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Home My WebLink AboutNCS00428_Burlington 2021 SWMP_20220518NPDES Phase II Stormwater Management Plan City of Burlington, North Carolina Table of Contents 1.0 - Storm Sewer System Information......................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Population Served......................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Growth Rate..................................................................................................................................5 1.3 Jurisdictional and MS4 Service Areas.......................................................................................... 5 1.4 MS4 Conveyance System............................................................................................................. 5 1.5 Land Use Composition Estimates................................................................................................. 5 EstimateMethodology..........................................................................................................................6 1.6 TMDL Identification..................................................................................................................... 6 2.0 - Receiving Streams................................................................................................................................ 7 3.0 - Existing Water Quality Programs.........................................................................................................8 3.1 Local Programs............................................................................................................................. 8 3.2 State Programs.............................................................................................................................. 8 4.0 - Permitting Information......................................................................................................................... 9 4.1 Responsible Party Contact List..................................................................................................... 9 4.2 Organizational Chart...................................................................................................................10 4.3 Signing Official...........................................................................................................................10 5.0 - Co -Permitting Information.................................................................................................................11 6.0 - Reliance on Other Government Entity...............................................................................................12 6.1 Name of Entity..................................................................................................................................12 6.2 Elements to be Implemented.............................................................................................................12 6.3 Contact Information for the Responsible Party.................................................................................12 6.4 Legal Agreement...............................................................................................................................12 7.0 - Stormwater Management Program.....................................................................................................13 7.1 Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts.............................................................14 Public Education and Outreach BMP Summary Table.......................................................................15 TargetAudience..................................................................................................................................16 TargetPollutant Sources.....................................................................................................................17 OutreachProgram...............................................................................................................................18 DecisionProcess................................................................................................................................. 20 Evaluation........................................................................................................................................... 20 7.2 Public Involvement and Participation.........................................................................................20 Public Involvement and Participation BMP Summary Table.............................................................21 City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 2 TargetAudience..................................................................................................................................21 ParticipationProgram......................................................................................................................... 21 DecisionProcess.................................................................................................................................25 Evaluation........................................................................................................................................... 25 7.3 Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination................................................................................ 25 Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination BMP Summary Table .................................................... 26 StormSewer System Map................................................................................................................... 28 RegulatoryMechanism....................................................................................................................... 29 Enforcement........................................................................................................................................ 29 Detectionand Elimination.................................................................................................................. 29 Non -Storm Water Discharges............................................................................................................. 37 Other Incidental Non -Storm Water Discharges.................................................................................. 37 Outreach.............................................................................................................................................. 38 DecisionProcess................................................................................................................................. 38 Evaluation........................................................................................................................................... 39 7.4 Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control............................................................................ 39 7.5 Post -Construction Stormwater Management in New Development and Redevelopment ..........42 Storm Water Management Permitting Options...................................................................................43 Operationand Maintenance................................................................................................................ 44 Controlof Fecal Coliforms.................................................................................................................44 Additional Requirements for SA Waters............................................................................................45 Additional Requirements for Trout Waters.........................................................................................45 Additional Requirements for Nutrient Sensitive Waters.....................................................................45 Comprehensive Watershed Plans........................................................................................................46 Post -Construction Stormwater Management BMP Summary Table..................................................47 Non -Structural BMPs..........................................................................................................................49 StructuralBMPs..................................................................................................................................50 Natural Resource Protection............................................................................................................... 51 OpenSpace Protection........................................................................................................................52 TreePreservation................................................................................................................................ 52 Redevelopment................................................................................................................................... 53 Development in Areas with Existing Infrastructure............................................................................ 53 City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 3 MixedUse Development.................................................................................................................... 53 StreetDesign....................................................................................................................................... 54 Green Infrastructure Elements and Street Design............................................................................... 54 ReducedParking Requirements.......................................................................................................... 54 Transportation Demand Management Alternatives............................................................................ 55 Minimizing Stormwater from Parking Lots........................................................................................ SS Maintenance/Enforcement.................................................................................................................. 55 Green Infrastructure Strategies........................................................................................................... 55 RegulatoryMechanism.......................................................................................................................56 Operationand Maintenance of BMPs................................................................................................. 56 Evaluation........................................................................................................................................... 56 7.6 Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations ........................................ 56 Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping BMP Summary Table ............................................... 57 AffectedOperations............................................................................................................................ 59 Training............................................................................................................................................... 60 Maintenanceand Inspections.............................................................................................................. 60 VehicularOperations.......................................................................................................................... 61 WasteDisposal.................................................................................................................................... 62 FloodManagement Projects................................................................................................................ 62 ExistingOrdinances............................................................................................................................62 OtherEvaluations................................................................................................................................ 63 DecisionProcess................................................................................................................................. 63 Evaluation........................................................................................................................................... 63 AppendixA.................................................................................................................................................64 AppendixB................................................................................................................................................. 65 AppendixC................................................................................................................................................. 66 AppendixD................................................................................................................................................. 67 City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 4 1.0 - Storm Sewer System Information 1.1 Population Served According to 2010 Census data, the permanent population of the City of Burlington is 49,963. There is no seasonal population. Glencoe Glen Raven 1.2 Growth Rate Ile Elan BUfllflglOri According to census information from 2000 and 2010, the an- "ems River 0d 70 70 1 nual growth rate for the City of Burlington is 1.12%. Graham !aoogll d9 ap09ED �12 +40 le 1.3 Jurisdictional and MS4 Service Areas The jurisdictional and MS4 service area of City of Burlington is 27.4 square miles. The ETJ area is 13.7 square miles, but the only legal authority that the City has within this area is the enforcement of the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance, and the City's Zoning and Subdivision Regulations. 1.4 MS4 Conveyance System The City of Burlington has recently updated its storm drainage conveyance system. It has been deter- mined that most of the infrastructure is aging, yet it is in relatively good condition. The downtown area of the City contains a significant amount of the culvert and pipe systems and catch basins. Outside of the downtown area in the more rural areas of the City, the conveyance system consists mostly of channels and ditches that run through backyards and feed into larger streams. The City proactively investigates the stormwater conveyance system each time a significant storm threat is predicted. This investigation includes the portion of system that is maintained is within the City's right-of-way. Currently, this infrastructure is maintained by the City's Street Department as problems are reported by residents or noted in the field by City personnel. Typical maintenance includes driveway cul- vert installation and clean out, ditch maintenance, catch basin repairs and clean out, and headwall mainte- nance. 1.5 Land Use Composition Estimates Land Use Category Area (sq. miles) Percentage Residential 24.8 60% Industrial 7.4 18% City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 5 Commercial 3.7 9% Open Space 0.6 2% Roads 4.6 11 % TOTAL 41.1 100% Estimate Methodology The estimates were generated using percentages from the City's Land Use Composition Plan. It was de- termined to use these percentages because the City's zoning does not recognize open space, which is one of the required categories. In addition, zoning is not always a good indicator of actual land use. 1.6 TMDL Identification According to the TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) information located at http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/tmdl/TMDL_list.htm the City of Burlington does not discharge into any body of water or receiving stream that currently has a TMDL allocation. