§ 13.63.040. Definitions.

The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:

A.

AKART - All known, available, and reasonable methods of prevention, control, and treatment.

B.

Arterial - PRINCIPAL ARTERIALS: Principal arterials provide service for principal traffic movements within the City. They serve centers of activity; intra-area travel between Port Angeles and other large communities and between principal trip generators. Principal arterials serve the longest trips and carry the principal portion of trips entering and leaving the overall area. Typically they are the highest traffic volume corridors in the City. The design year ADT is approximately 5,000 to 30,000 vehicles per day or more. They frequently carry important intra-urban as well as intercity bus routes.

The spacing of principal arterials usually varies from about one mile in highly developed business areas to five miles or more in rural areas. Service to abutting land should be subordinate to the provisions of travel service to principal traffic movements; this service should be incidental to the primary functional responsibility of the street. Desirably it is located on community and neighborhood boundaries or adjacent to but not through principal shopping centers, parks, and other homogeneous areas.

MINOR ARTERIALS: Minor arterials interconnect with and augment the principal arterial system. Minor arterials connect principal arterials to collector arterials and small generators. They provide medium size trip generators, such as less intensive commercial development, high schools and some junior high/grade schools, warehousing areas, active parks and ballfields, and other land uses with similar trip generation potential. They distribute travel to smaller geographic areas and communities than those identified with the principal arterial system. They provide service for trips of moderate length of a somewhat lower level of travel mobility than principal arterials. The design year ADT is approximately 2,500 to 15,000.

COLLECTOR ARTERIALS: Collector arterials provide both land access service and traffic circulation within residential neighborhoods and commercial and industrial areas. It differs from the arterial system in that facilities on the collector system may penetrate residential neighborhoods, distributing trips from the arterials through the areas to their ultimate destinations. The collector also collects traffic from local streets in residential neighborhoods and channels it onto minor and principal arterials. The collector arterial street may also carry local bus routes.

C.

Best management practices (BMPs) - mean schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and structural and/or managerial practices, that when used singly or in combination, prevent or reduce the release of pollutants and other adverse impacts to waters of Washington State (as per the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]).

D.

Certified erosion and sediment control lead (CESCL) - means an individual who has current certification through an approved erosion and sediment control training program that meets the minimum training standards established by the Washington State Department of Ecology (see BMP C160 in the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW (2014)). A CESCL is knowledgeable in the principles and practices of erosion and sediment control. The CESCL must have the skills to assess site conditions and construction activities that could impact the quality of stormwater and, the effectiveness of erosion and sediment control measures used to control the quality of stormwater discharges (as per the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]).

E.

Clean Water Act - means the federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 USC Section 1251 et seq.), and any subsequent amendments thereto.

F.

Commercial/multiple property - means all property zoned or used for multi-family, commercial, retail, public, government, non-profit and all other non-residential uses.

G.

Compost-amended soil - means establishment of a minimum soil quality and depth to regain stormwater functions in the post development landscape, provide increased treatment of pollutants and sediments that result from development and habitation, and minimize the need for some landscaping chemicals.

H.

Director - means the City of Port Angeles Director of Public Works and Utilities or his or her designee.

I.

Effective impervious surface - means those impervious surfaces that are connected via sheet flow or discrete conveyance to a drainage system. Impervious surfaces are considered ineffective if: 1) the runoff is dispersed through at least 100 feet of native vegetation in accordance with BMP T5 30 - "Full Dispersion," as described in Chapter 5 of Volume V of the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW (2014); 2) residential roof runoff is infiltrated in accordance with downspout full infiltration systems, per BMP 5.10A in Volume III of the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW (2014); or 3) approved continuous runoff modeling methods indicate that the entire runoff file is infiltrated (as per the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]).

J.

Feasibility - Low impact development best management practices (BMP) are required where feasible. A BMP is determined feasible when infeasibility criteria are not triggered as defined in the Department of Ecology SWMMWW and City of Port Angeles Urban Service Standards and Guidelines Chapter 5, Appendix D.

K.

Groundwater - means water in a saturated zone or stratum beneath the surface of the land or below a surface water body.

L.

Hard surface - means an impervious surface, a permeable pavement, or a vegetated roof.

M.

Hazardous materials - means any material, including any substance, waste, or combination thereof, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may cause, or significantly contribute to, a substantial present or potential hazard to human health, safety, property or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed.

N.

Highway - means a main public road connecting towns and cities.

O.

Hyperchlorinated - means water that contains more than ten mg/liter chlorine.

P.

Illicit discharge - means any direct or indirect non-stormwater discharge to the City's stormwater system, except as expressly allowed by this chapter.

Q.

Illicit connection - means any man-made conveyance that is connected to a municipal separate storm sewer without a permit, excluding roof drains and other similar type connections. Examples include sanitary sewer connections, floor drains, channels, pipelines, conduits, inlets, or outlets that are connected directly to the municipal separate storm sewer system.

R.

