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Council adopts stormwater and grading code updates to modernize standards
Summary
Council approved the second reading and adoption of Ordinance 15-62, updating grading and stormwater rules (moving grading provisions into the Unified Development Code and adding preload and detention-vault provisions).
Stanwood — The City Council approved Ordinance 15-62 on May 28, adopting updated grading and stormwater code language and moving grading provisions into the city's Unified Development Code.
Planning staff summarized that the amendments reorganize existing code into a more reader-friendly format, move grading provisions from Title 17 to Title 18, and add specific regulations for preloads and stormwater detention vaults. When asked whether developers have been using vaults rather than ponds, staff said, “in the last 5 to 10 years, it's pretty much all been vaults,” noting vaults reduce land area taken by ponds and can be integrated into open space.
The council conducted a second-reading review and then voted to adopt the ordinance. The amendments clarify procedures and add administrative detail; staff said no substantive changes were made since the first reading aside from clarifications recorded in the staff report.
Next steps: the ordinance takes effect per the city's adoption schedule and staff will implement the updated procedures in plan review and permitting.