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 3.0 - Existing Water Quality Programs 3.1 Local Programs The City of Burlington is designated by the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources to imple- ment the Sediment and Erosion Control program within the City limits and the ETJ area. All land -disturb- ing activities involving an area greater than one acre are required by law in the state of North Carolina to operate under an approved erosion control plan. This plan must be obtained before work begins on a site. Although tracts containing less than one acre do not require permits, adequate measures to prevent ero- sion and contain sediment on site are still required. The City of Burlington Engineering Department, as the local enforcement agent for the con- trol of land disturbing activities for the state of North Carolina, administers an erosion control program within the City limits and extraterritorial jurisdictional area. This program operates under the di- rection of the Land Quality Section of NCDENR, which enforces the require- ments of the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973 on a statewide basis. The City also implements Watershed Supply Watershed Protection Regulations within the City limits and the ETJ. These regulations are in place to protect the watershed areas and water supply lakes for the City and to provide for a safe and potable water supply for present and future generations. The regulations in- clude density limits, buffer regulations, site plan requirements, and penalties for violations. 3.2 State Programs There are no state water quality programs implemented in the City of Burlington. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 4.0 - Permitting Information 4.1 Responsible Party Contact List Measurable Goal Responsible Party Minimum Measure 1 • Develop educational materials Amy Barber, Stormwater Manager • Storm water web site 336-222-5091 • Educational presentations abarbergburlin tg onnc.gov • Government access channel show • City Works newsletter Piedmont Triad Regional Council-Stormwater Smart • Business outreach program 336-904-0300 dheflingptrc.org IMinimum Measure 2 • Open meetings law Amy Barber, Stormwater Manager • Big Sweep 336-222-5091 • Household hazardous wastes abarberkburlingtonnc.gov • Volunteer groups • Storm drain stenciling Piedmont Triad Regional Council-Stormwater Smart 336-904-0300 dheflinAptrc.org Minimum Measure 3 • Storm sewer system map Amy Barber, Stormwater Manager • Illicit discharge ordinance 336-222-5091 • Illicit discharge detection and elimination abarberkburlingtonnc.gov • Public education Minimum Measure 4 N/A — City is already complying, no further Todd Lambert action needed 336-222-5050 tlambertgburlin tg onnc.gov IMinimum Measure 5 • Post -Construction ordinance Amy Barber, Stormwater Manager • Fecal coliform control 336-222-5091 • Non-structural BMPs abarberkburling_tonnc.gov • Structural BMPs • Operations and maintenance City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan Minimum Measure 6 • Training Amy Barber, Stormwater Manager • Vehicular operations 336-222-5091 • Waste disposal abarberkburlin tg onnc. og_v • City facilities and properties • Storm drainage infrastructure maintenance • Ordinances 4.2 Organizational Chart The organizational chart for the City of Burlington is located in Appendix B. 4.3 Signing Official The signing official for the City of Burlington is Mayor, James Butler. Contact information for Mayor Butler can be found in the permit application form. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 10 5.0 - Co -Permitting Information The City of Burlington will be implementing these permit requirements individually; therefore this sec- tion is not applicable. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 6.0 - Reliance on Other Government Entity The City of Burlington will continue to rely on the Alamance County Health Department, Environmental Health Section, to regulate new and existing septic tanks within the City. All other permit -related tasks will be performed by the City of Burlington. Ali 6.1 Name of Entity Alamance County Health Department 6.2 Elements to be Implemented Septic Tank Regulations 6.3 Contact Information for the Responsi- ble Party Environmental Health Section 209 N Graham -Hopedale Road Burlington, NC 27217 (336) 570-6367 6.4 Legal Agreement Is a legal agreement in place to establish the relationship and responsibilities of both parties? There is a clear understanding of specific responsibilities between both parties and there is no written legal agree- ment. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 12 7.0 - Stormwater Management Program The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program was established as the funda- mental regulatory mechanism of the CWA. The NPDES program requires that a direct discharger of a pollutant into waters of the United States must obtain an NPDES permit. Initially, the permitting effort was focused on municipal and industrial wastewater facilities. Although these discharges were controlled, many impaired waterbodies remain impaired. 7 Subsequent studies have determined that diffuse (non -point) sources, e.g., storm water runoff from urban and agricultural areas, construc- tion sites, land disposal areas, and mining activities, are presently the NES 7-I leading contributors to water quality impairment. Although storm wa- ter originates from various diffuse sources, this runoff is frequently discharged through separate storm sewers or other conveyances. Therefore, the CWA was amended in 1987 to include Section 402(p), which required the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a comprehensive phased program to regulate storm water discharges under the NPDES program. The NPDES Phase I rule, which was issued in November 1990, addressed storm water discharges from medium to large municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), which were communities serving a population of at least 100,000 people, as well as storm water discharges from industrial activity. The ruling also placed permitting requirements on some construction activities. The NPDES Phase II rule, which was promulgated in December 1999, addressed small municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) serving a population of less than 100,000 people in urban- ized areas. Per 2010 Census data, the estimated population of the City of Burlington was approximately 49,963 and therefore Burling- ton is one of the communities in the state of North Carolina automatically designated as an NPDES Phase 11 program. In the state of North Carolina, EPA has delegated the North Carolina Department of the Envi- ronment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) as the state permitting authority. The City of Burlington has an active permit from NCDENR which is set to expire on February 19, 2022. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 13 The City of Burlington, which is an owner/operator of a small MS4, is required to reduce the discharge of pollutants to waters of the State and the United States to the "maximum extent practicable" to protect wa- ter quality. At a minimum, the City is required to implement a Storm Water Management Program that addresses the following issues: • Specify Best Management Practices (BMPs) for six minimum control measures and implement them to the "maximum extent practicable", • Identify measurable goals for these control measures, • Develop an implementation schedule for these control measures or frequency of activities, and • Define the responsible entity to implement these control measures. The State requires that the City of Burlington implement the six minimum measures throughout the City's jurisdictional area, including the ETJ (extra -territorial jurisdictional) area. This poses many difficulties, mainly in how the City may obtain authority to tax an area that does not have representation and is not served by City water or sewer services. Since the City does not currently have legal authority over the ETJ area they will be unable to implement the Phase 11 program in this area, with the exception being the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control ordinance and the City Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances, which are implemented throughout the ETJ area. However, the City will make available public education materials to residents living in these areas. 7.1 Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts The key to implementing and managing an effective storm water program begins with community involvement. With this, greater support is typically achieved as the public gains an understanding of the reasons why it is necessary and important. Public support is also beneficial when mu- nicipalities attempt to institute new funding initiatives or when re- cruiting volunteers. In addition, greater compliance with program re- quirements is experienced as the awareness of personal responsibili- ties and their impact toward protecting and maintaining the quality of area waters is achieved. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 14 To satisfy this control measure, the City of Burlington works in cooperation with the Piedmont Triad Re- gional Council's Stormwater Smart Program to implement a public education program designed to edu- cate the public regarding the importance of proper storm water management. At a minimum, the City must perform the following tasks: • Implement a public education program to distribute educational materials to the community or con- duct equivalent outreach activities to communicate the impacts of storm water discharges on local water bodies. In addition, this program must address steps that can be taken to reduce storm water pollution; and • Determine appropriate best management practices and measurable goals toward developing a public education and outreach program. Examples of public education and outreach measures are abundant as shown below. These materials, which should be tailored toward relevant local situations and issues, will involve a variety of strategies to ensure maximum coverage. Public Education and Outreach BMP Summary Table BMP Measurable Goals Yr Yr Yr Yr Yr Responsible 1 2 3 4 5 Party/Position a. Goals and Defined goals and objectives of the X X X X X Amy Barber Objectives Local Public Education and Outreach Stormwater Man - Program based on community wide ager issues. b. Describe target The permittee shall maintain a de- X X X X X Amy Barber pollutants and/or scription of the target pollutants Stormwater Man- stressors and/or stressors and likely sources. ager c. Describe target The permittee shall maintain a de- X X X X X Amy Barber audiences scription of the target audiences likely Stormwater Man - to have significant storm water im- ager pacts and why they were selected. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan is d. Describe The permittee shall describe issues, X X X X X Amy Barber residential and such as pollutants, likely sources of Stormwater Man- industrial/com- those pollutants, impacts, and the ager mercial issues physical attributes of stormwater run- off, in their education/outreach pro- gram. e. Informational The permittee shall promote and X X X X X John Vernon / Web Site maintain, an internet web site de- Public Infor- signed to convey the program's mes- mation Officer sage Target Audience The City of Burlington has a diverse population of target groups including residential property owners, commercial and industrial business owners, school -aged children and community leaders. These groups are being targeted for public education on storm water impacts in order to expand the public understand- ing of the City's programs and their active role. Commercial and industrial property own- ers, grade school children, and adults are being targeted for basic stormwater educa- tion. These groups are being targeted to en- sure a basic understanding of non -point source pollution and its impacts on the en- vironment throughout the community. City leaders also aspire to provide these groups with basic pollution prevention techniques they can easily implement into their every- day lives. Grade School Children Traditionally, standardized testing in public schools has focused on language, grammar, and mathematics knowledge. Consequently, schools have concentrated less of their educational efforts on other subjects, one of which is science. Recently, standardized tests have begun including sections that specifically target the students' knowledge of science. In order to keep their students fully prepared, teachers and adminis- trators must now find and prepare appropriate science -oriented material and lessons. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 16 The City of Burlington in conjunction with Stormwater SMART has devoted efforts to educating grade school children about water quality issues. A fifth grade curriculum was built and distributed to the local school system. Stormwater Smart and City staff are available to give presentations at school functions and attends various educational programs. Adult Education Efforts The City works with PTRC, Stormwater SMART and the Wildlife Resources Commission to host and promote adult education efforts such as Aquatic Wild and Project WET. These efforts are often in con- junction with Creek Week programming or County Cooperative Extension initiatives. Commercial and Industrial Education Efforts Commercial and Industrial businesses are being targeted for education to inform owners about the impacts of illicit discharges, reporting procedures, proper waste disposal practices, and the efforts they can take to minimize pollu- tants from their sites. Target Pollutant Sources The City of Burlington lies within Subbasins 03-06-02 and 03-06-03 of the Cape Fear River Basin. Subbasin 03- 06-02 contains the cities of Burlington, Greensboro, Graham and Mebane. There is a large amount of ag- ricultural land use in this subbasin, although the urban land use surrounding Greensboro and Burlington has a great impact on water quality. Both point source discharges and nonpoint source runoff contribute to the Fair to Poor water quality bioclassifications found in many streams in the subbasin. Subbasin 03-06-03 contains few urban areas except along the I-40/85 corridor between Burlington and Greensboro. The primary land use in this subbasin is a mixture of agriculture and forest. Most water quality problems are associated with nonpoint sources. Erosion from agricultural land may cause large sediment inputs into streams within this subbasin. The worst water quality in the subbasin was observed in Little Alamance Creek in Burlington. Urban runoff is the most likely cause of this low rating. