Marion County Land Development Regulation Commission adopts stormwater and floodplain code amendments

The Marion County Land Development Regulation Commission unanimously approved a package of land development code amendments affecting stormwater, floodplain protection, grading and roadway drainage standards after an extended staff presentation and board discussion. The commission adopted the package with two modifications: clarifying the shallow flood-prone-area exemption threshold (1 foot deep and up to 2 acres) and adding language addressing lane-spread in turn lanes.

"Good afternoon, chair. Stephen Cooney, county engineer. I believe everybody in the room has, likely seen all of these proposed revisions. We'll go ahead and do a quick run through and a recap of where we are today," said Stephen Cooney, the county engineer, who introduced the set of proposed revisions and turned the presentation over to the countystormwater engineer for technical detail.

The revisions amend multiple sections of the Marion County land development code to: clarify applicability thresholds for when a major site plan must include stormwater review (the lesser of 35% impervious or 9,000 square feet); require stormwater compliance where improvements may adversely affect drainage; exempt existing single-family and farm parcels from major site-plan requirements while retaining stormwater compliance obligations; and grandfather improvements built prior to 10/01/2013 to match the water management district language. The package also formalizes design storms and recovery criteria,…