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TDEC audit prompts Hamblen County to plan stormwater rule changes; public meeting set for May 8
Summary
A TDEC audit found Hamblen County’s MS4 regulatory mechanism deficient; stormwater engineer Jason Mann briefed commissioners on potential land‑disturbance permits, runoff‑reduction requirements and offered a public meeting May 8 to review a draft resolution.
Jason Mann, a local stormwater engineer, told the Public Services Committee that Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) auditors reviewed Hamblen County’s MS4 (municipal separate storm sewer) program and found a deficiency in the county’s legal mechanism that will require updates to local stormwater rules.
Mann said TDEC issued a letter and that the county has not yet been placed in enforcement. “They came and reviewed the program, found this deficiency, and they issued you a letter in February that said get your regulatory mechanism up to snuff,” Mann said. He offered to help draft a resolution and to host a public information session on May 8 in the library community room to present details and answer questions.
Mann described likely components of a revised approach: adding a land‑disturbance or stormwater permit in conjunction with plan reviews, and adopting runoff‑reduction measures — such as retention or detention — aimed at protecting downstream infrastructure and water quality. He said the changes are intended to be scaled to Hamblen County’s size and staffing levels rather than the more stringent requirements larger metropolitan areas might face.
County staff noted they have not yet received a notice of violation; Mann and local officials said the county provided TDEC with a corrective action plan and asked for a short timeline to respond. One county official summarized the schedule: “Give me 5 6 months to get this done,” reflecting the county’s requested window to produce ordinance language and associated procedures.
Commissioners and residents asked about possible penalties, the timeline, and how retrofits for problem areas (for example, long‑standing drainage issues in Seven Oaks) might be addressed. Mann said front‑end plans review would be the most effective tool going forward but acknowledged that retrofitting existing infrastructure can be difficult and costly.
The county encouraged public attendance at the May 8 meeting (afternoon, community room); Mann said he would present maps, draft language and examples intended to reduce developer impacts while meeting TDEC requirements. No regulatory change was adopted at the meeting; the briefing was informational.
Next steps: county staff will coordinate the May 8 public session and return any draft ordinance or resolution to commissioners for consideration and possible readings.