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 17 Public education and outreach programs will attempt to address pollutants resulting from urban runoff since that appears to be the major concern for each of these subbasins. In addition, the City will focus ef- forts and activities on Little Alamance Creek to address those deficiencies. Outreach Program The possibilities for meeting this minimum measure are truly limitless and the City diligently works to develop new ideas. Presentations to civic groups, development of brochures and other literature, and de- velopment of multimedia spots all qualify as public education efforts. The following items will meet the requirements of this minimum measure: Obtain, Develop, and Distribute Water Quality Educational Materials There are numerous agencies with potential sources of information available on non -point source pollu- tion that can be utilized by the City. The NCDENR has developed educational materials that are available on-line at www.enr.state.nc.us/html/environmental education.html. Available information includes envi- ronmental education materials, kids' pages, resources for teachers, and education plans. Also, the Divi- sion of Water Resources administers two environmental education outreach programs, Stream Watch and Project WET (Water Education for Teachers). Stream Watch is a stewardship program whereby local citi- zens can "adopt" a waterway, or a portion of one, and act on its behalf. Project WET is a K-12 interdisci- plinary water education program intended to supplement a school's existing curricu- lum. TENON= Laundry, upholstery and carpet cleaning businesses, along with automobile service repair facilities, are susceptible to producing illicit discharges (see Minimum Measure #3). Educational materials tailored to these industries will be produced and distributed to appropriate businesses operating within the City. In addition to utilizing the aforementioned sources for educational materials, the City creates its own products to make the information most relevant to local situations and concerns. Every effort is given to insure that the materials are located in conspicuous places where they are available to citizens throughout the City. Appropriate sites include City buildings, parks, and public lakefront areas. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 18 Water and Sewer Utility Billing The City of Burlington bills water and sewer customers either monthly or bimonthly. Dissemination of water quality education notices has been done through the utility billing, which is a good source of con- tact. Unfortunately, the City's post card billing has limited space to include water quality or other infor- mation. Should the City elect to change to a different type of mailer the potential for utilizing this me- dium would be greatly enhanced. City Web Page Internet access is widely available, making it a prime vehicle for disseminating information of any kind to a large audience. The City's web page, located at www.ci.burlington.nc.us , is already well designed, with a simple layout and relevant information for the citizens of Burlington. A portion of the web page is de- voted to public awareness of storm water and water quality issues. The web page also contains a list of internet hyperlinks to web sites discussing storm water quality, public education and involvement, and illicit discharges. City Works and Burlington Employee Newsletter Another public education mechanism that the City already has in place is the City Works newsletter and the Burlington Employee (BEN) newsletter. Published four times a year, the City Works community newsletter is mailed to every utility customer in the City. It contains information about local events, City meetings, recreation opportunities, local officials, and department activities. A series of articles in upcom- ing issues will heighten awareness of storm water and water quality issues. BEN is a newsletter distrib- uted to all City employees that will also be used to deliver water quality information. Stormwater Hotline The City utilizes the Burlington Connected hotline for its Stormwater calls. The hotline provides resi- dents the opportunity to call in concerns related to water quality or quantity and enables residents to be involved in reporting water quality violations, illegal dumping, or other issues. This system is capable of receiving Stormwater inquiries via the internet. It can be accessed at the following link: https://www.burlingtonnc.gov/1017/Burlington-Connected City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 19 Decision Process The City of Burlington realizes that most of its citizens do not have a basic understanding of non -point source pollution and its impacts on the environment. It is the goal of City leaders to educate the public about these issues by targeting specific groups as well as the population as a whole with basic information about water quality and pollution prevention techniques using various mechanisms, including brochures, presentations, and other media outlets. Evaluation The success of the public education program will is not easy to measure. The number of households tar- geted with information, the number of people attending educational forums, the number of presentations given to various groups, or the number of hits on the City's storm water web page are all good indicators of how many people are being reached in the community. The completion of the tasks listed in the BMP summary table during the years shown will be used as an indication of success. 7.2 Public Involvement and Participation EPA believes that the public can provide valuable input and assistance toward implementing a Phase II community's storm water management program. As a result, the NPDES Phase II program will require the City of Burlington to encourage public participation and involvement in the City's storm water pro- gram. The public is to be given opportunities to play a substantial role in both the creation and implemen- tation of the management program. Using the public to help develop the program will help to broaden public support, increase the number of potential ideas to meet the permitting requirements, and shorten the implementation schedules due to fewer public outcries and dissent. According to the Phase II Rules, at a minimum the City may comply with North Carolina G.S. 143-318, the open meetings law to meet the requirements of minimum measure #2. The City has an "open door" policy regarding public discussion on any and all stormwater related programs. Suggestions or new ap- proaches to operating under the Phase II Rules are welcome and follow up provided as necessary. The City continues to hold a public meeting annually to provide an organized event to involve the public. This is advertised on the water bills of each property owner in the City in advance of the meeting. Public involvement is encouraged through many opportunities as detailed in the following section. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 20 Public Involvement and Participation BMP Summary Table BMP Measurable Goals Yr Yr Yr3 Yr Yr Responsible 1 2 4 5 Party/Position a. Volunteer The permittee shall include and X X X X X Amy Barber community promote volunteer opportunities Stormwater involvement designed to promote ongoing citi- Manager program zen participation b. Mechanism for The permittee shall provide and X X X X X Amy Barber Public involve- promote a mechanism for public Stormwater ment involvement that provides for in- Manager put on stormwater issues and the stormwater program. C. Hotline/Help The permittee shall promote and X X X X X Amy Barber line maintain a hotline/helpline for the Stormwater purpose of public involvement Manager and participation. Target Audience The target audience for the public involvement and participation minimum measure includes all the citi- zens of Burlington. Specifically the opportunity to communicate the City's programs to school groups, civic organizations, environmental groups, professional organizations, and both commercial and industrial property owners is desirable. However, new audiences with no prior knowledge of the City's programs continue to be targeted. Participation Program Public Hearings The City currently complies with North Carolina G.S. 143-318, the open meetings law. All meetings are advertised and are open to all citizens. Appendix C has a copy of the minutes from the meeting in which the Stormwater Ordinance was adopted. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 21 Working with Citizen Volunteers Creek Week Creek Week is held each year in communities throughout North Carolina. Creek Week is conducted by volunteers statewide to learn about, recreate in, and clean up North Carolina waterways. Alamance County Creek Week promotes water quality efforts and provides educational opportunities for the citizens of Burlington and will be continued. Earth Day Earth Day, a worldwide event held every year in April, celebrates the Earth's natural environment. Groups around the world organize events each year to raise awareness of environmental issues and sus- tain public commitment to environmental protection. Citizen Environmental Groups There are several environmental groups within Alamance County working on water quality -related issues. The Haw River Assembly and The Haw River Trail organizations are both concerned with issues related to the Haw River. Other groups working within the County include The Elon Center for Environmental Studies, the Elon Sierra Club, the Haw River Group of the Sierra Club, and the Burlington Beautification Bureau. Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day The City sponsors or works with Alamance County to co-sponsor a household hazardous materials collection day in an effort to collect used oil, batteries and other common household hazardous wastes. Examples include lawn and garden pesticides and fertilizer, paint and paint thinner, anti -freeze, brake fluid, and gasoline and oil mix- tures. This activity will likely reduce the amount of toxic chemicals entering the waterways of the City. Improper disposal of these types of contaminants is considered an illicit discharge. This event could also be considered a BMP to meet the requirements for yet another minimum measure: Illicit Discharge Detec- tion and Elimination. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 22 Volunteer Monitoring or Stream Clean -Up Activities The City will encourage citizens to participate in activities other than Big Sweep that will protect or reha- bilitate local waterways and drainage areas. These types of events can help meet both public education and public involvement requirements as outlined by EPA. The City can develop programs to suit its par- ticular needs or can promote involvement in programs that are al- ready in place. Some existing and upcoming programs that the City will promote include: • LARA — Little Alamance Restoration Alliance • NC StreamWatch 2.0 — NC DEQ • Build-N-Learn-Rain Garden Workshop Adopt -a -Stream Many communities oversee a program that allows civic groups, neighborhoods, school classes, and others an opportunity to become active participants in the health of their local waterways. Similar to the "Adopt - a -Highway" programs, volunteers select a waterbody and pledge to keep it clean. Usually, the group is given recognition for its efforts on signs at bridge crossings or in city bulletins and newsletters. Adopt -Your -Watershed EPA's Adopt Your Watershed program challenges you to serve your com- munity by taking part in activities to protect and restore your local water- shed. htto://www.eDa.2ov/adopt/ Youth Organizations Several youth organizations offer programs that place an emphasis on environmental issues, some specifi- cally with water quality. The City will encourage the local chapters of these organizations to become ac- tive in these types of programs. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 23 Soil and Water Conservation Merit Badge This project, offered in the Boy Scouts of America merit badge program, helps boys understand the im- portance of water and soil conservation practices. It also requires that the badge candidate become in- volved by conducting a project to help recover or preserve an area whose soil or water is deemed sensitive. http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/mb106.asp Water Drop Patch This project was developed jointly by the United States EPA and the Girl Scout Coun- cil of the Nation's Capital (GSCNC). It encourages girls to "make a difference in their communities by becoming watershed and wetlands stewards." The program allows girls use their skills and their knowledge to educate others in their community about the need to protect the nation's valuable water resources. www.epa.gov/adopt/patch/ Storm Drain Stenciling Due to the fact that most citizens are not well educated on the subject of surface water quality, one public involvement activity that will help improve water quality is to stencil City -owned storm drains. Many citizens are misinformed and believe that storm drains flow to the City sanitary sewer system. Therefore, some citizens dump contaminants such as used motor oil and anti -freeze into the storm drains. Various civic groups, such as the Boy and Girl Scouts, have been involved in stream cleanups and encouraged to participate in storm drain stenciling. Storm drains can be stenciled with various messages such as "Drains to Haw River" or "No Dumping, Drains to Stream". Other options include plastic plates, convey- ing similar messages, which can be glued directly to the inlets. The City will look at all options to develop the most effective stenciling program. A similar activity, although more related to public education than involvement, involves installing customized manhole covers. Numerous foundry companies have begun customizing manhole covers for Phase I and Phase II communities. The covers can be cast with the City of Burlington logo and could read "Sanitary Sewer" or "Storm Sewer" to differentiate between the two and all new development be required to adhere to these standards if feasible. Many foundries offer customized covers for the same price as standard covers if a community requires them as part of their standard specifications. The City specifications currently require the use of customized manhole covers. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 24 Decision Process The City of Burlington realizes that most of its citizens do not have a basic understanding of non -point source pollution and its impacts on the environment, and therefore are not involved in activities to im- prove water quality. It is the goal of City leaders to involve the public about these issues by involving them in public meetings and volunteer opportunities. Evaluation The success of the public involvement program will not be easy to measure. The number of volunteer op- portunities sponsored by the City, the number of citizens attending open meetings, the number of storm drains stenciled, and the number of citizens who are involved in volunteer clean-up activities are all good indicators of how many people are being reached in the community. The completion of the tasks listed in the BMP summary table during the designated year will be used as an indication of success. The responsi- ble party listed for each activity will be held responsible for implementing the BMPs. 7.3 Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination To eliminate illicit discharges into the City's storm sewer system, the City of Burlington will be required to develop a strategy to detect and eliminate such discharges. An illicit discharge has been defined by the EPA as "any discharge into a separate storm sewer system that is not composed entirely of storm water". Typically, illicit discharges enter a storm sewer system either through direct connections, e.g., sanitary sewer piping, or indirectly from cracked sanitary sewer conveyance systems, spills collected by storm drains, or from contaminants dumped directly into a sewer inlet. The following are typical examples of illicit discharges: • Sanitary wastewater • Effluent from septic tanks • Laundry wastewater • Improper disposal of household or automotive toxics • Spills from roadway accidents Pollutants from these sources can include heavy metals, toxics, oils and grease, solvents, nutrients, viruses, and harmful bacteria. Substantial levels of these con- taminants can damage fish and wildlife habitats, decrease aesthetic value, and more importantly threaten public health due to contaminated food and drinking water supplies. