Above image courtesy of Think Blue Maine

At the December 12, 2022, council meeting, the Town Council voted 6-0 in favor of: Referring proposed amendments to Chapter 25 Stormwater Ordinance to a future council workshop; and Referring Chapter 16 Subdivision Ordinance and Chapter 19 Zoning Ordinance amendments to the Planning Board for them to review and report back to the council.  These referrals were recommended by the Ordinance Committee; the committee discussed the stormwater amendments on September 14, October 17, and November 28. 

Town Planner Maureen O’Meara said that the proposed amendments were the result of a, “team effort,” with Jay Reynolds, Director of Public Works, Steve Harding, Town Engineer, and Kristie Rabasca, the Town’s contracted stormwater consultant with Integrated Environmental Engineering.  In 2003, the Town's storm drain system became regulated under a Clean Water Act Permit, commonly referred to as the "Stormwater Phase II program."  Just as a wastewater treatment plant is regulated for the wastewater it discharges, the Town's storm drain pipes (called outfalls) are regulated for the stormwater they discharge into natural waterbodies.  The Town must manage its storm-water management per the General Permit for Stormwater federal requirements every five years.  O'Meara explained, “Think of the ‘permit’ as a long to-do list of things we have to do every five years,” O’Meara said, “and one of the things we have to do are some amendments to the Stormwater Ordinance.”   

There are two sets of amendments: Erosion and Sedimentation Control requirements; and Low Impact Development standards.  O’Meara said that since the Low Impact Development standards are still, “Stuck in front of the DEP [Department of Environmental Protection],” the council was only being presented with Erosion and Sedimentation Control amendments.  In a December 1 Memo to the Town Council, the Ordinance Committee writes:

Overall, the draft amendments have been prepared to meet minimum standards for Erosion and Sedimentation Control.  One exception is that the amendments apply town-wide, rather than limited to the urbanized area.  This continues existing practice.  The draft stormwater amendments package also includes related amendments to the Subdivision Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance, which will need to be forwarded to the Planning Board prior to the Town Council considering adoption.

For more information on the Town's stormwater management and federal requirements, please visit the Town's Stormwater Management page.