City staff reports MS4 activities: school outreach, Rivers Alive cleanup and new Stormfest drew strong attendance

Holly Springs — City staff presented the 2024 annual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MS4) report, summarizing stormwater education, inspections and community outreach activities required under the city's permit.

Nancy (staff) told the council the report documents multiple best management practices (BMPs) and outreach events during the year, including educational work with Cherokee High School and Creekland Middle School, distribution of clean-water flyers at City Hall and with building permits, and participation in a joint Rivers Alive cleanup on Oct. 19 at Little River Park that involved 80 volunteers. Nancy said the city also launched a new Stormfest event, held in partnership with the City of Woodstock, Cherokee County agencies, and first responders; staff reported the first-year Stormfest drew over 1,000 attendees and that the event will continue as part of the city's permit activities.

On inspections, Nancy said staff catalog post-construction structures and perform annual inspections; she corrected an earlier reference and said the city inspects 20% of post-construction structures each year. Nancy reported that all complaints were responded to within 24 hours and that the city made no amendments to the erosion and sedimentation pollution control ordinance during the year. She also described street sweeping, debris collection, pet-waste stations at parks, annual training (held Dec. 4), and a September inspection of the new public works facility.

The council asked no follow-up questions during the report. The report was presented for the council's information as part of the regular monthly reports.

Quote: "We had over 1000 people come for a first year event," Nancy said of Stormfest.

Next steps: staff will continue permit-required BMPs and community outreach; no regulatory changes were proposed.