Title of Regulation: 9VAC25-870. Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) Regulation (amending 9VAC25-870-55, 9VAC25-870-160).

Statutory Authority: §§ 62.1-44.15:25 and  62.1-44.15:28 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: June 13, 2018.

Agency Contact: William K. Norris, Department of Environmental Quality, 1111 East Main Street, Suite 1400, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4022, FAX (804) 698-4019, or email william.norris@deq.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Pursuant to Chapters 10 and 163 of the 2017 Acts of Assembly, the amendments require that all final plan elements, specifications, or calculations whose preparation requires a license under Chapter 4 (§ 54.1-400 et seq.) or 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia be appropriately signed and sealed by a professional who is licensed to engage in practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

9VAC25-870-55. Stormwater management plans.

A. A stormwater management plan shall be developed and submitted to the VSMP authority. The stormwater management plan shall be implemented as approved or modified by the VSMP authority and shall be developed in accordance with the following:

1. A stormwater management plan for a land-disturbing activity shall apply the stormwater management technical criteria set forth in this part to the entire land-disturbing activity. Individual lots in new residential, commercial, or industrial developments, including those developed under subsequent owners, shall not be considered separate land-disturbing activities.

2. A stormwater management plan shall consider all sources of surface runoff and all sources of subsurface and groundwater flows converted to surface runoff.

B. A complete stormwater management plan shall include the following elements:

1. Information on the type of and location of stormwater discharges, information on the features to which stormwater is being discharged including surface waters or karst features if present, and predevelopment and postdevelopment drainage areas;

2. Contact information including the name, address, telephone number, and email address of the owner and the tax reference number and parcel number of the property or properties affected;

3. A narrative that includes a description of current site conditions and final site conditions or if allowed by the VSMP authority, the information provided and documented during the review process that addresses the current and final site conditions;

4. A general description of the proposed stormwater management facilities and the mechanism through which the facilities will be operated and maintained after construction is complete;

5. Information on the proposed stormwater management facilities, including (i) the type of facilities; (ii) location, including geographic coordinates; (iii) acres treated; and (iv) the surface waters or karst features into which the facility will discharge;

6. Hydrologic and hydraulic computations, including runoff characteristics;

7. Documentation and calculations verifying compliance with the water quality and quantity requirements of these regulations;

8. A map or maps of the site that depicts the topography of the site and includes:

a. All contributing drainage areas;

b. Existing streams, ponds, culverts, ditches, wetlands, other water bodies, and floodplains;

c. Soil types, geologic formations if karst features are present in the area, forest cover, and other vegetative areas;

d. Current land use including existing structures, roads, and locations of known utilities and easements;

e. Sufficient information on adjoining parcels to assess the impacts of stormwater from the site on these parcels;

f. The limits of clearing and grading, and the proposed drainage patterns on the site;

g. Proposed buildings, roads, parking areas, utilities, and stormwater management facilities; and

h. Proposed land use with tabulation of the percentage of surface area to be adapted to various uses, including but not limited to planned locations of utilities, roads, and easements;

9. If an operator intends to meet the requirements established in 9VAC25-870-63 or 9VAC25-870-66 through the use of off-site compliance options, where applicable, then a letter of availability from the off-site provider must be included; and

10. If payment of a fee is required with the stormwater management plan submission by the VSMP authority, the fee and the required fee form in accordance with Part XIII (9VAC25-870-700 et seq.) must have been submitted.

C. Elements of the stormwater management plans that include activities regulated under Chapter 4 (§ 54.1-400 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia shall be appropriately sealed and signed by a professional registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia pursuant to Article 1 (§ 54.1-400 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia. All final plan elements, specifications, or calculations of the stormwater management plans whose preparation requires a license under Chapter 4 (§ 54.1-400 et seq.) or 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia shall be appropriately signed and sealed by a professional who is licensed to engage in practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Nothing in this subsection shall authorize any person to engage in practice outside his area of professional competence.

D. A construction record drawing for permanent stormwater management facilities shall be submitted to the VSMP authority in accordance with 9VAC25-870-108 and 9VAC25-870-112. The construction record drawing shall be appropriately sealed and signed by a professional registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia, certifying that the stormwater management facilities have been constructed in accordance with the approved plan.

Part IV
Technical Criteria and State Permit Application Requirements for State Projects

9VAC25-870-160. Technical criteria and requirements for state projects.

A. This part specifies technical criteria and administrative procedures for all state projects.

B. Stormwater management state permit applications prepared for state projects shall comply with the technical criteria outlined in Part II (9VAC25-870-40 et seq.) of this chapter and, to the largest extent practicable, any locality's VSMP authority's technical requirements adopted pursuant to the Act. It shall be the responsibility of the state agency to demonstrate that the locality's VSMP authority's technical requirements are not practicable for the project under consideration.

C. The department may establish criteria for selecting either the site or a planning area on which to apply the water quality criteria.

D. As a minimum, a stormwater management state permit application shall contain the following:

1. The location and the design of the proposed stormwater management facilities.

2. Overall site plan with pre-developed and post-developed condition drainage area maps.

3. Comprehensive hydrologic and hydraulic computations of the pre-development predevelopment and post-development postdevelopment runoff conditions for the required design storms, considered individually.

4. Calculations verifying compliance with the water quality requirements.

5. A description of the requirements for maintenance of the stormwater management facilities and a recommended schedule of inspection and maintenance.

6. The identification of a person or persons who will be responsible for maintenance.

7. All stormwater management and erosion and sediment control plans associated with a state permit application shall be appropriately sealed and signed by a professional in adherence to all minimum standards and requirements pertaining to the practice of that profession in accordance with Chapter 4 (§ 54.1-400 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and attendant regulations. All final plan elements, specifications, or calculations whose preparation requires a license under Chapter 4 (§ 54.1-400 et seq.) or 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia shall be appropriately signed and sealed by a professional who is licensed to engage in practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Nothing in this subsection shall authorize any person to engage in practice outside his area of professional competence.