The following definitions are provided for the terms used in this chapter:
ADMINISTRATION
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Water Management Administration (WMA).
ADVERSE IMPACT
Any deleterious effect on waters or wetlands, including their quality, quantity, surface area, species composition, aesthetics or usefulness for human or natural uses which are or may potentially be harmful or injurious to human health, welfare, safety or property, to biological productivity, diversity, or stability or which unreasonably interfere with the enjoyment of life or property, including outdoor recreation.
AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Those methods and procedures used in the cultivation of land in order to further crop and livestock production and conservation of related soil and water resources.
APPLICANT
Any person, firm, or governmental agency who executes the necessary forms to procure official approval of a project or a permit to carry out construction of a project.
APPROVING AGENCY
The entity responsible for the review and approval of stormwater management plans.
AQUIFER
A porous water bearing geologic formation generally restricted to materials capable of yielding an appreciable supply of water.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMPs)
Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, general good housekeeping practices, pollution prevention and educational practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants directly or indirectly to stormwater, receiving waters, or stormwater conveyance systems. BMPs also include treatment practices, operating procedures, and practices to control site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or water disposal, or drainage from raw materials storage.
[Amended 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
CERTIFYING ENGINEER
The professional engineer, surveyor, or landscape architect who will be responsible for the signing and sealing of the engineer's stormwater management certification that is required on all stormwater management plans, and for performing the required inspections during construction.
CHANNEL PROTECTION STORAGE VOLUME (Cpv)
The volume used to design structural management practices to control stream channel erosion. Methods for calculating the channel protection storage volume are specified in the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual.
CITY
The City of Hagerstown, a Maryland Municipal Corporation.
CITY ENGINEER
The City's duly appointed City Engineer or his or her duly authorized representative.
CLEARING
The removal of trees and brush from the land but shall not include the ordinary mowing of grass.
CONCEPT PLAN
The first of three required plan approvals that include the information necessary to allow an initial evaluation of a proposed project.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
Activities which include but are not limited to clearing and grubbing, grading, excavating, and demolition.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
DESIGN MANUAL
The 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, and all subsequent revisions, that serves as the official guide for stormwater management principles, methods, and practices.
DETENTION STRUCTURE
A permanent structure for the temporary storage of runoff which is designed so as not to create a permanent pool of water.
DEVELOP LAND
To change the runoff characteristics of a parcel of land in conjunction with residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional construction or alteration.
DIRECT DISCHARGE
The concentrated release of stormwater to tidal waters or vegetated tidal wetlands from new development or redevelopment projects in the critical area.
DISTURBANCE
The physical change of grades or cover of the ground surface in either a permanent or temporary manner.
DRAINAGE AREA
That area contributing runoff to a single point measured in a horizontal plane, which is enclosed by a ridge line.
EASEMENT
A grant or reservation by the owner of land for the use of such land by others for a specific purpose or purposes, and which must be included in the conveyance of land affected by such easement.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Employees or designees of the City of Hagerstown Engineering Department who are designated to enforce this article.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE DESIGN (ESD)
Using small-scale stormwater management practices, nonstructural techniques, and better site planning to mimic natural hydrologic runoff characteristics and minimize the impact of land development on water resources. Methods for designing ESD practices are specified in the Design Manual.
EXEMPTION
Those land development activities that are not subject to the stormwater management requirements contained in this chapter.
EXTENDED DETENTION
A stormwater design feature that provides gradual release of a volume of water in order to increase settling of pollutants and protect downstream channels from frequent storm events. Methods for designing extended detention BMPs are specified in the Design Manual.
EXTREME FLOOD VOLUME (Qf)
The storage volume required to control those infrequent but large storm events in which overbank flows reach or exceed the boundaries of the one-hundred-year floodplain.
FINAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
The last of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow all approvals and permits to be issued by the approving agency.
FLOW ATTENUATION
Prolonging the flow time of runoff to reduce the peak discharge.