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 25 To comply with NPDES Phase II program requirements, the City implements the following action items: • Maintain a storm sewer map illustrating the location of all storm sewer outfalls and the names and location of all waters of the United States that receive discharges from these outfalls. • Develop a map to help indicate "hot spots" where illicit discharges could be an issue. • Minimize the number of occurrences of non -storm water discharges into the City's storm sewer sys- tem through the implementation of a City Ordinance, performing routine maintenance on sewer lines and developed a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for all three City NPDES Permit Holders. • Implementing employee training and education programs for all City NPDES Permit Holders. • Continued Partnerships with Piedmont Triad Regional Council's Stormwater SMART Program to continue to educate public employees, businesses, and the general public regarding the impacts asso- ciated with illegal discharges and the improper disposal of waste. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination BMP Summary Table BMP Measurable Goals Yr Yr Yr Yr Yr Responsible 1 2 3 4 5 Party/Position b. Maintain adequate The permittee shall annually review X X X X X Amy Barber legal authorities the permittee's IDDE ordinances or Stormwater Man - other regulatory mechanisms, or adopt ager any new ordinances or other regula- tory mechanisms that provide the per- mittee with adequate legal authority to prohibit illicit connections and dis- charges and enforce the approved IDDE Program. C. Maintain a Storm The permittee shall maintain a current X X X X X Amy Barber Sewer System Base map showing major outfalls and re- Stormwater Man - Map of Major ceiving streams ager Outfalls. d. Detect dry weather The permittee shall develop and im- X X X X X Amy Barber flows plement a program for conducting dry Stormwater Man - weather flow field observations in ac- ager cordance with a written procedure for detecting and removing the sources of illicit discharges. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 26 e. Investigations into The permittee shall maintain, and X X X X X Amy Barber the source of all evaluate annually written procedures Stormwater Man - identified illicit for conducting investigations of identi- ager discharges. fied illicit discharges. f. Track investigations The permittee shall track all investiga- X X X X X Amy Barber and document illicit tions and document the date(s) the il- Stormwater Man - discharges licit discharge was observed; the re- ager sults of the investigation; any follow- up of the investigation; and the date the investigation was closed. g. Employee Training The permittee shall implement and X X X X X Amy Barber document a training program for ap- Stormwater Man- propriate municipal staff, who as part ager of their normal job responsibilities, may come into contact with or other- wise observe an illicit discharge or il- licit connection to the storm sewer system. h. Provide Public Edu- The permittee shall inform public em- X X X X X Amy Barber cation ployees, businesses, and the general Stormwater Man - public of hazards associated with ille- ager gal discharges and improper disposal of waste. i. Public reporting The permittee shall promote, publi- X X X X X Amy Barber mechanism cize, and facilitate a reporting mecha- Stormwater Man- nism for the public and staff to report ager illicit discharges and establish and im- plement citizen request response pro- cedures. j. Enforcement The permittee shall implement a X X X X X Amy Barber mechanism to track the issuance of no- Stormwater Man- tices of violation and enforcement ac- ager tions taken by the permittee. This mechanism shall include the ability to identify chronic violators for initiation of actions to reduce noncompliance. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 27 Storm Sewer System Map One of the major tasks associated with this minimum control measure is the development of mapping of the City's regulated MS4 outfalls. The City of Burlington currently has electronic documentation of the City's storm sewer system and regulated outfalls. The City of Burlington has developed a basic storm sewer map illustrating the location of the storm sewer outfalls and the names and location of all waters of the United States that receive discharges from those outfalls. Development of the map is a dynamic process and the City of Burlington is continuing to enhance this resource. EPA de- fines an outfall as "a point source at the point where a municipal separate storm sewer discharges to waters of the United States". These wa- ters of the United States gener- ally include any waterway that is identified on a USGS 7.5' topographic quadratic map. A map showing these waterways within the city limits of Bur- lington is located in Appendix A. The inventory of the City's outfalls will help the City gain awareness of their system and the location of the discharge points. EPA recommends collecting all available existing information that may include out - fall locations such as City records, construction plans, and drainage studies and then field verifying their locations. In order to obtain a comprehensive map of the City's outfalls, City staff walked the jurisdic- tional waterway, located outfalls by visual observation, and recorded their locations and the names of all receiving waters with GPS technology. The map will be regularly updated when new outfalls are located, either through identification by City staff or through as -built submittals from developers. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 28 Regulatory Mechanism In order to prohibit illicit discharges to the MS4, the City has created a new ordinance to address illicit discharges and connections. This ordinance has been named, "The City of Burlington Stormwater Ordi- nance" and was adopted by the City Council on 6/19/2007. The language specifically relates to the re- quirements of the NPDES MS4 permit such as: • Findings of fact • Objectives • Prohibitions • Notification of spills and violations • Requirements for monitoring • Inspections • Penalties Enforcement The City of Burlington "Stormwater Ordinance", mentioned above, has been implemented and enforced to ensure that illicit discharges or connections are minimized. This ordinance requires that violators ad- dress illicit connections within a certain time frame or they will face penalties as determined by The City of Burlington Stormwater Ordinance. Detection and Elimination The City of Burlington must also develop a program to detect and eliminate illicit discharges. In order to detect non -storm water discharges, the City must develop a program and methodology for identification of these discharges. EPA has determined that after a 72-hour time period of no rainfall, any discharge from a municipal separate storm sewer may be non -storm water related. Therefore, unless the discharge is exempt from the regulation, i.e. irrigation water, water line flushing, or residential car washing, the dis- charge is considered an illicit. In order to determine the source of the discharge, grab sampling must be performed during dry weather conditions. Regulated communities are then required to analyze the constit- uents in the sample in order to determine the source of the discharge and to eliminate the contaminant if it is an illicit connection or discharge. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 29 The locations of the City's outfalls have been mapped using GPS technology linked to a Geographical Information System (GIS) database. Attributes of individual outfalls such as shape, type, size, and condi- tions were recorded digitally as the outfalls were located. This data has since been incorporated into the City's GIS. The. following sections include procedures and guidelines for tracking potential illicit discharges. Procedures for Location of Priority Areas Sanitary Sewer Issues One of the most common and easily detectable types of illicit discharge is domestic wastewater. Dis- charge from a cracked sewer line or a cross connection is usually associated with extremely unpleasant odors and contains evidence that the common citizen will recognize. Therefore, unlike other illicit dis- charges, detection of this type of discharge does not generally require sampling for positive identification. However, wastewater illicit discharges are a recurring problem. Despite proper design and construction techniques, leaks will continue to occur due to old infrastructure, erosion, and numerous other means. The City of Burlington, like virtually every other municipal wastewater system, has experienced some minor problems. The City of Burlington has taken steps to alleviate inflow and infiltration (I&I) into the wastewater sys- tem. Although inflow to the system does not affect the quality of surface runoff, cracks that allow inflow City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 30 will also allow outflow should portions of the system become backed up or completely full. Therefore, cracks in the sewer system increase treatment costs due to the treatment of storm water, decrease overall plant capacity, and have the potential to endanger the quality of surface waters. In the early 1990s, an I&I study of the system was performed. The City is proactively replacing and repairing older sanitary sewer lines which has greatly reduced the number of overflows. The City has in place a notification policy for any sanitary sewer spill or overflow. Each spill that reaches surface waters of the State must be reported to the State. Two common problems that have been identified in the City are I&I due to the use of clay pipe for much of the older portions of the wastewater system infrastructure and numerous stream sanitary crossing fail- ures due to erosion around their respective pilings. Clay pipe contributes to I&I problems and necessitates regular inspections (representatives of the City regularly walk the lines and the City's TV truck is utilized for pipeline inspections). Erosion at stream crossings has become a problem due to continual expansion and construction within the City limits. The addition of impervious area (rooftops, sidewalks, paving, etc.) has increased both runoff volumes and peak flow rates. The increase in volume and intensity of sur- face runoff has caused many major drainage ditches and creeks to erode or widen. Field crews will take special care around sanitary sewer crossings to identify any possible illicit dis- charges. Procedures for Tracing Illicit Discharges Outfall Inventory/Mapping The EPA requirements for Phase I communities are to collect data on all existing outfalls 12" or larger in industrial areas, and 36" and greater in all other areas. Ditches in industrial land use areas will be picked up when their drainage areas are 2 acres or more. Ditches in all other land use categories will be included when the drainage areas leading to them are 50 acres or more. The inventory should include attributing it for the following: inspection date and time, site description, outfall size and material, discharge color, dis- charge odor, presence and type of floatables, discharge turbidity, deposits/stains, vegetative condition, presence or absence of flow. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 31 Dry Weather Screening Procedures The inventoried outfalls will serve as the basis for identifying the field screening areas. Dry weather screening only takes place greater than seventy-two hours after a storm event greater than 0.1 inches. The City has purchased a Weather Service Station to determine rainfall quantities in the area, along with local weather reports and rain gauges placed near the areas to be screened. Only major outfalls with observed dry weather flow are required to be sampled. The status of flowing outfalls should be integrated into the GIS outfall coverage. Once an outfall is found to have a dry weather discharge, additional measures must be taken to determine whether the discharge is illicit. Illicit Connection Investigative Procedures The illicit connections program is composed of a set of investigative procedures to determine if a dry weather discharge is illicit and, if so, how to deal with it. Below is an overview of the illicit discharge investigation procedures that will be used by the City. 1. Check each outfall for dry weather flow. Upon finding dry weather discharge or other evidence of an illicit discharge (ie. odor, discoloration of surrounding area, etc.) perform a visual inspection looking for those items listed below. Also check for odor, flow depth and flow quantity. 2. Perform field testing for water temperature and pH and obtain a sufficient sample to test for total chlorine, detergents/surfactants, phenols and copper. The location should have additional sampling conducted as necessary to classify the discharge. 3. If, upon returning for the second sample, there is no flow, note as such and return the following day. After three "no flow" conditions, and lacking additional evidence of an illicit discharge the outfall may be removed from the potential illicit discharge list. 4. If flow continues, record the data in the Potential Illicit Discharge database. 5. Begin walking the contributing system upstream until flow is no longer found. 6. Check the watershed for facilities that may contribute the identified parameters found in steps 1 and 2 to determine a list of potential sources of the dry weather flow. 7. Inspect suspected facilities for potential illicit connections. 8. Notify owner of the facility of the potential violation, identify steps to be taken, and establish sched- ule for removal. 9. Perform a follow-up investigation at the site to ensure that the illicit has been removed. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 32 Visual Inspection Investigation The initial investigation is based on visual inspection, including: Odor The odor of storm water discharges will vary widely. Odor can be a good indicator of the type of pollutant in the water. For instance, storm water discharges may smell like sewage, oil, gasoline, or may contain a chemical smell. Decomposition of organic materials can also cause a distinctive sulfur odor. Odors may vary greatly with changes in temperature and time of year. Color Color can also be an important factor in deter- mining the source of an illicit discharge. The par- ticular color should be noted and tracked up- stream as far as possible. Sewage will typically have a gray or brown color, whereas industrial wastes may have a variety of colors. Turbidity Turbidity is a measure of the amount of suspended matter in the water and affects the clarity of the discharge. Discharges from industrial facilities are often highly turbid. Although erosion can also create highly turbid water, this should not be the case during dry weather flows. Each inspection should note the relative degree of turbidity. Floatables Floatables are solids and liquids that float on the sur- face of the water. Floatables may include substances such as animal fats, food products, trash, oils, plant materials, solvents, foams, or gasoline. Floatables can often lead directly to the manufacturing process or other source of the illicit discharge. A full description of the type and quantity of the floatables and a photo- graph of the discharge should be included in the re- port. