The Board of Supervisors of the Township of Falls finds that:
A. 
Inadequate management of accelerated stormwater runoff resulting from development throughout a watershed increases flood flows and velocities, contributes to erosion and sedimentation, overtaxes the carrying capacity of existing streams and storm sewers, greatly increases the cost of public facilities to convey and manage stormwater, undermines floodplain management and flood reduction efforts in upstream and downstream communities, reduces groundwater recharge, threatens public health and safety and causes property damage.
B. 
A comprehensive program of stormwater management, including reasonable regulation of development and activities causing accelerated erosion, is fundamental to the public health, safety, welfare and the protection of the people of the Township of Falls and all the people of the commonwealth, their resources and the environment.
C. 
Inadequate planning and management of stormwater runoff resulting from land development throughout a watershed can also harm surface water resources by changing the natural hydrologic patterns, accelerating stream flows (which increase scour and erosion of streambeds and streambanks, thereby elevating sedimentation), destroying aquatic habitat, and elevating aquatic pollutant concentrations and loadings such as sediments, nutrients, heavy metals, and pathogens. Groundwater resources are also impacted through loss of recharge.
D. 
Through project design, impacts from stormwater runoff can be minimized to maintain the natural hydrologic regime, and sustain high water quality, groundwater recharge, stream baseflow, and aquatic ecosystems. The most cost effective and environmentally advantageous way to manage stormwater runoff is through nonstructural project design, minimizing impervious surfaces and sprawl, avoiding sensitive areas (i.e. stream buffers, floodplains, steep slopes), and designing to topography and soils to maintain the natural hydrologic regime.
E. 
Stormwater can be an important water resource by providing groundwater recharge for water supplies and baseflow of streams, which also protects and maintains surface water quality.
F. 
Public education on the control of pollution from stormwater is an essential component in successfully addressing stormwater.
G. 
Federal and state regulations require certain municipalities to implement a program of stormwater controls. These municipalities are required to obtain a permit for stormwater discharges from their separate storm sewer systems under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
H. 
Nonstormwater discharges to municipal separate storm sewer systems can contribute to pollution of waters of the commonwealth by the Township.
The purpose of this section is to promote health, safety and welfare within the Township of Falls by minimizing the damages described above in § 187-1A of this chapter through provisions designed to:
A. 
Manage accelerated runoff and erosion and sedimentation problems at their source by regulating activities that cause these problems.
B. 
Utilize and preserve the existing natural drainage systems.
C. 
Maintain existing flows and quality of streams and watercourses in the Township of Falls and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
D. 
Preserve and restore the flood-carrying capacity of streams and ensure continued flow of surface water to wetlands.
E. 
Provide proper maintenance of all permanent stormwater management facilities that are constructed in the Township of Falls.
F. 
Provide performance standards and design criteria for watershed-wide stormwater management and planning.
G. 
Manage stormwater impacts close to the runoff source, requiring a minimum of structures and relying on natural processes.
H. 
Focus on infiltration of stormwater to maintain groundwater recharge, to prevent degradation of surface and groundwater quality, and to otherwise protect water resources.
I. 
Meet legal water quality requirements under state law, including regulations at 25 Pennsylvania Code Chapter 93.4.a requiring protection and maintenance of "existing uses" and maintenance of the level of water quality to support those uses in all streams and the protection and maintenance of water quality in "special protection" streams.
J. 
Provide a mechanism to identify stormwater controls necessary to meet NPDES permit requirements.
K. 
Implement an illegal discharge detection and elimination program that addresses nonstormwater discharges into the Township's separate storm sewer system.
L. 
Prevent scour and erosion of streambanks and streambeds.
M. 
Promote alternative project designs and layout that minimizes impacts to surface and ground water.
N. 
Promote nonstructural best management practices.
O. 
Minimize increases in stormwater volume.
P. 
Minimize impervious surfaces.
Q. 
Address the quality and quantity of stormwater discharges from the development site.
R. 
Maintain and protect the special flood hazard areas of the Township and preserve the flood-carrying capacity of all floodplains and floodways.
[Added 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-11]
The Township of Falls is empowered to regulate land-use activities that affect runoff by the authority of the Act of July 31, 1968, P.L. 805, No. 247, The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended by Act 170 of December 21, 1988, and Act 131 of December 14, 1992, and Chapter 191, the Township of Falls Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance of December 29, 1975.
A. 
This chapter shall apply to those areas that are located within the incorporated boundaries of the Township of Falls.
B. 
Earth disturbance activities and associated stormwater management controls are also regulated under existing state law and implementing regulations. This chapter shall operate in coordination with those parallel requirements; the requirements of this chapter shall be no less restrictive in meeting the purposes of this chapter than state law.
C. 
The following activities are defined as "regulated activities" and shall be regulated by this chapter:
(1) 
Land development.
(2) 
Subdivision.
(3) 
Construction of new or additional impervious or semipervious surfaces (driveways, parking lots, etc.).
(4) 
Construction of new structures or additions to existing structures.
(5) 
Diversion or piping of any natural or man-made stream channel.
(6) 
Installation of stormwater management facilities or appurtenances thereto.
(7) 
Earth disturbance activities and change of ground cover types.
[Added 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-11]
Approvals issued pursuant to this chapter do not relieve the applicant of the responsibility to comply with or to secure other required permits or approvals for activities regulated by any other applicable code, rule, statutes or ordinance.