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CMP Part 3A. Environmental Protection Plan <br /> 1. Every available means should be utilized to preserve the natural water <br /> storage and treatment system,which is one of Orono's best assets. <br /> 2. The City of Orono should protect land adjacent to marshes which require <br /> more than their total existing areas to control storm water runoff and <br /> preserve the water quality. <br /> 3. The City of Orono should acquire supplementary land which is needed to <br /> preserve the integrity of the natural system of pollution treatment and <br /> runoff control. <br /> Orono took these recommendations to heart in its planning during the mid- <br /> 1970's, via adoption of more stringent development standards that allowed for <br /> the preservation of wetlands and required large minimum lot sizes to avoid the <br /> detrimental effects of urbanization. � <br /> As of todav the consideration of non-point stormwater pollution has been fully <br /> enfranchised into the re�ulatory context in which Orono operates. Workin� <br /> the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) and development partners <br /> Orono reQuires non-point source controls of all new development. Throu h�'its <br /> 2009 Local Surface Water Management Plan Orono identifies specific projects <br /> to further reduce its pollutant load to Lake Minnetonka and Lon Lake. <br /> Preservation of wetlands is now required by state law. The wetland conservation <br /> act, passed in 1993 prohibits wetland alterations except in special cases Where � <br /> wetlands are unavoidablv altered such as throu�h major transportation projects <br /> miti�ation for the loss of wetland acrea�e is necessary. The current Minnesota <br /> Pollution Control A ency Stormwater Construction Permit which re�ulates any <br /> construction activitv greater than one acre. specificall�prohibits untreated <br /> stormwater dischar�es to Minnesota wetlands. lakes and streams. In the current <br /> re�ulatorv context, wetlands still function as part of the stormwater s s�tem <br /> further filtering treated stormwater and attenuatin�major flood events but they <br /> now �et protections formerly reserved for lakes. Unfortunately urbanization <br /> prior to the 1993 Act destro ed many wetlands and the loss of these filterin�and <br /> flood attenuatin� svstems is the maior cause of water quality degradation in the <br /> Metropolitan Area's lakes and streams. <br /> Based on the Metropolitan Council's 208 Studv conclusions. the Council be a�n <br /> emphasizin� stormwater pollution controls. The Environmental Protection <br /> A�encv's National Urban Runoff Program (NURP) studies confirmed this <br /> approach. In the two decades followin� the 208 Study Metropolitan Council <br /> and metropolitan area municipalities and watersheds moved toward requiring <br /> non-point stormwater treatment through the use of water quality ponds These <br /> ponds functioned as sediment traps and were Ten�, erallv successful in removing <br /> pollutants attached to soil particles. <br /> City of Orono Communit3� Management Plan 2008-2030 Page 3A-24 <br />