City of Medford

The City of Medford 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 Medford 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 Medford will only provide construction permits to projects that establish a plan to manage stormwater runoff occurring during the construction process. The City of Medford, 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 Medford has the authority to inspect stormwater facilities and practices in order to ascertain that they are properly maintained and functioning.

Excerpt from City of Medford Municipal Code

10.729 Stormwater Quality and Detention Facilities, Private Property

A. Purpose. It is the City’s policy to maintain the natural hydrology and preserve water quality by mitigating the direct impacts of new development and preserving the environmental benefits of natural water bodies.

B. Applicability. Stormwater quality and detention facilities shall be required for development and building permits, with the exception of single-family residences and duplexes, which meet any one (1) of the following conditions

(1) Building permits for development that creates 5,000 square feet or more impervious surface; or

(2) Building permits for development that adds or reconstructs 1,000 square feet or more of impervious surface, if that construction activity is part of a larger common plan of development that contains, or will contain, 5,000 square feet or more of impervious surface. A “common plan of development” means the overall plan for development of land, including any pre-existing development and approved plans for future development; or

(3) Building permits for development that existed prior to adoption of City regulations requiring stormwater detention facilities that add or reconstruct 1,000 square feet or more of impervious surface. These shall provide stormwater detention for only the added or reconstructed portion; or

(4) Subdivisions, partitions, or PUDs which will contain new private streets, Minimum Access Easements, or other easements creating 5,000 square feet or more of impervious surface.

C. Location. Stormwater detention facilities for development that does not include public rights-of-way, as per Section 10.486, shall be constructed on private property.

D. Construction and Maintenance Standards.

(1) Stormwater detention facilities shall be constructed in conformance with Section 10.481, Improvement Standards Adopted.

(2) Stormwater detention facilities for development that does not include public rights-of-way shall be privately maintained and shall have an Operation and Maintenance Plan approved by the City prior to construction of the facility. An approved form of the Operation and Maintenance Plan is located in Appendix of the current adopted version of the Rogue Valley Stormwater Quality Design Manual.

(3) When the property owner will not be responsible for maintenance of the private stormwater detention facility or when there will be multiple responsible parties, an Operation and Maintenance Agreement, in a form acceptable to the Public Works Department and the City Attorney, shall be required, in addition to the Operation and Maintenance Plan.

[Added, Sec. 11, Ord. No. 2009-240, Nov. 5, 2009.]

State of Oregon Resources

Stormwater Permit Application Forms and Fees

Stormwater Contacts

City of Medford Resources

City of Medford Municipal Code