Stormwater Management

Draft Stormwater Management Ordinance

To protect the quality and quantity of our water in Rappahannock County, a Stormwater Management Ordinance has been drafted and is being submitted to the Planning Commission in December 2007. The ordinance applies to all future development in the county. This ordinance, along with proposed changes to the Zoning and Subdivision ordinances, was carefully crafted specifically for our particular county, people, topography, zoning, environment, land uses, ecology, development patterns, and watersheds. The Ordinance was drafted by a Steering Committee including John McCarthy, County Administrator; Greg Wichelns and Richard Jacobs of the Culpeper Soil & Water Conservation District; RappFLOW volunteers Beverly Hunter and Mary Kathryn Ishee; and stormwater management experts from Timmons Corp.

The efforts of RappFLOW volunteers over the past five years to assess and understand our watersheds and our citizens' interests have helped to provide a solid foundation for some of the concepts and emphases in this ordinance.

The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the County and the Commonwealth of Virginia and to prevent water from being rendered dangerous to the health of persons living in the County. The specific purposes of this ordinance are to:

A. Minimize the deterioration of state waters and waterways resulting from land disturbing activities.

B. Protect the safety and welfare of citizens, property owners, and businesses by minimizing the negative impacts or increased stormwater discharges from new land development and redevelopment.

C. Control non-point source pollution, erosion and sedimentation, protect stream channel functions, drainage, and facilitate natural recharge of groundwater.

D. Maintain the integrity of existing stream channels and networks for their biological functions, drainage, and natural recharge of groundwater.

E. Protect the condition of state waters for all reasonable uses and ecological functions.

F. Provide for the long-term responsibility for and maintenance of stormwater management facilities and best management practices.

G. Integrate stormwater management and pollution control with other county ordinances, programs, policies, and comprehensive plan.

H. Promote the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources.

More info (PDF documents):

Draft Ordinance
Proposed Changes to Chapter 147 - Subdivision
Proposed Changes to Chapter 170 - Zoning

10/2/07
updated 11/12/07
updated 12/12/07