HomeMy WebLinkAbout20100607 - VII-1MEMO
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: John Caven — Assistant City Engineer
Date: May 25, 2010
Re: Conduct Public Hearing for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
Permit
The Federal Clean Water Act requires small cities to submit a permit to discharge storm
water into receiving water bodies. The storm water permit covers a five year period,
starting in 2007, and is intended to reduce pollutants from not only our storm sewer
discharge points, but also from overland runoff that drains directly to rivers, lakes and
ponds.
Hastings submitted its first storm water permit annual report to the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA) on June 30, 2008. As part of the permit, the City was required
to address six separate areas referred to as Minimum Control Measures (MCMs):
1. Public education and outreach
2. Public participation/involvement.
3. Illicit discharge detection and elimination.
4. Construction site stormwater runoff control.
5. Post construction storm water management in new development and
redevelopment.
6. Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations.
A total of 34 mandatory best management practices were required to be included within
the six minimum control measures. In the report, the City documented all best
management activities that met these requirements. Among the highlights, the City:
1. Provided a storm water quality article in every Rivertown Newsletter.
2. Continued to participate in the annual Spring Clean -up Day, Earth Day, and
Arbor Day.
3. Participated in the Dakota County Blue Thumb Initiative to design and install
rain gardens.
4. Worked with Friends of the Mississippi River on receiving a grant for the
remaining plants and mulch required to complete the
Public Works facility's raingardens.
5. Drafted Stormwater Management and Flood Plain
Ordinances to to be presented to the city council for
consideration during the summer of 2010. The changes r
will bring Hastings' ordinances in conformance with the _ _
r
CITY OF HASTINGS
Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization's (VRWJPO) rules and
regulations.
6. Implemented a Stormwater Utility fee designed to maintain the City's existing
storm water system and fund responses to pending regulations and required
studies.
7. Inspected all sump manholes and stockpiles, and 20% of the outfalls and
ponds.
The MPCA will review and comment on Hastings' annual report submittals during a
future audit. In the mean time the City will continue to record and improve the current
SWPPP to meet the permit requirements for the June 2010 annual report submittal, one of
which is a required public hearing for the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
performed in 2009.
Council Action Requested
Conduct a public hearing for the City of Hastings' Municipal Separate Storm Sewer
System (MS4) Permit.