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City adopts tighter stormwater rules to limit post‑development runoff
Summary
The commission adopted ordinance O6‑25, tightening on‑site stormwater standards, defining tailwater conditions, and limiting post‑development discharge so new projects cannot increase downstream peak flow. Staff said rules will be periodically reviewed and are designed to improve resilience.
The New Smyrna Beach City Commission voted Feb. 11 to adopt O6‑25, a package of amendments to the city’s land development regulations that strengthens on‑site stormwater management standards and clarifies technical definitions used in stormwater modeling.
Senior engineer Kyle Fegley said the code changes convert qualitative guidance into measurable, enforceable standards—defining tailwater conditions, tightening post‑development discharge limits and updating rainfall event values used for design. “All future developments, they cannot discharge any greater volume than is currently being discharged off that property,” he said, describing the ordinance’s central constraint.
Commissioners and members of the public asked how the new standards account for downstream conveyance capacity and future sea‑level‑rise impacts. Fegley said the revisions require developers to model higher storm events (a 25‑year, 24‑hour event was specifically recast at about 9.5 inches) and to provide geotechnical data so the city can scrutinize exfiltration claims, seasonal high water tables and the time‑of‑concentration inputs.
Several commissioners urged that the rules be treated iteratively. Vice Mayor Martin said he hoped the city would pair the code with inspection and maintenance protocols and planned periodic updates. The ordinance passed on a roll‑call vote.
City staff said the ordinance includes provisions for revisiting technical parameters at least every two years and for stronger enforcement of easement and closed‑basin criteria.
