AUTHORITY
The employees and/or agents of the Department of Public Services
(DPS). An applicant that is required to obtain a permit from the Conservation
Commission and/or DEP must obtain such permit prior to applying under
this chapter.
APPLICANT
Any person, individual, partnership, association, firm, company,
corporation, trust, authority, agency, or department (including local,
state and federal government) required to apply for a stormwater management
permit for proposed land disturbance or construction activity.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)
An activity, procedure, restraint, or structural improvement
that helps to reduce the quantity or improve the quality of stormwater
runoff.
THE BOARD
The City of Pittsfield Community Development Board.
CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL (CPESC)
A certified specialist in soil erosion and sediment control.
This certification program, sponsored by the Soil and Water Conservation
Society in cooperation with the American Society of Agronomy, provides
the public with evidence of professional qualifications.
CLEAN WATER ACT
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251
et seq.) as hereafter amended.
CLEARING
Any activity that removes the vegetative surface cover.
CONSTRUCTION AND WASTE MATERIALS
Excess or discarded building or site materials, including
but not limited to concrete truck washout, vehicle and equipment fluids,
soils, aggregates, chemicals, litter and sanitary waste at a construction
site that may adversely impact water quality.
CONVEYANCE
Any surface or subsurface means of transporting stormwater
runoff from an impervious surface, detention, or retention basin to
another point on the same or on a neighboring parcel of land.
DEVELOPMENT
The modification of land to accommodate a new use or expansion
of use, usually involving construction.
DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS
The addition from any source of any pollutant or combination
of pollutants into the municipal storm drain system or into the wetland
resource areas.
DISCHARGER
A person or persons who discharge any pollutant or combination
of pollutants into the municipal storm drain system or into the wetland
resource areas from any source.
DISTURBED AREA
Any area where activities have changed, or will cause change
to, the physical, chemical, and biological influences of land surface(s).
Examples of disturbed areas include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.
The changing of preexisting drainage characteristics, soil/surface
permeability, flushing characteristics, sedimentation patterns, flow
patterns and flood retention areas;
2.
Areas involved in the translocation of any soil, parent materials,
and the derivatives of parent material;
3.
The destruction of vegetation;
4.
Any area causing or contributing to an excursion above water
quality standards due to nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous), solids,
bacteria/pathogens, metals, and hydrocarbons.
EROSION
The wearing away of the land surface by natural or artificial
forces such as wind, water, ice, gravity, or vehicle traffic and the
subsequent detachment and transportation of soil particles.
EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL PLAN
A document containing narrative, drawings and details developed
by a qualified professional engineer (PE) or a certified professional
in erosion and sedimentation control (CPESC), which includes best
management practices, or equivalent measures designed to control surface
runoff, erosion and sedimentation during preconstruction and construction
related land disturbance activities.
GRADING
Changing the level or shape of the ground surface.
GRUBBING
The act of clearing land surface by digging up roots and
stumps.
ILLICIT CONNECTION
A surface or subsurface drain or conveyance, which allows
an illicit discharge into the municipal storm drain system, including,
without limitation, sewage, process wastewater, or wash water and
any connections from indoor drains, sinks, or toilets, regardless
of whether said connection was previously allowed or approved before
the effective date of this chapter.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE
Discharges of untreated stormwater. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
an illicit discharge does not include discharges from the following
activities or facilities: fire fighting, waterline flushing, landscape
irrigation, uncontaminated groundwater, potable water sources, foundation
drains, air-conditioning condensation, footing drains, individual
resident car washing, flows from riparian habitats and wetlands, dechlorinated
water from swimming pools, water used for street washing and water
used to clean residential buildings without detergents.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE DETECTION AND ELIMINATION (IDDE)
One of six minimum control measures regulated under the City's
NPDES Phase II MS4 permit. The federal regulation governing implementation
of the IDDE program under this permit is Section (b)(3) of 40 CFR
122.34, "Storm Water Phase II Regulations."
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
All surfaces influenced by anthropogenic actions that prohibits,
or greatly reduces, the ability of that land's surface to absorb water.
Examples of an impervious surface include, but are not limited to,
the following:
1.
Any paved (concrete, bitumen, brick/stone pavers, etc.) area,
including, but not limited to, driveways, roadways, parking lots,
airport runways, tennis/basketball courts, and patios. For the purposes
of this chapter, porous pavement is to be considered an impervious
surface;
2.