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 33 • Residue Residue left on the conveyance system can be an indicator of an illicit discharge. Discoloration of the pipe or channel should be tracked upstream. It is also important to note the location of the discolora- tion or stain within the conveyance system. For example, is it just a line of residue half way up the pipe or is the pipe completely stained for some depth? • Vegetation Vegetation growing in the immediate discharge area should be noted in relation to vegetation grow- ing in the general vicinity of the outlet. Certain discharges can cause substantial changes in plant growth. Discharges containing a high nutrient content may cause increased growth while discharges with severe changes in pH may cause a decrease in growth. Although vegetation patterns may serve as an indicator of non -storm water discharges, they are also difficult to interpret. Time of year, rain- fall patterns, exposure to sun all affect plant growth and may be contributing factors to the changes in vegetation patterns. Caution should be used when considering vegetation as an indicator of an il- licit discharge. • Structural Damage Like residue, structural damage to the conveyance system can also be an indicator of an illicit dis- charge. Structural damage is typically more noticeable in concrete pipes. Acidic discharges may cause cracking, spauling, or deterioration of the concrete. The location of the damage within the pipe and the distance upstream will be important in determining the type of pollutant and the source of the discharge. Field Testing Investigation In addition to visual inspection, field testing investigation may be performed to determine the source of the illicit discharge. Field testing should be done for the following characteristics: • Temperature Water temperature that varies greatly from the ambient air temperature is a good indicator that there is an illicit discharge to the system. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 34 • pH The normal pH of storm water typically ranges from 6 to 7.5. Values outside of this range are an in- dicator of an illicit discharge. Water with values of 3 to 6 are acidic and may indicate discharges from textile mills, pharmaceutical manufacturers, metal fabricators and companies that produce res- ins, fertilizers, or pesticides. Wastes containing sulfuric, hydrochloric, or nitric acids are a common source of contamination. Water with values of 8 to 12 may indicate discharges from industries such as the following; textile mills, metal plating facilities, steel mills, and producers of rubber and plas- tic. Wash water used to clean floors and industrial machinery may also produce alkaline wastewater. • Copper Elevated levels of copper may indicate discharges from cooling, boiler, or industrial re -circulation systems. Copper sulfate is typically used as an algaecide in all of these systems. Copper can also be an indicator of discharges from an automobile manufacturing or maintenance facility. • Phenols Elevated levels of phenols may indicate industrial wastewater discharges. Caution should be exercised, however, since phenols may also be present in other waste streams. Phenols should be considered in re- lation to other parameters in determining the poten- tial source. • Surfactants/Detergents Typically, the presence of surfactants and detergents will indicate a connection to either an automo- bile wash facility or a laundry facility. High surfactants/detergents and elevated temperatures are good indicators of laundry facilities. Lower levels of surfactants/detergents may indicate a connec- tion to a residential laundry or industrial facility. • Chlorine The absence of chlorine may indicate a natural water source. However, due to chlorine's ability to quickly dissipate, caution should be used when making judgements based on its absence. Generally, only potable water sources will contain chlorine. Therefore, the presence of chlorine insures that the source is not a natural water source. Very high levels of chlorine typically indicate connection to a swimming pool. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 35 Some testing may require the use of an independent lab, and this process is being expanded upon to better detect and eliminate illicit discharges as necessary to accomplish the goals of this program. Using the results of the visual and field testing investigation, likely sources of the illicit discharge can be identified. Typically, illicit discharges and connections are from either wash water or sanitary sewer sources. The investigator will work upstream looking for the connections. Additional testing may be required at upstream points and testing of additional parameters may also be necessary to further identify the actual source. Other investigative methods that may be used include dye testing, smoke testing, and in -pipe cameras. 0 Illicit connections may be verified by performing an on -site inspection. When on -site inspections are per- formed, the inspection should be fully documented and photographs of the connection and facility should be taken when feasible. After a potential source is identified, testing should be conducted immediately upstream to insure that there are not multiple sources of the discharge. Procedures for Removing Illicit Discharges Upon identification of the source of the illicit discharge or illegal dumping, the responsible party will be notified to cease the improper practices. All appropriate regulatory agencies will be notified of the dis- charge. The violator may be fined in accordance with the adopted ordinance and will be given a designated period of time to eliminate the illicit connection by either: a) rerouting the flow to the sanitary sewer (if appropriate), b) constructing on -site treatment facilities, c) permitting the connection (if applicable), or d) removing the source of the illicit discharge. During the designated period inspections may be conducted to verify compliance with the order to cease and desist further discharges and any clean up procedures required to mitigate damages caused by the dis- charge. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 36 Procedures for Plan Evaluation A debriefing will be held after the first drainage area is complete to discuss procedures and policies asso- ciated with the detection and elimination process. Results of the investigation will be evaluated and the process will be revised as necessary. The types of illicit connections found will also be considered to de- termine the next highest priority watershed. For example, if it is found that the majority of illicit connec- tions come from a particular type of facility, the watershed with the highest concentration of that type of facility will be investigated next. A debriefing will be conducted after each watershed investigation is concluded. Additional meetings will be held, and changes to the process will be made as appropriate. Non -Storm Water Discharges Some categories of non -storm water discharges in- clude water line flushing, landscape irrigation, di- verted stream flows, rising ground waters, uncon- taminated ground water infiltration, uncontaminated pumped ground water, discharges from potable wa- ter sources, foundation drains, air conditioning con- densation, irrigation water, springs, water from crawl space pumps, footing drains, lawn watering, residential car washing, flows from riparian habitats and wetlands, dechlorinated swimming pool dis- charges, and street wash water. These categories of discharges are not presently seen as significant contributors of pollutants to Burlington's MS4 system and therefore will not be addressed. Other Incidental Non -Storm Water Discharges Based on available information, there are no other incidental non -storm water discharges that are contrib- uting significant amounts of pollutants to the MS4. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 37 Outreach Improve Illicit Education Efforts The City is required to educate their citizens on the potential harms associ- ated with the illegal dumping of illicits. The City will distribute litera- ture on the detrimental effects of many household toxics. Citizens will be made aware of what can and can't be dumped into the storm sewer system. Representatives of the business community will also be in- formed using educational ideas discussed in the Public Education sec- tion. Efforts such as this will help meet the illicit discharge education requirements, and will correlate with minimum measures 1 and 2. Storm Water Management Guide for Susceptible Businesses Certain industries are susceptible to producing illicit discharges. A storm water management guide, tai- lored to these industries, will be produced and distributed to appropriate businesses operating within the City (See Public Education minimum measure). Decision Process The City of Burlington now knows the locations of regulated outfalls within their jurisdictional area. Therefore, it is the goal of City leaders to investigate these outfalls and in turn identify, track and discon- nect any illicit discharges to the MS4. In addition, the public will be educated about illicit discharges and their impact on water quality in Burlington. The illicit discharge detection and elimination process described previously is based on EPA guidance and processes and procedures being used successfully in other communities. The process allows for a timely and efficient gathering of information within each watershed and provides documentation of po- tential discharges, facilities cited and actions taken. The debriefing meetings held at the end of each drain- age area investigation allows for further refinement of the system. There are three basic reasons why illicit connections have been made to the system. These three reasons are discussed below. 1. The person responsible for the discharge is unaware that it is happening. For example, a sanitary sewer leak. 2. The person responsible for the discharge is aware of the discharge, but is unaware that it is unaccepta- ble. 3. The person responsible for the discharge is aware that the discharge is occurring and is aware that it is unacceptable. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 38 The first two reasons for illicit discharges will be addressed through education efforts and interagency agreements. Regular inspections of each drainage area will also help to reduce the number of connections. Generally, reduction in the number of discharges associated with the third type listed above will only be reduced through aggressive inspection and enforcement activities. Evaluation The overall goal for this minimum measure is the identification and removal of illicit connections that are negatively affecting water quality in the City of Burlington. In order to meet this goal, the storm sewer map with all regulated outfalls located was completed. The completion of this map met one measure of the program's success for the initial five year cycle. The success of this minimum measure will now be measured through the number of illicit connections that are identified and addressed. See the BMP Sum- mary Table located in Section 7.3 for more information. 7.4 Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control Polluted storm water from construction sites is often con- veyed to storm sewer systems that ultimately discharge into rivers and streams. Sediment from construction sites has been shown to exceed that from agricultural lands by 10 to 20 times and 1,000 to 2,000 times for forested land. During a small storm event, both large or small construction sites can contribute a significant quantity of pollutants to receiving wa- ter bodies. Although sediment is the primary concern, contam- inants include nutrients, pesticides, oils and grease, concrete truck washout, and construction chemicals and debris. t7_._ NPDES Phase II legislation requires the following to comply with this minimum measure: • Establishment of an ordinance or other regulatory mechanism requiring the proper implementation of sediment and erosion controls for construction sites with a land disturbance greater than or equal to one acre. • Procedures for site inspection and enforcement control measures • Sanctions to ensure compliance with local regulatory requirements (Ordinance or other regulatory mechanism) • Implementation of procedures for site inspection and enforcement of sediment and erosion control measures City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 39 The following sections describe the City of Burlington's erosion control program that is already in place. The program meets the requirements of this minimum measure therefore no additional BMPs are needed. However, the City of Burlington will pursue educational programs for employees and contractors. Land Development Regulations All land -disturbing activities involving an area greater than one acre are required by law in the state of North Carolina to operate under an approved erosion control plan. This plan must be obtained before work begins on a site. The adoption of the Jordan Lake Rules will require that all commercial and indus- trial sites exceeding 0.5 acres of land disturbing activity develop an erosion and sediment control plan and be permitted. Activity that does not exceed these thresholds is still obligated to follow sediment and erosion control laws and install BMP's as necessary. The City of Burlington Engineering Department, as the local enforcement agent for the control of land disturbing activities for the state of North Carolina, administers an erosion control program within the City limits and extraterritorial jurisdictional area. This program operates under the direction of the Land Quality Section of NCDENR, which enforces the requirements of the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973 on a statewide basis. The Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973 is a performance -oriented law that allows flexibility in determining the most economical and effective methods for controlling erosion and sediment. The North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission sponsored the development of the North Carolina Erosion and Sedimentation Control Planning and Design Manual, a basic reference used during plan preparation, review, implementation, and enforcement to minimize and control the effects of erosion and sedimenta- tion on surrounding land, water bodies and ecosystems. Plans are required to be prepared by, or under the direction of, a Professional Engineer, Professional Land Surveyor, Registered Architect, or Registered Landscape Architect. Since every site has unique character- istics, each erosion and sedimentation control plan should be site specific. However, the Design Manual contains a checklist of items to be incorporated into a typical plan. City of Burlington Engineering Speci- fications and Standard Details are also available to assist the designer. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 40 Three sets of drawings showing the site, its features, and the proposed erosion and sedimentation control plan must be submitted to the Engineering Department for review. A completed Financial Responsibil- ity/Ownership Form and an acreage -based permit fee must be submitted with the proposed plan. Staff engineers review the plan and if it is found to be incomplete or inadequate the designer is requested to provide additional information or to revise the plan. Once the plan is approved, a Land -Disturbing Ac- tivity Permit is issued. During implementation of the plan and subsequent construction, Engineering De- partment staff members inspect the site to determine if the approved plan has been implemented and to ensure compliance with the law. Any person or party engaging in a non -compliant land -disturbing activity will be directed to stop work and will be issued a Notice of Violation. Violators are subject to a fine of $500.00 per day for each day that the site is not in compliance, and may be charged with a Class 2 misde- meanor, which may include a fine not exceeding $5000.00. Examples of violations include: • No approved plan 00"00 • Failure to follow an approved plan (�� • Failure to provide adequate ground cover C) • Insufficient measures to retain sediment on site • Failure to take all reasonable measures • Inadequate buffer zone • Graded slopes and fills too steep • Unprotected exposed slopes • Failure to maintain erosion control measures All measures should be installed as shown on the approved plan, and should be inspected by the contrac- tor or developer on a weekly basis and after all storm events. Special Use Permits The Technical Review Committee made up of City employees from various departments meets every Thursday to review submitted plans that may be of concern because of their size or location. The commit- tee decides whether a Special Use Permit is necessary for the project, and what will be required from the developer to control storm water runoff. The developers of large projects are encouraged to provide for retention of storm water on -site through the utilization of basins, storage pipes and other devices. Those projects for which the issuance of a Special Use Permit is necessary will generally be required to imple- ment retention measures if downstream properties would be adversely affected. