Chesterfield watershed panel considers adding runoff questions to driveway permits

At its Aug. 1 meeting, the Town of Chesterfield Watershed Committee considered adding three questions to the town's driveway permit to better assess stormwater runoff when driveways are modified. The recommendation came from staff member Matt Beauregard, who told the committee the town already has a driveway permit and identified conflicts between the existing permit and a new town ordinance, including how employee titles are used and whether building code or zoning code language applies.

Beauregard proposed the permit include three specific queries: what modifications are proposed to the existing driveway; a description of any increases to stormwater runoff; and how those increases will be mitigated. Committee member Dan Syvertsen agreed to work with Matt to produce a revised sample permit for the Watershed Committee to review at a future meeting.

The proposal is intended to provide a clearer, consistent way to document when driveway work is likely to increase runoff and to require applicants to describe mitigation measures. Committee members did not take a formal vote on adopting permit language at the meeting; instead they asked staff and Dan Syvertsen to draft and return a sample for deliberation.

Next steps: Matt Beauregard and Dan Syvertsen will draft the sample permit language for the committee to consider at a subsequent meeting. The Watershed Committee meets next on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024 at 9:30 a.m.