Impaired capacity system - means the flow volume or rate is greater than what a facility (e.g., pipe, pond, vault, swale, ditch, drywell, etc.) is designed to safely contain, receive, convey, reduce pollutants from, or infiltrate to meet a specific performance standard. System capacity shall be evaluated using a qualitative analysis and/or a quantitative analysis that shall include continuous runoff modeling of the 25-year recurrence interval flow. A system is considered to be impaired when it is not able to convey the 25-year recurrence interval flow without surcharging.

S.

Impervious surface - means a non-vegetated surface area that either prevents or retards the entry of water into the soil mantle as under natural conditions prior to development. A non-vegetated surface area that causes water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate of flow from the flow present under natural conditions prior to development. Common impervious surfaces include, but are not limited to, roof tops, walkways, patios, driveways, parking lots or storage areas, concrete or asphalt paving, gravel roads, packed earthen materials, and oiled, macadam or other surfaces which similarly impede the natural infiltration of stormwater. Open, uncovered retention/detention facilities shall not be considered as impervious surfaces for purposes of determining whether the thresholds for application of minimum requirements are exceeded. Open, uncovered retention/detention facilities shall be considered impervious surfaces for purposes of runoff modeling (as per the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]).

T.

Land disturbing activity - means any activity that results in movement of earth, or a change in the existing soil cover (both vegetative and non-vegetative) and/or the existing soil topography. Land disturbing activities include, but are not limited to clearing, grading, filling, and excavation. Compaction that is associated with stabilization of structures and road construction shall also be considered a land disturbing activity. Vegetation maintenance practices are not considered land disturbing activity.

U.

Maintenance - Repair and maintenance includes activities conducted on currently serviceable structures, facilities, and equipment that involves no expansion or use beyond that previously existing and results in no significant adverse hydrologic impact. It includes those usual activities taken to prevent a decline, lapse, or cessation in the use of structures and systems. Those usual activities may include replacement of dysfunctional facilities, including cases where environmental permits require replacing an existing structure with a different type structure, as long as the functioning characteristics of the original structure are not changed. One example is the replacement of a collapsed, fish blocking, round culvert with a new box culvert under the same span, or width, of roadway. See also Road Maintenance exemptions in Section 1 of the NPDES Appendix included in this chapter.

V.

Municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) - means a conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains), owned or operated by the City of Port Angeles:

1.

Designed or used for collecting or conveying stormwater;

2.

Which is not part of a publicly owned treatment works (POTW). "POTW" means any device or system used in treatment of municipal sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature which is publicly owned; and

3.

Which is not a combined sewer. "Combined sewer" means a system that collects sanitary sewage and stormwater in a single sewer system.

W.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Discharge Permit - means a permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (or by the Washington Department of Ecology under authority delegated pursuant to 33 USC Section 1342(b)) that authorizes the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States, whether the permit is applicable on an individual, group, or general area-wide basis.

X.

Native vegetation - means vegetation comprised of plant species, other than noxious weeds, that are indigenous to the coastal region of the Pacific Northwest and which reasonably could have been expected to naturally occur on the site. Examples include trees such as Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, alder, big-leaf maple, and vine maple; shrubs such as willow, elderberry, salmonberry, and salal; and herbaceous plants such as sword fern, foam flower, and fireweed.

Y.

New development - means land disturbing activities, including Class IV - general forest practices that are conversions from timber land to other uses; structural development, including construction or installation of a building or other structure; creation of impervious surfaces; and subdivision, short subdivision and binding site plans, as defined and applied in Chapter 58.17 RCW. Projects meeting the definition of redevelopment shall not be considered new development.

Z.

Non-impaired capacity system - means the flow volume or rate that a facility (e.g., pipe, pond, vault, swale, ditch, drywell, etc.) is designed to safely contain, receive, convey, reduce pollutants from, or infiltrate to meet a specific performance standard. System capacity shall be evaluated using a qualitative analysis and/or a quantitative analysis which shall include continuous runoff modeling of the 25-year recurrence interval flow. System capacity is considered to be non-impaired if it conveys a 25-year recurrence interval flow without surcharging.

AA.

Non-stormwater discharge - means any discharge to the storm drain system that is not composed entirely of stormwater.

BB.

Permeable pavement - Pervious concrete, porous asphalt, permeable pavers or other forms of pervious or porous paving material intended to allow passage of water through the pavement section. It often includes an aggregate base that provides structural support and acts as a stormwater reservoir.

CC.

Person - means any individual, association, organization, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity recognized by law and acting as either the owner of a premises or as the owner's agent.

DD.

Pollutant - means anything which causes or contributes to pollution. Pollutants may include, but are not limited to: paints, varnishes, and solvents; oil and other automotive fluids; nonhazardous liquid and solid wastes and yard wastes; refuse, rubbish, garbage, litter, or other discarded or abandoned objects and accumulations, so that same may cause or contribute to pollution; floatables (objects or substances which float); pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; hazardous substances and wastes; sewage, fecal coliform and pathogens; dissolved and particulate metals; animal wastes; wastes and residues that result from constructing a building or structure; and noxious or offensive matter of any kind.

