Additional Control Strategies

San Antonio City Code ch. 34, art. VI, div. 6, subpt. E

in effect

San Antonio City Code § 34-960 Detention, sedimentation and filtration for water quality control.

Sec. 34-960. - Detention, sedimentation and filtration for water quality control. (a) All multi-family and commercial developments of land with projected impervious cover exceeding fifteen (15) percent shall comply with the provisions of this division. (b) All multi-family and commercial development shall install detention, sedimentation and filtration basins in accordance with technical guidelines acceptable to SAWS, and which include at least the following design and control features: (1) At a minimum, the water quality basins and drainage into the basins shall be designed to capture and isolate at least the first one-half (½) inch of runoff. All subsequent runoff in excess of the design capacity of the basins shall bypass the basins and remain segregated from the contained runoff waters including those waters in a peak shaving basin if required. (2) Input to and release from water quality basins shall utilize vegetated swales and/or overland flow dispersion measures where possible. (c) No infiltration trenches will be allowed on the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. (Ord. No. 81491, § 1(App. I), 1-12-95)

San Antonio City Code § 34-965 Street improvements.

Sec. 34-965. - Street improvements. (a) All roadway projects with anticipated, or actual Average Daily Traffic (ADT) volumes in excess of one thousand five hundred (1,500) vehicles per day shall be required to design, construct, operate, and maintain sedimentation and filtration basins to capture and treat the first flush runoff from the roadway. In addition, all roadway projects with anticipated or actual ADT volumes in excess of thirty thousand (30,000) vehicles per day shall be required to design, construct, operate, and maintain hazardous materials traps (HMT's) that will capture, contain and isolate a hazardous spill on the roadway facility. The minimum volume of the HMT's shall be ten thousand (10,000) gallons and they shall contain a self-draining outlet and an emergency cut off to contain any spilled materials. (b) All bridge structures with ADT in excess of one thousand five hundred (1,500) vehicles per day shall be prohibited from discharging directly to the floodplain preservation area from the roadway surface. These bridges shall be designed to transport the stormwater off the bridge structure and into a sedimentation pond, filtration pond, or equivalent system as approved by SAWS as long as it provides equal water quality protection. (c) Street maintenance projects that do not increase the impervious cover to beyond that of the original street shall be exempt from the provisions of this section. (Ord. No. 81491, § 1(App. I), 1-12-95)

San Antonio City Code § 34-970 Best Management Practices (BMP's).

Sec. 34-970. - Best Management Practices (BMP's). All development plans for single-family residential development of Category 2 or 3 projects, as identified in section 34-925, which are submitted to the resource protection and compliance department, as required by this division, shall contain sufficient planned BMP features to allow for the proper conveyance, storage and release of runoff, to adequately reduce peak stormwater discharge, and remove pollutants in a manner and to a degree which is acceptable to the resource protection and compliance department. BMP's are features which provide effective integration of stormwater management systems, with appropriate combinations of landscape conservation, enhancement, structural controls, schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures and other management practices which provide an optimum way to convey, store, treat and release runoff, so as to reduce peak discharge, remove pollutants, and enhance the environment. All development plans submitted shall, at a minimum, incorporate all of the following BMP's: (a) Vegetative buffer zones. Buffer zones are vegetated strips of land used for temporary or permanent water quality benefits. Buffer zones are used to decrease the velocity of storm water runoff, which in turn helps to prevent soil erosion. The buffer zone can be an area of vegetation that is left undisturbed during construction, or it can be newly planted. Buffer zones may be used in addition to or as a substitute to other control strategies described in this section. If vegetative buffer zones are used they shall be designed and reviewed in accordance with the standards established by the San Antonio Water System. (b) Water conservation. As part of the requirements for development, the applicant shall submit a water conservation plan. Water conservation provides an alternative approach to the twin problems of increasing demand for water in a community and finding new water sources. The water conservation plan shall include as a minimum the following: (1) Identity of all water users; (2) Monitoring program to identify and repair leaks in water pipes; (3) Required installation of water efficient plumbing fixtures; (4) Description of a water efficient landscape program; (c) Integrated pest management programs. A pesticide and fertilizer management plan shall be submitted that provides general information regarding proper use, storage, and disposal of pesticide and fertilizers that are commonly available. In addition, the plan shall provide information regarding what types of pesticides and fertilizers are most likely to be used for the various types of development. The plan shall also delineate which types of pesticides and fertilizers should be avoided. (Ord. No. 81491, § 1(App. I), 1-12-95; Ord. No. 2006-02-16-0241, § 2, 2-16-06; Ord. No. 2014-08-14-0581, §§ 3, 9, 8-14-14)

San Antonio City Code § 34-975 Construction sequencing and erosion controls.

Sec. 34-975. - Construction sequencing and erosion controls. (a) A comprehensive and detailed erosion and, sedimentation control plan and report shall be submitted with the application. The report shall specify maintenance of controls. All items noted in the erosion control and construction sequencing plans shall also be included in the final construction plans. (1) The report shall include the following items: a. Construction sequencing as it relates to placement, maintenance, removal of temporary erosion controls, and restoration measures. The sequencing plan schedules these items in the overall scheme of development. b. A list of such erosion controls and maintenance thereof. c. Slope stabilization techniques to be employed. d. Restoration plans including vegetative types. (2) The erosion control and construction sequencing plan shall include the following items: a. Location of temporary erosion controls with maintenance note. The plan shall show the physical details of the controls. b. A construction sequencing list, including the timing of the use of various controls in relation to steps in the construction. c. Restoration techniques and acceptability note. (b) The development shall comply with the erosion control and restoration measures guidelines as identified by the San Antonio Water System. (c) The clearing of land shall conform to the following criteria: (1) No clear or rough-cutting shall be permitted prior to the issuance of a letter of certification by the resource protection and compliance department. Limited clearing and rough-cutting for soil testing and surveying is allowed. (2) No clearing or rough-cutting for purposes other than paragraph (1) above and construction of temporary erosion and sedimentation controls as per approved plans shall be permitted until these controls are in place. (3) Clearing for the temporary storage of spoil or construction equipment, or for the permanent disposal of fill material or spoils, shall be so designated on the site plan. (4) Vegetation within any floodplain preservation or buffer, or significant recharge buffer area should not be disturbed except for purposes consistent with development activity permitted by section 34-912. (5) If an applicant does not comply fully with the approved construction sequencing and erosion control plan, the resource protection and compliance department shall notify him in writing that the city may correct and revegetate the, disturbed area at his expense, unless he does so within sixty (60) days after the date on the notice, or unless applicant provides erosion and sedimentation controls and the continuing maintenance thereof acceptable to the resource protection and compliance department. (6) The requirements of this division shall not apply to ordinary vegetation management specifically regulated elsewhere by this code. This subsection is not intended to provide a defense for or waiver of any other requirements of this code, including but not limited to those contained in Article V of Chapter 14. (Ord. No. 81491, § 1(App. I), 1-12-95; Ord. No. 2006-02-16-0241, § 5, 2-16-06)

Source: City of San Antonio, City Code, City Charter and Unified Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/san_antonio/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH34WASE_ARTVIWAQUCOPOPR_DIV6AQREZOWAPR_SDEADCOSTFetched: 10/27/2026