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 41 Floodplain Ordinance The City of Burlington also utilizes a floodplain ordinance to restrict development within the FEMA floodplain and other mapped streams where regulatory flood elevations or floodways have not been provided. The ordinance sets forth requirements for development along both mapped and unmapped streams. Watershed Protection Regulations Alamance County adopted watershed protection regula- tions that provide the authority to regulate the use of prop- A Watershed L 111E 1 L{ Y '!} L 4 a l �' 1' y *## itribuLmim +i PRAIVIIAUal erties in water supply watersheds located in its territorial jurisdiction by virtue of N.C.G.S. 153A-330(ff) and Article 21 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes of North Carolina. The ordinance includes density limits, buffer regulations, site plan requirements, and penalties for violations. Jordan Lake Rules The City will adopt ordinances and regulations associated with the Jordan Lake Rules as outlined in the approved rules. These regulations will provide additional authority and requirements to programs already being implemented by the City. One modification is that the erosion control permit will be required on lots with disturbances of less than one acre. Other Ordinances In addition to the above -mentioned ordinances, the City of Burlington Engineering Department also re- quires developers to submit calculations for proposed development adjacent to small streams. The results of these calculations yield a minimum finished floor elevation that is allowed on the site. 7.5 Post -Construction Stormwater Management in New Development and Rede- velopment Post -construction storm water management is necessary because runoff from areas undergoing develop- ment and redevelopment has significantly impacted receiving waterbodies. This impact typically occurs in two forms. The first impact is due to an increase in the type and quantity of pollutants in storm water runoff. As water flows over these sites, it transports harmful contaminants such as oil and grease, pesti- cides, heavy metals, and various nutrients, (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorous). These pollutants become sus- pended in the runoff and are conveyed to receiving water bodies, such as lakes and creeks. The second post -construction runoff impact typically occurs as a result of increased storm water runoff rates and volume due to an increase in impervious surfaces. This increase in runoff has not only been shown to interrupt the natural water balance of percolation into the ground, but also impact the receiving waterbody through streambank scouring and downstream flooding. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 42 The NPDES Phase II program that the City of Burlington enforces has the following requirements: • Enforce a program to manage post -construction discharges to the MS4 from new development or re- development project that disturb greater than or equal to one acre • Develop and implement a combi- nation of both structural and non- structural BMPs • Requires the use of post con- struction runoff controls • Ensure adequate long-term oper- ation and maintenance of the controls The post construction program devel- oped by the City of Burlington was adopted on July 1, 2007. As part of this program, three staff members have acquired certifications to review stormwater plans and to inspect and maintain the proposed BMPs. The City relies on the North Carolina Best Management Practices Manual for design and maintenance. Storm Water Management Permitting Options The City of Burlington's post -construction program applies to all new development projects that cumula- tively disturb one acre or more, and to projects less than an acre that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale. The program also applies to all redevelopment projects that cumulatively disturb one acre or more, and to projects less than an acre that are part of a larger common part of development or sale. The projects must apply for permit coverage as a low or high -density project. Low Density Projects The definition of low -density projects is given within SWU-268-103102. Within the City of Burlington; there are few low -density projects as minimum zoning requirements allow for development that exceeds these thresholds. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 43 High Density Projects Criteria for high -density projects (projects that exceed the low -density threshold) are also given in the State's Instructions for Preparing the Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program Report (SWU- 268-103102). Within the City of Burlington, most of the high -density development is occurring within several areas of the City. The area of the City currently experiencing the most growth is the southwest fringe area, which has recently been served with City water and sewer service and includes a new high- way interchange. The new developments include commercial, residential and industrial land uses. Operation and Maintenance In order for the post -construction program to be successful, an operation and maintenance component must be developed that ensures the long-term operation of required structural BMPs. It is a requirement of the post -construction ordinance that owners of permitted structural BMPs submit an annual maintenance inspection report on each structure. The requirement also specifies that the inspections must be conducted by qualified professionals and that the inspection report must be signed and certified by the owner. Failure to comply with this require- ment will result in penalties adopted as part of the post -con- struction ordinance. Control of Fecal Coliforms Norm Carolina division of Water duality Stormwater Best Management -, Practices Manual vUly NU." ec �dY��F Yd�d•1[F�w[ [vr ba Water polluted by human or animal waste can harbor numerous pathogens that may threaten human health. Since routine tests for individual pathogens are not practical, fecal coliform bacteria are widely used as an indicator of the potential presence of disease -causing microorganisms. Fecal coliforms are bacteria typi- cally associated with the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals and their number is generally assumed to be correlated with the number of pathogens in a water sample. They enter surface waters from a number of sources including failing on -site wastewater systems, broken sewer lines, improperly treated discharges of domestic wastewater, improperly designed or managed animal waste facilities, and wild animals. Several general management strategies for addressing fecal coliform contamination include: • Maintenance and repair of sanitary sewer lines by WWTP authorities. • Elimination of piped unpermitted discharges of home waste (also known as "straight piping") • Encouragement of local health departments to routinely monitor waters known to be used for body contact recreation (e.g., swimming and tubing). City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 44 There are no waterbodies impaired for fecals within the City of Burlington. However, septic tanks are used in the City where citizens live outside of the service area of the wastewater treatment plant. Within the City of Burlington, the Alamance County Health Department, Environmental Health Section, is responsible for permitting new septic tanks within the County, and also for issuing repair permits to repair or replace ex- isting septic systems. The City of Burlington will continue to rely on the Alamance County Health De- partment to perform these tasks as related to fecal controls. The Alamance County Health Department has the authority to require residents with failing septic systems to tap onto the City's sanitary sewer system or provide corrective measures to remediate the system. Additional Requirements for SA Waters There are no SA waters within the City of Burlington. Therefore, these requirements do not apply. Additional Requirements fo- Trout Waters There are no designated trout (Tr) waters within the City of Burlington. Therefore, these requirements do not apply. Additional Requirements for Nutrient Sensitive Waters All of the USGS streams within Burlington are classified as NSW ac- cording to data available from the 2010 Final North Carolina Water Quality Assessment and Impaired Waters List. This is due to the fact that Jordan Lake has nutrient management strategy in place and it designated the entire Jordan Lake Watershed as NSW. Information available from the DWQ website states that both point and nonpoint source runoff (agriculture and urban) contribute to poor water quality in the region. Y The City of Burlington is currently required to remove phosphorus from its wastewater effluent that is discharged into the Haw River. The limit imposed is 2 mg/L and is being reduced as part of the Jordan Lake Rules as devised by NCDENR. The Jordan Lake Rules also impose a limit on nitrogen exported from the City's WWTPs. The limits imposed upon phosphorus are required to be met in 2010 while the nitrogen limits are not enforced until 2016. The City of Burlington will coordinate with these efforts in order to develop the most effective program to address nutrients. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 45 Urban runoff is the likely cause for the water quality issues in Little Alamance Creek, Gum Creek, Bowden Branch, and Staley Creek. While agriculture is the likely cause for the water quality issues in Back Creek and Servis Creek. The Haw River receives a large amount of wastewater discharge, and fecal coliform bacteria are noted as a problem parameter. According to DWQ, a TMDL and management strat- egy may be developed to address fecal coliform bacteria and turbidity, and resampling for biological and chemical data will attempt to determine potential problem parameters associated with nonpoint sources in the Haw River. DWQ will continue to monitor these streams to assess potential impacts from point and nonpoint sources. The City of Burlington proposes to address these issues on a watershed basis. Areas with NSW will re- quire site -specific BMPs to reduce nutrient loadings in these watersheds. These BMP requirements will be implemented and enforced as part of the comprehensive post -construction ordinance. Comprehensive Watershed Plans The City of Burlington plans to split the City into smaller management units (based on drainage area). The areas will then be prioritized for investigation based on any identified water quality impairments or heavily developing areas. The areas will then be evaluated separately to determine the most effective BMPs (structural or non-structural) to be implemented in each area based on the types of development occurring and any water quality concerns, including NSW. A watershed plan has been developed for the Little Alamance Creek through a grant obtained by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council of Govern- ments. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 46 Post -Construction Stormwater Management BMP Summary Table BMP Measurable Goals Yr Yr Yr Yr Yr Responsible 1 2 3 4 5 Party/Position a. Adequate legal authorities Maintain through an ordinance, or other X X X X X Amy Barber regulatory mechanism, adequate legal Stormwater authorities to meet the objectives of the Manager Post -Construction Site Runoff Controls Stormwater Management program. The permittee shall have the authority to re- view designs and proposals for new de- velopment and redevelopment to deter- mine whether adequate Stormwater con- trol measures will be installed, imple- mented, and maintained. The permittee shall have the authority to request infor- mation such as stormwater plans, in- spection reports, monitoring results, an other information deemed necessary to evaluate compliance with the Post -Con- struction Stormwater Management Pro- gram. The permittee shall have the au- thority to enter private property for the purpose of inspecting at reasonable times any facilities, equipment, prac- tices, or operations related to Storm - water discharges to determine whether there is compliance the Post -Construc- tion Stormwater Management Program. b. Strategies which include The permittee shall adopt the DWQ X X X X X Amy Barber BMPs appropriate for the BMP Design Manual or certify that Stormwater MS4 the local BMP Design Manual meets Manager or exceeds the requirements in the WQ BMP Design Manual. C. Plan reviews The permittee shall conduct site plan X X X X X Amy Barber reviews of all new development and Stormwater redeveloped sites that disturb greater Manager than or equal to one acre (including sites that disturb less than one acre that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale). The site plan re- view shall address how the project ap- plicant meets the performance stand- ards and how the project will ensure lon -term maintenance. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 47 d. Inventory of projects with The permittee shall maintain an inven- X X X X X Amy Barber post -construction structural tory of projects with post -construction Stormwater stormwater control structural stormwater control measures Manager installed and implemented at new de- measures velopment and redeveloped sites, in- cluding both public and private sector sites located within the permittee's corporate limits that are covered by its post -construction ordinance require- ments. e. Deed Restrictions and Pro- The permittee shall provide mecha- X X X X X Amy Barber tective Covenants nisms such as recorded deed re- Stormwater strictions and protective covenants Manager that ensure development activities will maintain the project consistent with approved plans. f. Provide a mechanism to re- The permittee shall implement or re- X X X X X Amy Barber quire long-term operation quire an operation and maintenance Stormwater and maintenance of struc- plan for the long-term operation of Manager tural BMPs. the structural BMPs required by the program. The operation and mainte- nance plan shall require the owner of each structural BMP to perform and maintain a record of annual inspec- tions of each structural BMP. Annual inspection of permitted structural BMPs shall be performed by a quali- fied professional. g. Inspections To ensure that all stormwater control X X X X X Amy Barber measures are being maintained pursu- Stormwater ant to its maintenance agreement, the Manager permittee shall conduct and document inspections of each project site cov- ered under performance standards, at least one time during the permit term. Before issuing a certificate of occu- pancy or temporary certificate of occu- pancy, the permittee shall conduct a post -construction inspection to verify that the permittee's performance standards have been met or a bond is in place to guarantee completion. The permittee shall document and maintain records of inspection find- ings and enforcement actions and make them available for review by the permitting authority. