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Planning commission advances county adoption of Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management model ordinance
Summary
Washington County Planning Commission voted unanimously April 28 to forward a recodification of stormwater and erosion control rules to the Board of Supervisors, adopting the state model ordinance (VESMP) language and updated fee appendix; staff noted updated BMPs, VPDES changes and possible surety-bond adjustments.
The Washington County Planning Commission voted unanimously April 28 to forward a model ordinance recodifying the county's erosion and sediment control rules into a consolidated stormwater management ordinance consistent with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) guidance.
Mr. Snodgrass, who presented the ordinance update, said the state model merges erosion and sediment control with stormwater management into the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program (VESMP). He told commissioners the model ordinance consolidates definitions, updates best-management practices and ties in new Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) construction-permit requirements and monitoring deadlines.
"It was designed or aimed to enhance environmental protection by reducing pollution and improving water quality," Mr. Snodgrass told the commission. He said the county's draft mostly follows the state model language; local edits in the packet replaced the jurisdiction name with Washington County. The packet also included an updated fee appendix and staff said they had reviewed permit- and bond-related fees with the county stormwater reviewer.
During discussion, staff and commissioners discussed surety-bond amounts and whether bond levels in the model ordinance would be adequate to cover reclamation if projects defaulted; staff said bond amounts were slightly higher than before but would be reviewed. Commissioners asked whether the county remains outside the Chesapeake Bay watershed language; Snodgrass said DEQ advised the county it could remove Chesapeake-Bay-specific language because Washington County is not in that watershed.
Staff said the county presently lacks a stormwater administrator and that the county had contracted with the engineering firm Hurt & Proffitt of Blacksburg to administer the local stormwater program for two to three months while the county addresses DEQ-identified deficiencies. Following discussion, the planning commission opened and closed the public hearing with no speakers and moved to recommend adoption; the vote was unanimous.
The action sends the recodified Chapter 30, Article 5 and the revised Appendix B fee schedule to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.
