Manassas staff asks council to adopt consolidated Virginia erosion and stormwater rules into local code

City staff told the Manassas City Council that state regulatory changes require a local ordinance update combining erosion control and stormwater rules into a single code article.

Amy Billman, the city’s stormwater administrator, told council that the Virginia regulation 9VAC25-88875 (effective July 1, 2024) consolidated previously separate erosion and stormwater regulations and that the city must update Chapter 58 to mirror the state model. The proposed change repeals Article 3 (erosion control) and consolidates requirements into Article 4 (Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program) and updates definitions, technical references and fee cross-references.

Matt (city staff) described the item as largely housekeeping and said the city already is operating under the updated rules. Billman said the state has issued a consolidated handbook with updated best-management practices (BMPs) for ponds, bioretention and erosion controls and that the local fee language and references were moved and consolidated in chapter 58, section 101(d) with a cross-reference to chapter A130 in the packet.

Staff asked council to advance the ordinance for adoption at the next meeting; staff also indicated they would place the ordinance on the consent agenda at the June 9 meeting if the item is unanimous among council. No formal council vote was recorded during the briefing.

Councilors asked follow-up questions but raised no substantive objections during the session; staff said the change simplifies the code and benefits developers and property owners by aligning local language with the state model.

No final adoption vote was taken at the work session.