05-23-2016 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, May 23, 2016 7:00 o'clock p.m. PUBLIC WORKS DH; ECTOR/CITY ENGINEER REPORT 5. ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING FOR NPDES PHASE II STORM WATER PERMIT Public Works Director and City Engineer Edwards stated the City of Orono has an MS4 permit which requires a public hearing on the City's storm water permit. The purpose of the public hearing is to educate interested citizens, meet a requirement of the permit, and to receive comments from the public on the City's storm water pollution prevention program. Under the MS4 permit, the City is under guidance and direction from the Federal Government as well as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The MS4 permit falls under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program for operation of the City's storm water drainage system. The NPDES is a national regulator program under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is administered at the state level by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, who then issues the City a permit called the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. The City also follows the guidelines and regulations of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, which acts as the Local Government Unit regulating impacts to wetlands. Improper storm water drainage impacts aquatic biodiversity, results in habitat loss, increased flooding, poor aesthetics, and declines in human health and drinking water quality. Some of the basic requirements of the permit are for the City to have a storm water pollution prevention program, submit annual reports, undertake ordinance development addressing storm water issues, and create mapping of the City's storm water system. In addition, the permit requires public education and outreach, public participation and involvement, monitor illicit discharge and take steps to eliminate it, regulate how construction sites deal with erosion, and have proper procedures in place to deal with the City's storm water system. Typical pollutant sources come from direct discharge or dumping of chemicals into the storm water system by individuals and/or companies. Solutions start with the individual homeowner's decisions, which is the education component of the permit. In addition, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District also attempt to educate the residents. As far as the City's activities concerning compliance goes in 2015, that included articles in newsletters and on the City's website, stormwater information on the City's website, continuation of the City's grass and leaf disposal programs, construction debris collection, erosion control inspections, street sweeping, culvert repairs, and the anticipated publication of an illicit discharge program and manual. In 2016, the City will be focusing on refining more of the mapping, with stormwater inspections taking place each year on 20 percent of the storm system, incorporation of asset management for the storm water system, improving the Public Works maintenance operations, and commencement of a storm water management plan update in conjunction with the City's Comprehensive Plan for 2018. Edwards stated the next step in the process is to submit an annual report to the MPGA. Mayor McMillan opened the public hearing at 7:52 p.m. There were no public comments regarding this item. Page 8 of 23