The City of Lacey 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 Lacey 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 Lacey will only provide construction permits to projects that establish a plan to manage stormwater runoff occurring during the construction process. The City of Lacey, 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 Lacey has the authority to inspect stormwater facilities and practices in order to ascertain that they are properly maintained and functioning.
All stormwater facilities need to be maintained. Regular maintenance ensures proper functioning and keeps the facility aesthetically appealing. This Stormwater Facility Maintenance Guide was designed to help explain how stormwater facilities work and provide user-friendly guidance on how to maintain facilities to keep them functional and up to standards. As a facility owner or homeowner’s association, you are responsible for regularly maintaining your privately-owned drainage facilities such as ponds, catch basins and pipes. Local governments maintain stormwater facilities located in public roadways.
The SDM Administrator is also authorized to request information or to impose requirements beyond those specified in this manual, which may occur for various reasons including but not limited to:
This manual establishes the minimum “core requirements” for stormwater control and site development requirements for all new development and redevelopment in the City and applies to all sites as detailed in Chapter 2 – Applicability and Core Requirements, and Chapter 3 – Stormwater Submittals. The core requirements outlined in Chapter 2 are based on the “Minimum Requirements” outlined in the 2019 Ecology Manual, but have been adapted for use in the City. Stormwater management requirements are satisfied by the application of best management practices (BMPs) identified in this manual, when they are selected and designed according to the procedures and criteria specified in this manual.
Stormwater BMPs play an important role in managing the 4 feet of rainfall received in Lacey in an average year. The term “stormwater BMP” refers to any landscaped or structural feature that collects, conveys, cleans, or infiltrates runoff water. There are many types of stormwater BMPs, ranging from simple swales and ponds to more complicated filter systems and flow control devices. On-site stormwater BMPs work together to control runoff water, reduce flooding, and prevent pollution. Owners of commercial property, multifamily residential property, or single-family residential properties with privately-owned drainage and stormwater BMPs are required by City code to maintain their BMPs to established standards for full functionality (Chapter 14.25 LMC). BMP owners are responsible for performing inspections of stormwater BMPs, and for performing any maintenance identified by the inspections.