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 48 h. Educational materials and The permittee shall make available X X X X X Amy Barber training for developers through paper or electronic means, or- Stormwater dinances, post -construction require- Manager ments, design standards checklist, and other materials appropriate for devel- opers. New materials may be devel- oped by the permittee, or the permit - tee may use materials adopted from other programs and adapted to the permittee's new development and re- development program. i. Enforcement The permittee shall track the issuance X X X X X Amy Barber of notices of violation and enforce- Stormwater ment actions. This mechanism shall Manager include the ability to identify chronic violators for initiation of actions to re- duce noncompliance. Non -Structural BMPs Non-structural BMPs are management measures that prevent degradation of water resources at the source, rather than treating runoff that has already been polluted. Non-structural practices can include a variety of site -specific and regional practices, including street sweeping, illicit connection location and elimina- tion, public education and outreach, land use modifications to minimize the amount of impervious surface area, waste collection, and proper materials storage. While non-structural practices play an invaluable role in protecting surface waters, they are not as easily quantified as structural BMPs. Policies and Ordinances In the City of Burlington's Zoning Code, the Water Supply Protection Regulations apply to any Water- shed Critical Areas (WCA). Within any WCA, a 50-foot stream buffer on each bank is required on all perennial streams, and a 100-foot wide natural buffer is required around all water supply reservoirs. The City of Burlington has adopted an existing buffer ordinance as part of the Jordan Lake Rules which will further restrict impacts on riparian buffers within the City. Policies and Ordinances to Encourage Inftll Development in Higher -Density Urban Areas The City of Burlington does not currently have any policies or ordinances to encourage infill development in higher -density urban areas. However, staff is considering a major overhaul of existing ordinances in an effort to encourage reduced environmental impacts from development. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 49 Education Programs An important piece in the post -construction program is training for developers. Since they are the persons most affected by the post -construction regulations, it is imperative that they have a good understanding of what is required with the regulations. The City of Burlington will provide informal training for develop- ers on the new regulations and design requirements. The training will take place annually or as needed. Other Measures Hazardous Materials The City of Burlington Fire and Police Departments are first respondents to a spill. The City of Burlington has a recip- rocal agreement with the City of Graham Fire Department. The Department serves as the Hazardous Material (Hazmat) re- sponse team that is in charge of mitiga- tion of potential contaminants during a spill. The Graham Hazmat response team is backed up by NCRRT4 (the State Re- gional Hazmat team). Since most spills are due to roadway accidents, hazardous materials commonly end up in the storm sewer system. The Department is responsible for keeping the material from spreading to additional areas or to nearby storm drains. After dikes or other methods confine the spill, a private contractor or other agency is contacted to clean up, collect, and dispose of the material. The Burlington Public Works De- partment utilizes their Spill Prevention and Control and Countermeasure Plan in the event of a spill at the Equipment Services Center. Structural Stormwater Control Measures Structural Stormwater control measures (SCMs) are physical structures designed to remove pollutants from storm water runoff, reduce downstream erosion, provide flood control, and promote groundwater recharge. Structural SCMs differ from non-structural BMPs in that they include engineering design and construction. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 50 The City of Burlington will recommend appropriate structural SCMs for each individual drainage area within the City based on the types of development that are currently taking place and any water quality issues that exist within the area. Recommended SCMs include wet detention ponds, wet extended deten- tion ponds, storm water wetlands, shallow wetlands, pond/wetland systems, bioretention areas, sand fil- ters, infiltration trenches, and enhanced dry swales. A SCM manual listing SCM options and details cre- ated by NCDENR has been adopted as the standard SCM manual for use by City staff and developers within the City's jurisdiction. Natural Resource Protection The City has the ability to develop programs to better protect areas of significant importance to protect water quality. This could include clustering possibilities for future development and dedication of conser- vation areas in order to protect open space and control the growth of impervious areas. The design of fu- ture development or redevelopment projects can also be reviewed by City staff for minimal impacts to natural resources prior to approval. The City of Burlington has adopted an existing buffer ordinance as part of the Jordan Lake Rules which will further restrict impacts on riparian buffers in the City. Surface water protection is handled through zoning ordinances which restricts the density of development in WCA. In addition the City has a comprehensive land use plan which restricts developments with a higher risk of surface water pollution a safe distance from existing surface waters. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 51 Open Space Protection The City requires the dedication of a certain amounts of open space when development occurs. The amount for each development is outlined in the subdivision ordinance. In addition, open space is created as a by-product of the stormwater and zoning ordinances the City has in place. As mentioned above, the City may consider a major overhaul of existing ordinances in an effort to encour- age reduced environmental impacts from development and additional dedication of open space could be incorporated into the revised ordinances. Tree Preservation The City has established a Tree Commission and developed a tree ordinance which applies to trees lo- cated on public property and right of ways. In addition, the City is designated as a Tree City by the NC Urban Forest Council. The City does not regulate trees located on private property. This could be a valuable asset for the City if measures were taken to have restrictions in place on tree removal. Property values tend to increase when mature trees are in place and water quality improves. The City will investigate the possibility of imple- menting a tree ordinance for private property. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 52 The City does not require trees to be planted on new public streets. Despite this, there are many new streets within the City which have been planted by developers and maintenance turned over to the City. In addition, the Green Leaf Society, a private fundraising group, has worked in partnership with the City and State to in- stall landscaping on several roads within the City. This partnership consisted of the Green Leaf Society fund- ing the purchase, installation, and maintenance of the street trees for a 2 year period after which the City will assume responsibility. These projects have raised the awareness of the benefits associated with street trees could be a stepping stone toward the City requiring street trees in the future. Redevelopment The City funds a position which advertises the downtown and redevelopment opportunities therein. This is a new venture for the City and could prove to be a vital step in steering developers toward infill devel- oped sites rather than green fields. Development in Areas with Existing Infrastructure The City made some major investments in the expansion of infrastructure to areas primed for develop- ment back in the early 2000s. Along with this land use plans were created which are used to control sprawl and enhance marketability of the areas which now have infrastructure available. It is anticipated that the City will continue to evaluate possibilities for expanding the current infrastructure but no action is anticipated. Rather, the City will persuade development in areas where infrastructure already exists. Mixed Use Development The City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan controls what type of land use are allowed in certain areas. The City has taken great efforts to adhere to the land use plan and by doing so has created a version of mixed use development. As mentioned above, the City may consider a major overhaul of existing ordi- nances in an effort to encourage reduced environmental impacts from development. Part of this overhaul could be to encourage both mixed use development and transit oriented development. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 53 Street Design The City encourages the use of various pavement widths dependent upon the classification of the street. The street width is determined by the subdivision ordinance. This has been an effective method for re- ducing impervious area created through new development. However, when the City begins to revise ordi- nances, there is still opportunity to reduce street widths even more in an effort to align with some com- mon LID practices. The City does not have a driveway ordinance although one may be considered drafted by staff. Policy throughout the City has been that each driveway is looked at on a case -by -case basis with the understand- ing that each lot will be granted at least one driveway. The City has recently veered some from this pol- icy on large common developments and required some sharing of commercial driveways. Green Infrastructure Elements and Street Design As mentioned above, the City may consider a major overhaul of existing ordinances in an effort to en- courage reduced environmental impacts from development. As the City moves forward green infrastruc- ture elements and street design will be included. Some possible features could be reduced pavement widths, promoting ribbon pavement with swales, alternative pavements and retrofits of existing storm - water structures. Unfortunately, the use of alternative pavements in the City is very difficult due to soil types. The soils are mainly clays that do not provide a good recharge ratio. The City will keep an open mind to the products as they are improved upon and continue to explore possible uses. Reduced Parking Requirements The City's parking requirements are rather stringent and do not provide an abundance of flexibility to de- velopers. As part of the ordinance review process, the City should investigate what opportunities it has to provide more flexibility on parking and develop a more accurate way to determine what parking is nec- essary without over -parking the lot. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 54 Transportation Demand Management Alternatives The City currently does not have a public transit system in place. There have been efforts to develop some park and ride lots within the City which would be operated by the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) but no lots currently exist. The City should continue to explore this possibility in hopes of reducing trips. Minimizing Stormwater from Parking Lots The City's zoning ordinance describes landscaping requirements for new developments and is an effec- tive tool for minimizing stormwater runoff from parking lots. In addition to these guidelines, the storm - water ordinance could be used to further enhance the capture of stormwater runoff in bioretention cells or swales. Maintenance/Enforcement The City requires all property owners which have a structural SCM to submit annual inspections of the SCM and the property owner is responsible for performing maintenance as required. The inspections must be completed by a certified professional. The Stormwater Ordinance provides the enforcement abil- ity of the City and outlines the steps required should a property owner fail to provide maintenance. Green Infrastructure Strategies Green infrastructure strategies have recently begun to gain traction with the City of Burlington. A new "Green Committee" was formed in an effort to determine what actions the City could do to be better stew- ards of the environment. This was a critical step in moving the City towards being a leader in environ- mental awareness. The continuation of the "Green Committee" and implementing its recommendations throughout the City will be critical in the short, medium and long range strategies for implementing green infrastructure. ft— 4k --- Throughout this document refer- ence has been made to the fact that the City may consider a major overhaul of existing ordinances in an effort to encourage reduced en- vironmental impacts from devel- opment. This effort should en- compass the short, medium, and long range strategies for including green infrastructure. It will affect both existing and new development and will have an outreach program that provides additional awareness to the citizens of what can be done to preserve our environment. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 55 Regulatory Mechanism The City of Burlington has adopted two separate ordinances in reference to protecting water quality. The first was an ordinance to address post -construction runoff followed by an ordinance to protect existing riparian buffers. The ordinances include requirements for low and high density projects, operations and maintenance requirements, and structural and non-structural BMP requirements. The ordinances are ref- erenced as the Stormwater Ordinance and Existing Riparian Buffer Protection Ordinance. Both ordi- nances are attached in Appendix D. Operation and Maintenance of BMPs Long-term maintenance of BMPs is essential for program success. Therefore, the City of Burlington re- quires as part of the post -construction ordinance, a long-term operation and maintenance plan for BMPs. The responsibility for maintenance of the BMP is attributed to the property owner. Should the owner fail to provide maintenance, the City will perform the maintenance and take measures to collect expenditures including placing a lien on the property. Evaluation The main measure of success will be the level of operation of the BMPs within the system. The develop- ment of a comprehensive ordinance with an emphasis on environmental stewardship through LID and other measures will be another measure of success, since it will involve many different individuals from various departments. Other measures of success will be the completion of program tasks within the des- ignated year for completion. For a detailed outline of measurable tasks refer to section 7.5. 