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Board approves including public schools in Spotsylvania MS4 permit with required MOU
Summary
After a staff presentation on municipal stormwater obligations, the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to include the Spotsylvania County public school system under the county's MS4 permit, conditioned on a memorandum of understanding between the county and the school division.
Spotsylvania County supervisors voted unanimously to include the county public school system under the county's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) registration, conditioned on an MOU spelling out responsibilities for inspections, maintenance and reporting.
Dr. Johnson, county staff, presented the new MS4 designation and the program obligations under the Clean Water Act regulatory framework administered by DEQ and EPA. The presentation explained that the MS4 designation applies to urbanized portions of the county (derived from the 2020 census) and that roughly half of school properties fall within the designated MS4 area. The county's registration statement to DEQ is due in July, and staff asked the board to decide whether the school system should be included in the county permit or required to obtain a separate permit.
Dr. Johnson said benefits of including schools are a unified approach to education/outreach, consolidated mapping and reporting, and reduced duplication of compliance efforts. Drawbacks discussed included the county's shared responsibility under a combined permit and the need for an MOU to clarify operational and financial responsibilities. "If we include the schools upfront, we can have a unified approach," Dr. Johnson said.
Board action: Supervisor Lori Hayes moved to include the public school system under the county's MS4 permit conditioned on an MOU with the county. The motion passed 5-0.
Next steps: Staff said it will finalize the registration materials for DEQ based on the board's decision and proceed with an MOU template that defines inspection, reporting and maintenance obligations and any financial responsibilities for school-based BMPs. Staff warned that the designation will require additional county staffing for outfall inspections, mapping and illicit-discharge detection and that future census updates could expand the designated MS4 area.
Context: The MS4 permit cycle runs in five-year terms; the current permit cycle ends Oct. 30, 2028. The board noted budgetary implications and asked that staffing needs be addressed in upcoming budget planning.
