This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Borough
of Lansdale Stormwater Management Ordinance."
The purpose of this chapter is to promote the public health, safety, and welfare within the Borough by maintaining the natural hydrologic regime and by minimizing the harms and maximizing the benefits described in §
338-2 of this chapter, through provisions designed to:
A. Meet legal water quality requirements under state law, including
regulations at 25 Pa. Code § 93.1 et seq., to protect, maintain,
reclaim, and restore the existing and designated uses of the waters
of this Commonwealth.
B. Minimize increases in stormwater volume and control peak flows.
C. Minimize impervious surfaces.
D. Provide review procedures and performance standards for stormwater
planning and management.
E. Preserve the natural drainage systems as much as possible.
F. Manage stormwater impacts close to the runoff source, requiring a
minimum of structures and relying on natural processes.
G. Focus on infiltration of stormwater to maintain groundwater recharge,
to prevent degradation of surface water and groundwater quality, and
to otherwise protect water resources.
H. Preserve and restore the flood-carrying capacity of streams.
I. Prevent scour and erosion of stream banks and streambeds.
J. Provide standards to meet National Pollution Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit requirements.
K. Address certain requirements of the Municipal Separate Stormwater
Sewer System (MS4) NPDES Phase II Stormwater Regulations.
L. Provide for proper operation and maintenance of all stormwater management
facilities and best management practices (BMPs) that are implemented
in the Borough.
The Borough is empowered to regulate land use activities that
affect runoff, surface, and groundwater quality and quantity by the
authority of:
A. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended.
B. Borough Code (8 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.).
All regulated activities and all activities that may affect
stormwater runoff, including land development and earth disturbance
activity, are subject to regulation by this chapter. Regulated activities
include, but are not limited to:
C. Prohibited or polluted discharge;
D. Alteration of the natural hydrologic regime;
E. Addition of new impervious or semi-pervious surfaces (i.e., driveways,
parking lots, roads, etc.); reconstruction of these existing surfaces
where there is no increase in impervious surface is not regulated;
F. Construction of new buildings or additions to existing buildings;
H. Diversion piping or encroachments in any natural or man-made channel;
and
I. Nonstructural and structural stormwater management best management
practices (BMPs) or appurtenances thereto.