City of Renton

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

Excerpt from City of Renton Municipal Code

4-6-030 DRAINAGE (SURFACE WATER) STANDARDS:

C. ADOPTION OF SURFACE WATER DESIGN MANUAL:

The Surface Water Design Manual, as it exists or may be amended, is adopted by reference by the City of Renton for consistency with the current version of the King County Surface Water Design Manual. The Surface Water Design Manual shall be filed with the City Clerk and available for viewing on the City’s website.

J. ADOPTION OF STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION MANUAL:

The July 2021 King County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Manual, hereby referred to as the “Stormwater Pollution Prevention Manual,” is hereby adopted by reference. One copy of the manual shall be filed with the City Clerk.

2. Prohibition of Illicit Connections: The construction, use, maintenance, or continued existence of any connection identified by the Public Works Administrator, that does, or is likely to, convey any pollution or contaminants or anything not composed entirely of surface water and stormwater, directly into the MS4, is prohibited, including without limitation existing illicit connections regardless of whether the connection was permissible under law or practices applicable or prevailing at the time of connection. (Ord. 5676, 12-3-2012)

3. Stormwater Pollution Source Control: BMPs described in the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Manual shall be implemented and maintained for any business or residential activity that might result in prohibited discharges as specified in this subsection or as determined necessary by the Public Works Administrator. In applying the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Manual for Stormwater Pollution Source Control, the Public Works Administrator shall first require the implementation of nonstructural source control BMPs. If these are not sufficient to prevent contaminants from entering surface water, stormwater, or groundwater, the responsible official shall require implementation of structural source control BMPs and/or treatment BMPs. The City will provide, upon reasonable request, available technical assistance materials and information, and information on outside financial assistance options to persons required to comply with this requirement.

5. Elimination of Illicit Connection and/or Illicit Discharge and Prevention of Stormwater Pollution:

a. Notice of Violation: Whenever the Public Works Administrator finds that a person has violated a prohibition or failed to meet a requirement of this Section, he or she may order compliance by written notice of violation to the property owner and/or responsible person, by first class and certified mail with return receipt requested. Such notice may require without limitation:

i. The performance of monitoring, analyses, and reporting by the violator;

ii. The elimination of illicit connections or discharges;

iii. That violating discharges, practices, or operations shall immediately cease and desist;

iv. The abatement or remediation of stormwater pollution or contamination hazards and the restoration of any affected property; and

v. The implementation of source control or treatment BMPs. Any person responsible for a property or premises which is, or may be, the source of an illicit discharge, may be required to implement, at said person’s expense, additional structural and nonstructural BMPs to prevent the further discharge of pollutants to the municipal separate storm sewer system and/or waters of the State. These BMPs shall be part of a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPP) as necessary for compliance with requirements of the NPDES permit.

b. Requirement to Eliminate Illicit Connection: The Public Works Administrator shall send a written notice, sent by first class and certified mail with return receipt requested, to the property owner and/or the person responsible for the illicit connection, informing the property owner or person responsible for an illicit connection to the MS4 that the connection must be terminated by a specified date.

c. Requirement to Eliminate Illicit Discharges: The Public Works Administrator shall send a written notice, sent by first class and certified mail with return receipt requested, to the property owner and/or the person responsible for the illicit discharge, informing the property owner or person responsible for an illicit discharge to the MS4, whether it be surface water and/or groundwater, that the discharge must be terminated by a specified date.

d. Requirement to Implement Source Control BMPs: If education and outreach measures are unsuccessful in resulting in the implementation of source control BMPs for a business or residential activity that might result in prohibited discharges, the Public Works Administrator shall send a written notice, sent by first class and certified mail with return receipt requested, to the property owner and/or the person responsible for implementing source control BMPs, informing the property owner or person responsible for implementation of source control BMPs that the source control BMPs must be implemented by a specified date.

M. MAINTENANCE OF DRAINAGE FACILITIES:

1. Drainage Facilities Accepted by the City of Renton for Maintenance:

a. Responsibility for Maintenance of Accepted Facilities: The City of Renton is responsible for maintenance, including performance and operation of drainage facilities that have formally been accepted by the Administrator. The City will also maintain any chain link fence surrounding accepted drainage facilities if the fencing is required per subsection G of this Section. All landscaped areas, wooden fencing, or fencing constructed for a purpose other than safety within the tract must be maintained by the owner(s) of the tract.

b. City Assumption of Maintenance Responsibility for Existing Facilities: The City of Renton may assume maintenance of privately maintained drainage facilities, including the perimeter fencing, after the expiration of the two (2) year maintenance period in connection with the subdivision of land if the following conditions have been met:

i. All of the requirements of subsection E of this Section have been fully complied with;

ii. The facilities have been inspected and any defects or repairs have been corrected and approved by the Department prior to the end of the two (2) year maintenance period;

iii. All necessary easements entitling the City to properly maintain the facility have been conveyed to the City;

iv. The facility is constructed on a plat with public streets and located on tracts or easements dedicated to the City; and

v. It is recommended by the Administrator and concurred in by the City Council that said assumption of maintenance would be in the best interests of the City.

c. Facilities Not Eligible for Transfer of Maintenance Responsibility: A drainage facility which does not meet the criteria of this subsection shall remain the responsibility of the applicant required to construct the facility and persons holding title to the property for which the facility was required.

City of Renton Resources

Renton Municipal Code

Renton Stormwater Page

Renton SWMP (2023)