7.6 Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations The final minimum measure required by the NPDES Phase II program involves the examination and pos- sible alteration of municipal operations for good housekeeping and pollution prevention measures. This measure requires that municipalities evalu- ate their actions to ensure a reduction in the amount and type of pollution that accumulates on streets, parking lots, open spaces, and storage and vehicle maintenance areas that discharge into lo- cal water bodies. In addition, this measure re- quires an evaluation of results from land develop- ment actions that may contribute to pollutants in storm water runoff. The primary intent of the EPA City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 56 with this measure is to improve and protect water quality by altering the performance of municipal opera- tions. However, the EPA also feels that this measure could also result in increased cost savings for munic- ipalities through proper and timely maintenance of storm sewer systems. To comply with this control measure, the City will be required to address the following requirements: • Develop an operation and maintenance program with the objective of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations into the City's storm sewer system. • Include training of City operations personnel on how to incorporate pollution prevention / good housekeeping techniques into City operations. This could include park and open space maintenance, fleet and building maintenance, new construction and land disturbances, and storm water system maintenance. Guidelines for implementing these measures could include structural and non-structural measures to re- duce floatables and other pollutants, controls for reducing or eliminating the discharge of pollutants from areas such as roads and parking lots, maintenance and storage areas (including salt/sand storage and snow disposal areas), and waste transfer stations. Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping BMP Summary Table BMP Measurable Goals Yr Yr Yr Yr Yr Responsible 1 2 3 4 S Party/Position a. Inventory of mu- The permittee shall maintain, a current X X X X X Amy Barber nicipally owned or inventory of facilities and operations Stormwater operated facilities owned and operated by the permittee Manager with the potential for generating pol- luted stormwater runoff. b. Operation and The permittee shall maintain and imple- X X X X X Amy Barber Maintenance ment, evaluate annually and update as Stormwater (O&M) for munic- necessary an Operation and Mainte- Manager ipally owned or nance (O&M) program for municipal operated facilities owned and operated facilities with the potential for generating polluted storm - water runoff. The O&M program shall specify the frequency of inspections and routine maintenance requirements. C. Spill Response The permittee shall have written spill X X X X X Amy Barber Procedures response procedures for municipally Stormwater owned or operated facilities. Manager City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 57 d.1 Streets, roads, and The permittee shall evaluate BMPs to X X X X X Amy Barber public parking lots reduce polluted stormwater runoff from Stormwater maintenance municipally -owned streets, roads, and Manager public parking lots within the corporate limits. Within 12 months, the permittee must update its Stormwater Plan to in- clude the BMPs selected. d.2 Streets, roads, and Within 24 months, the permitee must X X X X X Amy Barber public parking lots implement BMPs selected to reduce Stormwater maintenance polluted stormwater runoff from mu- Manager nicipally-owned streets, roads, and pub- lic parking lots. The permitte must evaluate the effectiveness of these BMPs based on cost and the estimated uanti ofpollutants removed. e. Operation and Within 12 months, the permittee shall X X X X X Amy Barber Maintenance develop and implement an O&M pro- Stormwater (O&M) for munic- gram for the stormwater sewer system Manager ipally -owned or including catch basins and conveyance maintained catch systems that it owns and maintains. basins and con- veyance systems f. Identify structural The permittee shall maintain a current X X X X X Amy Barber stormwater con- inventory of municipally -owned or op- Stormwater trols erated structural stormwater controls. Manager g. O&M for munici- The permittee shall maintain and imple- X X X X X Amy Barber pally -owned or ment an O&M program for munici- Stormwater maintained struc- pally -owned or maintained structural Manager tural stormwater stormwater controls. controls The O&M program shall specify the frequency of inspections and routine maintenance requirements. The permittee shall inspect and main- tain municipally -owned or maintained structural stormwater controls in ac- cordance with the schedule developed by permittee. The permittee shall docu- ment inspections and maintenance of all municipally -owned or maintained structural stormwater controls. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 58 h. Pesticide, Herbi- The permittee shall ensure municipal X X X X X Amy Barber cide and Fertilizer employees and contractors are properly Stormwater Application Man- trained and all permits, certifications, Manager agement. and other measures for applicators are followed. i. Staff training The permittee shall implement an em- X X X X X Amy Barber ployee training program for employees Stormwater involved in implementing pollution Manager prevention and good housekeeping practices. j. Prevent or Mini- The permittee shall describe and imple- X X X X X Amy Barber mize Contamina- ment measures to prevent or minimize Stormwater tion of Stormwater contamination of the stormwater runoff Manager Runoff from all from all areas used for vehicle and equipment cleaning. areas used for Ve- hicle and Equip- ment Cleaning Affected Operations Maintenance Facilities The City of Burlington maintains several maintenance facilities. These facilities include athletic mainte- nance, recreation maintenance, public works (building maintenance), equipment services, sanitation de- partment, street department, and water and wastewater facilities. The City currently recycles used motor oil, antifreeze and parts washing fluid from City fleet vehicles. In addition, oil filters are drained before they are landfilled. Used batteries are exchanged with a local battery vendor, and other recyclables (plas- tic, cardboard, paper) are collected by the City. The City utilizes an oil -water separator at its water and sewer system maintenance facility. Fueling stations are covered and no materials are stored outside un- covered. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 59 Existing Municipal NPDES Permits The City of Burlington maintains NPDES permit cov- erage for its municipally owned industries. Due to ini- tial NPDES legislation in the 197Os and 198Os, the East Burlington and South Burlington Wastewater Treatment Plants and the City's water treatment plant were required to obtain NPDES permit coverage. The East Burlington WWTP NPDES permit number NCOO23868 currently covers treated effluent from the wastewater treatment plant. The South Burlington WWTP i covered under NPDES permit number NCOO23876. Wastewater from the potable treatment process at the water treatment plant is covered by NPDES permit number NCOO83828. Training The City must establish a training program for their staff regarding the importance of storm water pollu- tion prevention and good housekeeping. Currently City staff members that work at facilities with an NPDES permit receive good housekeeping training through stormwater division staff. EPA recommends training for staff members who deal with parks and open space, the fleet maintenance center, new con- struction, and MS4 maintenance therefore the good housekeeping program will need to expand. A group program will be presented to City staff members regarding good housekeeping practices and procedures. In addition, available resources and materials from the EPA and NCDENR will be used where appropriate for training. Maintenance and Inspections Storm Drainage Policy and Procedures The City is responsible for maintenance of storm drainage systems that fall within their rights -of -way. In addition, the City maintains a policy to address storm drainage issues in subdivisions and on private prop- erty. It is the City's stance that storm drainage systems in new subdivisions are the entire and sole respon- sibility of the developer. In addition, all new subdivisions are required to have drainage systems installed by the developer in accordance with the requirements and regulations of the City. Pipe sizes are deter- mined by the engineer and then approved by the City's Engineering Department. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 60 The City maintains a cost -share program that allows property owners receiving storm water discharged from an existing City street to share in the cost of installation of storm drainage improvements on their property. Residents provide an easement to the City and share in the cost of the project on a 50 — 50 per- cent basis. The City's maximum share of the cost of any project is $10,000 per lot or owner. Street Sweeping The City of Burlington's street sweeping program provides both an aesthetic and functional service to the City. The sweeping is carried out by one full time staff member who reduces curb line debris and grit that would otherwise be transported through the MS4 to receiving waters. The central business district, which has considerable vehicular and pedestrian traf- fic, is swept more frequently by the City. Heavily traveled commercial districts, City parking lots and problem areas can receive additional sweeping as deemed necessary by City personnel. Residential streets, with limited throughway and pedestrian traffic, and neighborhood streets, which are used for local purposes are swept on a routine basis also. The street -sweeper also has an attachment to clean catch ba- sins that can be utilized by all City departments for maintenance or repair of stormwater infrastructure. Pesticide/Herbicide Application As part of the street sweeping program, herbicides are used to eliminate grass and weeds in the street and curb line. The spraying is done in conjunction with street sweeping through a specially designed closed mixed sprayer. The City has acquired the appropriate certified pesticide applicator licenses to manage dosing and application of these chemicals. Herbicides are stored in safe, dry places in accordance with the manufacturer's suggested recommendations. Inventory and appropriate MSDS documentation are maintained along with street sweeping records. The pesticide/herbicide application program utilized by the City of Burlington follows USDA and State regulations on the proper use and application of the chemicals. Vehicular Operations As mentioned above, the City currently recycles used motor oil, antifreeze and parts washing fluid from City fleet vehicles. In addition, oil filters are drained before they are landfilled. Used batteries are ex- changed with a local battery vendor, and other recyclables (plastic, cardboard, paper) are collected by the City. The City utilizes an oil -water separator at its water and sewer system maintenance facility. Fueling stations are covered and no materials are stored outside uncovered. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 61 Routine maintenance of a storm sewer system requires that pipes and culverts be kept free of debris and blockages. This allows the system to operate at its full capacity and reduces the chances of road and structure losses due to flooding. Specialized trucks, such as those man- ufactured by Vactor, are necessary in removing blockages and preventative maintenance. The City has purchased a vacuum which can also be used for sanitary sewer maintenance. Waste Disposal Wastes from municipal operations, including sweepings and dredge spoil are occasionally stored at the public works maintenance facility. The amount of storage time is minimal, and the materials are taken either to an approved landfill or an inert debris site. However, while the materials are kept on the site they are not covered. The City has identified the importance of buffers around these spoil piles and takes effort to insure the maintenance of the buffers for water quality protection. Flood Management Projects Flooding is not a major concern in Burlington, in part due to the City's implementation of the Floodplain Ordinance and strict regulation of development in floodplain areas. As a result, the City has not and does not currently plan to construct any flood management projects. Existing Ordinances The City of Burlington's Code of Ordinances contains several sections that relate in some way to storm water. These sections include: Chapter 13, Garbage and Refuse; Chapter 31.5, Soil Erosion and Sedimen- tation Control; Chapter 37, Waters and Sewers, Chapter 17, Lakes, Chapter 32, Streets and Sidewalks; and Appendix B, Floodplains. In addition Burlington has in place a Floodplain Ordinance and Watershed Protection Regulations (see Appendix D). The Sediment and Erosion Control Ordinance regulates runoff resulting from site development and is also included in Appendix D. Also included in Appendix D are the City of Burlington's existing storm drainage policy and procedures and the Stormwater Ordinance. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 62 Other Evaluations Although not directly related to the MS4 permit coverage required for the City of Burlington, the City is required to obtain separate NPDES stormwater permits for the City's fleet maintenance facility and the City's wastewater treatment plants. Municipally owned industries other than airports, landfills, and power plants in small municipalities (<100,000 citizens) were exempt from NPDES permit coverage under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. The Phase II regulations eliminate the previ- ous exempt status. Due to the nature of the work associated with a typical city fleet maintenance facility, these facilities can be viewed as a threat to water quality or a contributor of storm water discharges associated with industrial activ- ity. In addition, the stormwater discharges from wastewater treatment facilities are also subject to the Phase 11 regulations. The City of Burlington has received and currently abides by the NPDES permits for the fleet maintenance facility and the wastewater treatment facilities. Decision Process The City of Burlington realizes that imple- menting a successful storm water quality program affects all levels of municipal operations. Therefore, City leaders are committed to devising and implementing a Good Housekeeping / Pollution Prevention Program to address municipal operations. City programs and operations will be evaluated, illicit dis- charges located on City -owned properties will be addressed, existing ordinances will be evaluated and al- tered as needed, and necessary training will be provided for staff. See the BMP Summary Table in Sec- tion 7.6 for more information. Evaluation As stated above, the BMPs listed in the Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping BMP Summary Table located in Section 7.6 will be evaluated annually for compliance. In addition, the number of staff mem- bers trained annually will be submitted as part of the annual report. Also included in the annual reports in the referenced year will be the maintenance programs developed for storm drainage infrastructure and the number and types of deficiencies corrected. City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 63 Appendix A City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 64 Appendix B City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 65 Appendix C City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 66 Appendix D City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 67 NPDES Phase II Stormwater Management Plan City of Burlington, North Carolina Stormwater Management Plan 68