A. 
The Act requires an integrated process for approving erosion and sediment control and stormwater management plans. To achieve this, the Stormwater Management Chapter establishes a design review and approval process for three different phases of project planning commonly identified as the concept, site development, and final plans. The Department of Public Works will ensure that all submissions incorporate the design process and planning techniques listed in Section 5.1 of the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, Chapter 5, Supplement 1 (Design Manual). The Department of Public Works also shall ensure that all important resources have been mapped and protected, and all opportunities to enhance natural areas have been explored early in the design process. A narrative that supports the concept, site development, and final plan with all comments received from all approving agencies and addressed by the developer should accompany each submission.
B. 
Concept plan is the concept phase of project review, and approval requires mapping of natural resources, vegetative buffer strips, highly erodible soils, and slopes 15% and steeper. These mapped areas should be protected from erosion using additional measures or, wherever possible, designated to remain undisturbed. This data serves as the foundation for developing both the erosion and sediment control and stormwater management facets of the site development plan. Field verification is necessary to verify topographic maps, soil maps, and other materials.
C. 
The site development plan provides a more detailed design of the project. Included in this step is a narrative describing how erosion and sediment control will be integrated into the stormwater management strategy using ESD in accordance with the Design Manual. An overlay plan showing stormwater and erosion and sediment control practices is also required as part of the site development submittal. After approval from the approving agencies, the applicant will proceed with final plan preparation.
D. 
The final erosion and sediment control plans must include the limit of disturbance (LOD), the location of each sediment control practice, contours for sediment traps and sediment basins, associated construction notes, details, and representative cross sections. When phasing is necessary, the sediment control plan must include initial, interim, and final phase sediment control practices, as appropriate. A sequence of construction must be provided with enough detail to guide the construction, maintenance, and removal of the erosion and sediment controls.
E. 
Additionally, plans must include phasing and/or sequencing describing how a project will comply with the twenty-acre grading unit restriction. All projects are expected to comply with the grading unit criteria as required by COMAR 26.17.01 and the Standards and Specifications. An exception may be granted by the approval authority only when the applicant has sufficiently demonstrated that a project cannot be phased or sequenced to meet the criteria due to the uniqueness of the project or the site. The justification for an exception shall not include the cost of moving dirt more than once, the need to install interim sediment practices, or that the total construction time will increase if the project needs to be broken into phases. An exception will be issued on a case-by-case basis and will require additional erosion and sediment control measures, including redundant controls, accelerated stabilization, more frequent erosion and sediment control inspections, or other measures required by the Wicomico County Soil Conservation District.