Board flags House Bill 1037 as threat to local stormwater permitting under 1‑acre threshold

Greenwood Stormwater Management staff told the board April 9 that House Bill 1037 could remove municipal authority to regulate land‑disturbing activities under one acre, a change staff warned would limit the city’s ability to require erosion and sediment controls for small projects.

Chris Jones, director of stormwater management, told board members he had visited the State House and shared language for an amendment. “What this bill would do is we couldn't say anything about it. Couldn't do anything,” Jones said, adding that the change would prevent the city from requiring silt fences, concrete washout controls and other erosion protections when homeowners dig pools or undertake other small‑scale excavation. Jones said he has provided amendment language and was working with a Democratic representative who might present it; he also said Republican members had been unresponsive.

Jones noted the board’s existing ability to regulate activities on waterways listed under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (the state’s impaired waters list), which can preserve authority in some locations. He said staff is preparing talking points and will share them with board members.

Why it matters: limiting municipal oversight of sub‑acre land disturbance could affect erosion and water‑quality protections across neighborhoods and make post‑construction best management practices harder to enforce in sensitive watersheds.

Next steps: staff will circulate talking points and any proposed amendment language to board members to support outreach to state legislators.