GRADING
Any act by which soil is cleared, stripped, stockpiled, excavated, scarified, filled, or any combination thereof. This includes the removal of roots, stumps, and similar material to a nominal depth below the surface of the ground.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Any material, including any substance, waste, or combination thereof, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may cause, or significantly contribute to, a substantial present or potential hazard to human health, safety, property, or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
ILLICIT CONNECTIONS
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
A. 
Any drain or conveyance, whether on the surface or subsurface, which allows an illicit discharge to enter the stormwater management system, including, but not limited to, any conveyances which allow any nonstormwater discharge including sewage, process wastewater, and wash water to enter the stormwater management system and any connections to the stormwater management system from indoor drains and sinks, regardless of whether said drain or connection had been previously allowed, permitted, or approved by an authorized enforcement agency; or
B. 
Any drain or conveyance connected from a commercial or industrial land use to the stormwater management system which has not been documented in plans, maps, or equivalent records and approved by an authorized enforcement agency.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE
Any direct or indirect nonstormwater discharge to the stormwater management system, except as exempted in § 213-43A of this chapter.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
IMPERVIOUS AREA
Any surface that prevents or significantly impedes the infiltration of water into the underlying soil, including any structure, building, patio, sidewalk, compacted gravel, pavement, asphalt, concrete, stone, brick, tile, or artificial turf. Impervious area also includes any area used by or for motor vehicles, heavy equipment, regardless of the surface type or material, including any road, driveway or parking lot.
[Amended 4-28-2020 by Ord. No. O-20-16]
INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY
Activities subject to NPDES industrial permits as defined in 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14).
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
IN-FILL DEVELOPMENT
New development that occurs on vacant, bypassed and underutilized lands within existing developed areas. The site on which the in-fill development is occurring shall not be part of an overall development plan such as that found in industrial/business parks. In-fill development shall typically be limited to site areas less than three acres in size.
INFILTRATION
The passage or movement of water into the soil surface.
MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE (MEP)
Designing stormwater management systems so that all reasonable opportunities for using ESD planning techniques and treatment practices are exhausted and only where absolutely necessary, a structural BMP is implemented. The City Engineer shall be responsible for determining whether or not the MEP standard has been met.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4)
Municipally owned facilities where stormwater is collected and/or conveyed, including, but not limited to, any sidewalks, roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, retention and detention basins, curbs, gutters, inlets, ditches, piped storm drains, pumping facilities, natural and human-made or altered drainage channels, reservoirs, and other drainage structures designed or used for collecting or conveying stormwater, and that is not used for collecting or conveying sewage.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) STORM WATER DISCHARGE PERMIT
A permit issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [or by a state under authority delegated pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 1342(b)] that authorizes the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States, whether the permit is applicable on an individual, group, or general area-wide basis.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
NONSTORMWATER DISCHARGE
Any discharge to the storm drainage system that is not composed entirely of stormwater.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
OFF-SITE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
The design and construction of a facility necessary to control stormwater from more than one development.
ON-SITE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
The design and construction of systems necessary to control stormwater within an immediate development.
OVERBANK FLOOD PROTECTION VOLUME (Qp)
The volume controlled by structural practices to prevent an increase in the frequency of out-of-bank flooding generated by development. Methods for calculating the overbank flood protection volume are specified in the Design Manual.
OWNER/DEVELOPER
Any individual, firm, association, syndicate, co-partnership, corporation, trust, or any other legal entity of agent thereof commencing proceedings under this chapter to effect development or redevelopment for himself or others.
PERSON
Any individual, association, organization, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity recognized by law and acting as either the owner or as the owner's agent.
[Amended 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
PLANNING TECHNIQUES
A combination of strategies employed early in project design to reduce the impact from development and to incorporate natural features into a stormwater management plan.
