Agenda #7 | Stormwater Master Plan Phase I Report Presentation

AGENDA #7

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
FROM:	George Small, P.E., Director of Engineering Sue Burke, P.E., Stormwater Management Engineer
SUBJECT:	Stormwater Master Plan Phase I Report Presentation
DATE:	February 11, 2008

PURPOSE

This presentation provides information and key findings from the first phase of the Stormwater Master Plan project.

BACKGROUND

In September 2005, the Town Council authorized the Town Manager to negotiate and to execute a contract with Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC for the development of a Stormwater Management Program Master Plan for the Town of Chapel Hill. The main task for Phase One was to review the existing stormwater management program and prepare a report that discussed the status of stormwater management in Chapel Hill with reference to the program goals adopted by the Council.

DISCUSSION

The purpose of the program and contextual review was to obtain an understanding of the Town’s stormwater-related regulatory requirements, stormwater-related accomplishments and challenges, broad baseline surface water quality and physical watershed conditions within Chapel Hill, key local and regional stormwater-related issues and policies, recent historical (over the past decade) and present municipal stormwater program funding levels, recent historical and present day-to-day stormwater program operational context, and current stormwater service levels of the Chapel Hill Stormwater Management Program and Utility.

The review included a baseline characterization survey of citizens in Chapel Hill to help estimate public perception, needs, and expectations relative to the Town’s stormwater management program. Key internal and external stakeholder groups were surveyed also. The report may be considered as a “program baseline evaluation” also.

It is necessary to understand the past and current context of the municipal stormwater program and the Council’s, citizens’ and stakeholders’ needs and expectations and use these as building blocks for moving forward with the Short-Term Action Plan and Master Plan.

NEXT STEPS

Phase Two of the Master Plan is now underway. Town staff will provide periodic reports to the Town Council about the Stormwater Management Master Plan as major work items are accomplished and identified milestones are achieved.