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Staff previews combined erosion and stormwater ordinance to comply with new state regulations
Summary
City staff briefed council on a required update to local erosion and stormwater ordinances to conform with Virginia DEQ regulations effective July 1, 2024; proposal consolidates programs, centralizes permitting, and will return to council with draft ordinance language.
City staff told council they will update Suffolk’s municipal code to consolidate erosion control and stormwater management into a single Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program, reflecting state regulatory changes finalized by DEQ with an effective date of July 1, 2024.
"The regulations are requiring our ordinance update," said Erin Bridal, environmental program manager, in a presentation led by Robert Lewis, director of public works. Bridal said the state provided a model ordinance that the city has used to develop a combined Chapter 35 that centralizes permitting, inspections and enforcement for land-disturbing activities.
Under the proposal, the city would consolidate two separate programs — the erosion and sediment control program and the stormwater management program — into a single chapter (Chapter 35), and replace the existing Chapter 34 erosion article with a stormwater system discharge ordinance addressing illicit-discharge prohibitions and enforcement tied to the city’s MS4 permit.
Staff said the changes are largely regulatory compliance and procedural: they aim to streamline plan review, permitting, inspection and enforcement for erosion and stormwater, and include updated enforcement measures and centralized code references.
Council asked questions and received an early briefing; staff said they would return with formal ordinance language for council consideration and asked members to review the changes. No vote was taken on the ordinance at the meeting.
