The City of Olympia has enacted a Stormwater Ordinance in order to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing in watersheds within this jurisdiction. The City of Olympia is the permitting authority for all land disturbing activities and requires the land owner to maintain all on-site stormwater control facilities and all open space areas (e.g. parks or “green” areas) required by the approved stormwater control plan. The City of Olympia will only provide construction permits to projects that establish a plan to manage stormwater runoff occurring during the construction process. The City of Olympia, under the NPDES program, also has the authority to inspect properties for noncompliance and can issue a notice of violation (NOV) for any deficiency or infraction onsite. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of any stormwater facilities or practices located on the property. The City of Olympia has the authority to inspect stormwater facilities and practices in order to ascertain that they are properly maintained and functioning.
Chapter 1 – Introduction
1.1 Purpose of this Volume
This volume provides guidance in the preparation of permanent Stormwater Site Management Plans for sites and facilities required to meet Core Requirement #3 – Source Control of Pollution and Core Requirement #9 – Operation and Maintenance. Stormwater Site Management Plans are composed of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and operation and maintenance guidance for facility owners/program operators to ensure the long-term functionality and protection of engineered stormwater facilities and environmental resources.
2.1 Responsibility to Maintain Stormwater Facilities
Within the City of Olympia, private property owners are responsible for maintaining stormwater management structures and facilities that they own. Stormwater management facilities that require routine inspection and maintenance are identified in a recorded operation and maintenance agreement between the City and the owner of the stormwater management site. Legal agreements for stormwater facility maintenance shall run with the property and be transferred to successive owners. Owners of stormwater sites and facilities should have a maintenance program that addresses every component of the stormwater system and other areas designated for protection. The purpose of the operation and maintenance program is to ensure the management site and systems within it do not lose their intended capability to manage stormwater.
2.1.1 Stormwater Site Management Plans
A Stormwater Site Management Plan is a document prepared for all development projects required to meet both Core Requirement #3 – Source Control of Pollution and Core Requirement #9 – Operation and Maintenance of Volume I, Section 2.5 of this Manual. Stormwater Site Management Plans address all operational and structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) designed for the site to manage stormwater in accordance with this Manual. The Stormwater Site Management Plan is a site-specific, comprehensive document that addresses not only the operation and maintenance of structural stormwater system components, but also addresses the management of tree tracts, Soil and Vegetation Protection Areas, vegetated dispersal areas, and low impact development stormwater controls.
Stormwater Site Management Plans shall contain the following components:
Prior to final acceptance of constructed stormwater facilities, the Stormwater Site Management Plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Stormwater Manual Administrator or designated City of Olympia Public Works – Water Resources staff. Stormwater Site Management Plans shall be included as part of a project Drainage Control Plan submittal prepared in accordance with Volume I, Chapter 3.
2.1.2 Site Inspection and Reporting Requirements
The operation and maintenance agreement for stormwater management sites requires owners of private stormwater management facilities to conduct routine and non-routine inspection and maintenance of their stormwater system. Owners and operators of stormwater management sites shall prepare an annual inspection report and submit to City of Olympia Public Works – Water Resources department on or before May 15 each year.
Owners/Operators of stormwater management sites shall:
Technical resources and City staff contact information for private stormwater site inspections can be found on the City of Olympia website . Stormwater Facility Descriptions and Checklists and Stormwater Facility Inspection Form with Log Sheet used for reporting are found in Appendix IV-J and Appendix IV-K, respectively.
Chapter 4 – Maintenance Standards for Stormwater Facilities
Chapter 4 of Volume IV of this Manual specifically addresses maintenance standards for the stormwater controls and Best Management Practices (BMPs) found in Volumes III and V of this Manual. While each BMP in Volumes III and V may have sections regarding suggested maintenance as drafted by Ecology, the sections of this chapter and the referenced appendices shall govern where there is conflict. The standards set forth in this Chapter are to be viewed as the core requirements for the inspection and maintenance of stormwater controls, protected vegetated areas, and BMPs. Additional inspection, maintenance, and cleaning may be necessary due to site-specific conditions.
4.1 Inspection and Maintenance Responsibility
All facilities and Best Management Practices designed and constructed for stormwater collection, conveyance, flood prevention, and water quality treatment must be inspected and maintained to ensure proper facility function to comply with the Washington State Department of Ecology Phase II NPDES Permit held by the City of Olympia.
Owners of stormwater sites and facilities should have a maintenance program that addresses every component of the stormwater system. The purpose of the operation and maintenance program is to ensure the system does not lose its intended capability to manage stormwater and continues to operate as designed.
Program Operators who are responsible for executing Pollution Source Control Programs and Stormwater Facility Maintenance Programs shall submit an annual report of activities, trainings, inspections, and maintenance actions taken by May 15th of each year. The City is required to inspect and enforce maintenance of stormwater facilities and systems (public and private) to comply with the Phase II NPDES permit from Ecology.