Compacted earth material (gravel, stone, clay, etc.);
3.
Structures, including, but not limited to, buildings, homes,
sheds and other outbuildings, swimming pools, stonewalls, pole barns,
and storage sheds; and
4.
Areas containing long-term stockpiles of construction materials,
including, but not limited to, wood, concrete, brick, and landscaping
stone.
PARKING AREA
A paved access road or driveway; a paved area used for the
storage and/or maintenance of vehicles and/or equipment; a paved area
used for the storage of materials, products and/or waste and a roof,
other than a green roof constructed in accordance with the Massachusetts
Stormwater Handbook. The term "paved access road or driveway" includes
an impervious surface leading to any of the following: a paved parking
area; a paved area used for the storage and/or maintenance of vehicles
and/or equipment; or a paved area used for the storage of materials,
products and/or waste. For purposes of this chapter, porous pavement
is considered to be an impervious surface.
LAND-DISTURBING ACTIVITY
Any activity that causes a change in the position or location
of soil, sand, rock, gravel, or similar earth material.
MASSACHUSETTS STORMWATER MANAGEMENT POLICY
The policy issued by the Department of Environmental Protection,
and as amended, that coordinates the requirements prescribed by state
regulations promulgated under the authority of the Massachusetts Wetlands
Protection Act, MGL c. 131, § 40 and Massachusetts Clean
Waters Act MGL c. 21, § 23-56. The policy addresses stormwater
impacts through implementation of performance standards to reduce
or prevent pollutants from reaching water bodies and control the quantity
of runoff from a site.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4) or MUNICIPAL STORM
DRAIN SYSTEM
The system of conveyances designed or used for collecting
or conveying stormwater, including any road with a drainage system,
street, gutter, curb, inlet, piped storm drain, pumping facility,
retention or detention basin, natural or man-made or altered drainage
channel, reservoir, and other drainage structure that together comprise
the storm drainage system owned or operated by the City of Pittsfield.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN
A plan setting up the functional, financial and organizational
mechanisms for the ongoing operation and maintenance of a stormwater
management system to insure that it continues to function as designed.
OUTFALL
The point at which stormwater flows out from a point source
discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance into waters of the
commonwealth.
OUTSTANDING RESOURCE WATERS (ORWs)
Waters designated by Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection as ORWs. These waters have exceptional sociologic, recreational,
ecological and/or aesthetic values and are subject to more stringent
requirements under both the Massachusetts water quality standards
(314 CMR 4.00) and the Massachusetts stormwater management standards.
ORWs include vernal pools certified by the Natural Heritage Program
of the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and Environmental
Law Enforcement, all Class A designated public water supplies with
their bordering vegetated wetlands, and other waters specifically
designated.
OWNER
A person(s) with a legal or equitable interest in property.
POINT SOURCE
Any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, including,
but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well,
discrete fissure, or container from which pollutants are or may be
discharged.
POLLUTION
Any contaminant that could potentially harm a water body
or aquatic life.
PRIORITY HABITAT OF RARE SPECIES
Habitats delineated for rare plant and animal populations
protected pursuant to the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act and
its regulations.
PROCESS WASTEWATER
Water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into
direct contact with or results from the production or use of any material,
intermediate product, finished product, or waste product.
REDEVELOPMENT
Development, rehabilitation, expansion, demolition or phased
projects that disturb the ground surface or increase the impervious
area on previously developed sites.
RUNOFF
Rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation water flowing over the
ground surface.
SEDIMENT
Mineral or organic soil material that is transported by wind
or water, from its origin to another location; the product of erosion
processes.
SITE
Any lot or parcel of land or area of property where land-disturbing
activities are, were, or will be performed.
STORMWATER
Rainfall, snow melt, stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff,
and surface water runoff and drainage.
TSS
Total suspended solids (solid particles in the water).
WATERCOURSE
A natural or man-made channel through which water flows,
or a stream of water, including a river, brook or underground stream.
WETLAND RESOURCE AREAS
All wetlands and watercourses protected under the Massachusetts
Wetlands Protection Act and the Pittsfield Conservation Commission.
WASTEWATER
Any sanitary waste, sludge, or septic tank or cesspool overflow,
and water that during manufacturing, cleaning or processing, comes
into direct contact with or results from the production or use of
any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct
or waste product.
If any provision, paragraph, sentence, or clause of this chapter
shall be held invalid for any reason, all other provisions shall continue
in full force and effect.