How were the stormwater standards developed and how will they affect development?
The stormwater management standards were developed by a technical committee comprised of engineers, government officials, developers, and consultants working in the Etowah. The stormwater requirements of the HCP are designed to mimic a site’s pre-development hydrology. Although this type of stormwater management may be new to some developers, the techniques have been widely employed around the U.S. and the standards are currently being met in many projects in the Etowah. The HCP includes a stormwater ordinance for post-construction runoff. This ordinance applies to new development and some types of redevelopment. It is adapted from the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (“Metro District”) ordinance and is identical in many important respects, so that jurisdictions within the Metro District can meet both requirements in a single set of regulations. The ordinance includes performance standards for water quality protection, stream channel protection, and flood protection.
