The provisions of this chapter are intended to protect the city's surface and ground water quality by providing minimum requirements for reducing and controlling the discharge of pollutants to stormwater conveyance systems owned and maintained by the city. The city recognizes that water quality degradation can result either directly from one discharge or through the collective impact of many small discharges. Therefore, this chapter prohibits the discharge of pollutants into drainage facilities and outlines preventive measures to restrict pollutants from entering such facilities.
It is the purpose of this chapter to:
A.
Minimize water quality degradation and sedimentation in streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands, Puget Sound, and other water bodies;
B.
Minimize the impact of increased runoff, erosion, and sedimentation caused by land development and maintenance practices;
C.
Maintain and protect groundwater resources;
D.
Minimize adverse impacts of alterations on ground and surface water quantities, locations, and flow patterns;
E.
Decrease potential landslide, flood, and erosion damage to public and private property;
F.
Promote site planning and construction practices that are consistent with natural, topographical, vegetative, and hydrological conditions;
G.
Maintain and protect the city stormwater management infrastructure and those downstream;
H.
Provide a means of regulating the clearing and grading of private and public land in a manner that minimizes water quality impacts in order to protect public health and safety;
I.
Provide minimum development regulations and construction procedures which will preserve, replace, or enhance existing vegetation to preserve and enhance the natural qualities of lands, wetlands, and water bodies; and
J.
Require use of low impact development BMPs in order to manage stormwater flows on site.
(Ord. 1196 § 3, 1995; Ord. 1685 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009; Ord. 1954 § 16, 2016; Ord. 2080 § 1, 2022)