POLLUTANT
Anything which causes or contributes to pollution. Pollutants may include, but are not limited to: paints, varnishes, and solvents, oil and other automotive fluids; nonhazardous liquid and solid wastes and yard wastes; refuse, rubbish, garbage, litter, or other discarded or abandoned objects, Sediments and accumulations, so that same may cause or contribute to pollution; floatables; pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; hazardous substances and wastes; sewage, fecal coliform and pathogens; dissolved and particulate metals; animal wastes; wastes and residues that result from constructing a building or structure; and noxious or offensive matter of any kind.
[Amended 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
PREDEVELOPMENT
The conditions of the site that exist prior to the development that is subject to the requirements of this chapter. The City's 1982 aerial photography will be used as a guide in establishing predevelopment conditions.
PREMISES
Any building, lot, parcel of land, or portion of land, whether improved or unimproved, including adjacent sidewalks and parking strips.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
RECHARGE VOLUME (Rev)
That portion of the water quality volume used to maintain groundwater recharge rates at development sites. Methods for calculating the recharge volume are specified in the Design Manual.
REDEVELOPMENT
Any construction, alteration, or improvement that is performed on sites where existing land use is commercial, industrial, institutional, or multifamily residential and existing site impervious area exceeds 40%.
RETENTION STRUCTURE
A permanent structure that provides for the storage of runoff by means of a permanent pool of water.
RETROFITTING
The implementation of ESD practices, the construction of a structural BMP, or the modification of an existing structural BMP in a previously developed area to improve water quality over current conditions.
SEDIMENT
Settleable solid material that is transported by runoff, suspended within runoff, or deposited by runoff away from its original location.
[Amended 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
SITE
Any tract, lot, or parcel of land, or combination of tracts, lots, parcels of land that are in one ownership, or are contiguous and in diverse ownership, where development is to be performed as part of a unit, subdivision, or project.
SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The second of three required plan approvals that includes the information necessary to allow a detailed evaluation of a proposed project.
SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT
The Washington County Conservation District, or its duly authorized representative.
STABILIZATION
The prevention of soil movement by any of various vegetative and/or structural means.
STORMWATER
Any surface flow, runoff, and drainage consisting entirely of water from any form of natural precipitation and resulting from such precipitation.
[Amended 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Natural areas, ESD practices, stormwater management measures, and any other structure through which stormwater flows, infiltrates, or discharges from a site.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
A constructed facility which provides quantitative and/or qualitative treatment of stormwater that flows into it, including but not limited to wet and dry detention basins, wetlands, wet and dry swales, bioretention filters, sand filters, infiltration trenches and basins, rain gardens, and rainwater-harvesting devices.
[Added 4-28-2020 by Ord. No. O-20-16]
STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN (SWPPP):
A document which describes the Best Management Practices and activities to be implemented by a person or business to identify sources of pollution or contamination at a site and the actions to eliminate or reduce pollutant discharges to stormwater, stormwater conveyance systems, and/or receiving waters to the maximum extent practicable.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
STRIPPING
Any activity that removes the vegetative surface cover including tree removal, clearing, grubbing, and storage or removal of topsoil.
VARIANCE
The modification of the minimum stormwater management requirements for specific circumstances such that strict adherence to the requirements would result in unnecessary hardship and not fulfill the intent of this chapter.
WAIVER
The reduction of stormwater management requirements by the City for a specific development on a case-by-case review basis.
WASTEWATER
Any water or other liquid, other than uncontaminated stormwater, discharged from a facility.
[Added 7-26-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-09]
WATER QUALITY VOLUME (WQv)
The volume needed to capture and treat 90% of the average annual rainfall events at a development site. Methods for calculating the water quality volume are specified in the Design Manual.
WATERCOURSE
Any natural or artificial stream, river, creek, ditch, channel, canal, conduit, culvert, drain, waterway, gully, ravine or wash, in and including any adjacent area that is subject to inundation from overflow or floodwater.
WATERSHED
The total drainage area contributing runoff to a single point.