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Hanover adopts unified erosion and stormwater management ordinance
Summary
The Board approved Ordinance 24-11 to combine erosion and sediment control and stormwater management into a single local program, adopt the new Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook references and update the county Drainage Design Handbook.
Hanover County supervisors voted to adopt Ordinance 24-11 on Tuesday, formally combining the county's erosion and sediment control and stormwater management requirements into a single erosion and stormwater management ordinance.
The change, presented by John Saunders, deputy director of public works, adopts the Commonwealth of Virginia's consolidated stormwater handbook and updates the county's Drainage Design Handbook. Saunders told the board the state provided a model ordinance in 2024 and the new local ordinance aligns county procedures and references to the updated Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook and DEQ regulations.
The ordinance keeps the technical criteria largely unchanged but reorganizes the local code to clarify which land-disturbing activities are regulated and which are exempt. Saunders said the county added limited local tailoring such as an "agreement in lieu of plan" threshold of one acre for single-family residences and new requirements for plans that involve steep final slopes (2:1 or steeper) and added expectations for stabilization on slopes of 3:1. The handbook update also adds guidance on allowed alternative construction materials for private applications, such as certain plastic pipe uses outside public easements, and tightened siting rules for level spreaders to avoid discharging too close to downstream channels.
Supervisor Dibble, who chairs the Community Development Committee, commended staff for the changes and moved approval of Ordinance 24-11 as presented. The motion carried unanimously after a public hearing with no speakers.
The ordinance takes effect as adopted; staff noted a minor correction to the board package version and provided a marked-up copy that the board approved.
The county plans ongoing outreach and technical assistance as the handbook is implemented; DEQ has indicated it will treat the handbook as a living document with future updates anticipated.