EE.

Pollution-generating impervious surface (PGIS) - means those impervious surfaces considered to be a significant source of pollutants in stormwater runoff. Such surfaces include those which are subject to: vehicular use; industrial activities (as further defined in the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]), or storage of erodible or leachable materials, wastes, or chemicals, and which receive direct rainfall or the run-on or blow-in of rainfall; metal roofs unless they are coated with an inert, non-leachable material (e.g., baked-on enamel coating); or roofs that are subject to venting significant amounts of dusts, mists, or fumes from manufacturing, commercial, or other indoor activities (as per the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]).

FF.

Pollution-generating pervious surfaces (PGPS) - means any non-impervious surface subject to vehicular use, industrial activities (as further defined in the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]); or storage of erodible or leachable materials, wastes or chemicals, and that receive direct rainfall or run-on or blow-in of rainfall, use of pesticides and fertilizers or loss of soil. Typical PGPS include permeable pavement subject to vehicular use, lawns and landscaped areas, including golf courses parks, cemeteries, and sports fields (natural and artificial turf) (as per the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW [2014]).

GG.

Pre-developed condition - means the native vegetation and soils that existed at a site prior to the influence of Euro-American settlement. The pre-developed condition shall be assumed to be a forested land cover unless reasonable, historic information is provided that indicates the site was prairie prior to settlement.

HH.

Premises - means any building, lot, parcel of land, or portion of land, whether improved or unimproved, including adjacent sidewalks and parking strips.

II.

Project site - means that portion of a property, properties, or right-of-way subject to land disturbing activities, new impervious surfaces, or replaced impervious surfaces.

JJ.

Rain garden - means a non-engineered shallow, landscaped depression, with compost-amended native soils and adapted plants. The depression is designed to pond and temporarily store stormwater runoff from adjacent areas, and to allow stormwater to pass through the amended soil profile.

KK.

Receiving waters - means bodies of water or surface water systems to which surface runoff is discharged via a point source of stormwater or via sheet flow.

LL.

Redevelopment - On a site that is already substantially developed (i.e., has 35 percent or more of existing impervious surface coverage), the creation or addition of impervious surfaces; the expansion of a building footprint or addition or replacement of a structure; structural development including construction, installation or expansion of a building or other structure; replacement of impervious surface that is not part of a routine maintenance activity; and land disturbing activities.

MM.

Replaced impervious surface - means, for structures, the removal and replacement of any exterior impervious surfaces or foundation. For other impervious surfaces, the removal down to bare soil or base course and replacement.

NN.

Single-family property - means all property used for single-family residential uses.

OO.

Site - means the area defined by the legal boundaries of a parcel or parcels of land that is (are) subject to new development or redevelopment. For road projects, the length of the project site and the right-of-way boundaries define the site.

PP.

Source control BMP - means a structure or operation that is intended to prevent pollutants from coming into contact with stormwater through physical separation of areas or careful management of activities that are sources of pollutants. The Department of Ecology's SWMMWW (2014) separates source control BMPs into two types. Structural source control BMPs are physical, structural, or mechanical devices, or facilities that are intended to prevent pollutants from entering stormwater. Operational BMPs are nonstructural practices that prevent or reduce pollutants from entering stormwater. For further examples or details, refer to the Volume IV of the Department of Ecology's SWMMWW (2014).

QQ.

Stormwater - means runoff during and following precipitation and snowmelt events, including surface runoff and drainage.

RR.

Stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) - means a document which describes the best management practices and activities to be implemented by a person to identify sources of pollution or contamination at a premises and the actions to eliminate or reduce pollutant discharges to stormwater, stormwater conveyance systems, and/or receiving waters to the maximum extent practicable.

SS.

Stormwater system - means all natural and manmade systems which function together or independently to collect, store, purify, discharge and convey stormwater. Included are all stormwater facilities as well as natural systems such as streams and creeks and all natural systems which convey, store, infiltrate or divert stormwater.

TT.

Threshold discharge area - means an on-site area draining to a single natural discharge location or multiple natural discharge locations that combine within one-quarter mile downstream (as determined by the shortest flowpath). The examples in Figure 2.1 illustrate this definition. The purpose of this definition is to clarify how the thresholds of the stormwater requirements are applied to project sites with multiple discharge points.

UU.

Wetland - means those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas. Wetlands do not include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from non-wetland sites, including, but not limited to, irrigation and drainage ditches, grass-lined swales, canals, detention facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, farm ponds, and landscape amenities, or those wetlands created after July 1, 1990, that were unintentionally created as a result of the construction of a road, street, or highway. Wetlands may include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from non-wetland areas to mitigate the conversion of wetlands.

(Ord. 3568 § 1, 12/20/2016; Ord. 3367 § 2, 8/15/2009)