ARTICLE VI. DESIGN STANDARDS

DIVISION 1. GENERAL LAYOUT AND DESIGN

Sec. 20.5-75. Drainage.

Standards for drainage within subdivisions are as follows:

(a)  Improvements. Drainage and stormwater management facilities shall be provided, either on-site or off-site, to reduce drainage flows, pollutants, and sediment loading from the subdivision to levels in accordance with the requirements of the Virginia Stormwater Management Regulations (4 VAC 3-20), as they may be amended from time to time, or to a lesser level if deemed necessary to comply with other provisions of this Code. The agent shall approve, or approve with modifications, only those stormwater management facilities which comply with the Virginia Stormwater Management Regulations and adopted overall drainage plans and policies, if any. In this regard, the agent shall not generally approve, except as a temporary measure, on-site stormwater management facilities as an alternative to contributing (in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section) to planned regional stormwater management systems. All management facilities shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance (chapter 10 of this Code) as supplemented by the latest editions of the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook, Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook and the Virginia Department of Trans-portation Drainage Manual as well as those laws, ordinances, criteria, regulations, or policies adopted by the Commonwealth or the county.

(b) Off-site drainage costs. The subdivider shall be required to pay a pro rata share of the cost of providing reasonable and necessary drainage improvements located outside of the property limits of land owned or controlled by him whenever all of the following conditions exist:

(1) The county determines that such off-site improvements are necessitated at least in part by the construction or improvement of the subdivision.

(2) The county or other appropriate authority has established a general drainage improvement program for an area having related and common drainage conditions.

(3) The subdivider's property is located within said designated area covered by such program.

(4) The estimated cost of the total drainage improvement program has been determined.

(5) The estimated storm water runoff has been established for the designated area served by such program.

The subdivider's share of the above-estimated cost of improvements shall be limited to the amount necessary to protect water quality based upon the pollutant loading caused by the subdivision or development or the proportion of such estimated cost which the volume and velocity of storm water runoff to be caused by his subdivision bears to the total estimated volume and velocity of runoff from such area in its fully developed state.  In calculating the pollutant loading caused by the subdivision or development or volume and velocity of storm water runoff, the county shall take into account the effect of all on-site water facilities or best management practices constructed or required to be constructed by the subdivider or developer and give appropriate credit therefor.

Any cash payment received by the county shall be expended only for construction of those facilities identified in the established drainage facilities improvement program and until so expended, shall be held in a separate account for the individual improvement program.

(Ord. No. 05-33, 12/20/05)

Back to Chapter Contents
Back to Code Contents
Home Page