El Paso City Code § 19.19.010 General provisions.
19.19.010 - General provisions.
A. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of this stormwater management section is to protect, maintain and enhance the public health, safety, environment and general welfare of the citizens of El Paso, Texas and the ETJ, by establishing minimum requirements and procedures to control the adverse effects of increased stormwater runoff and non-point source pollution associated with new development and redevelopment. It has been determined that proper management of stormwater runoff will minimize damage to public and private property and infrastructure, safeguard the public health, safety, environment and general welfare of the public, and protect water resources. The ordinance codified in this title seeks to meet that purpose through the following objectives:
1. Establish decision-making processes surrounding private and public land development activities that protect the integrity of the watershed and preserve the health of water resources;
2. Require that new development and redevelopment maintain the pre-development hydrologic response in their post-development state as nearly as practicable in order to reduce flooding, non-point source pollution and maintain the integrity of natural and man-made channels;
3. Establish minimum post-development stormwater management standards and design criteria to be adopted via a Drainage Design Manual (DDM) as part of the Street Design Manual (SDM);
4. Establish design and application criteria for the construction and use of structural stormwater control facilities that can be used to meet the minimum stormwater management standards thru the DDM;
5. Encourage the use of nonstructural stormwater management such as the preservation of greenspace and other conservation areas, to the maximum extent practicable. Coordinate site design plans, which include greenspace, with the city's master open space plan;
6. Establish provisions for the long-term responsibility for and maintenance of structural stormwater control facilities and nonstructural stormwater management practices to ensure that they continue to function as designed, are maintained, and pose no threat to public safety;
7. Establish administrative procedures for the submission, review, and approval of stormwater management plans, and for the inspection of approved active projects, and their continued maintenance.
B. Applicability. This chapter shall be applicable to subdivision development. The DDM standards shall apply to all development.
C. Exemptions. The following activities are exempt from this chapter:
1. Individual single-family or duplex residential lots that are not part of a subdivision or phased development project;
2. Additions or modifications to existing single-family or duplex residential structures;
3. Agricultural activities within areas zoned for these activities and/or where agricultural activities are legally allowed;
4. Repairs to any stormwater management facility deemed necessary by the city manager (or designee); and
5. Subdivisions whose sole means of stormwater management is by individual lot, on-site retention ponds, shall be exempt from the requirement for an inspection and maintenance agreement.
D. Designation and Role of Floodplain Administrator. The city manager or designee who is a professional engineer licensed in the State of Texas, is authorized and appointed to administer and implement the provisions of this chapter and related chapters of this title, as may be applicable.
E. Drainage Design Manual. The city will utilize, apply, and enforce design standards, methods, criteria, and administrative policies and procedures provided in the latest technical edition of the DDM incorporated by reference in its entirety. The DDM may be updated and periodically expanded as required.
F. Preservation of Natural Arroyos. If being used as part of stormwater management for the development, Arroyos shall be preserved in their natural state, except that an exception of such requirement may be granted by the city plan commission provided such exception both meets the requirements of Chapter 19.48 and is necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare. If an exception is authorized to allow improvements, the design for such improvements shall be incorporated into the subdivision improvement plans and approved by the floodplain administrator. As part of initial review of a subdivision application prior to acceptance as complete, the floodplain administrator shall determine the area within which improvements will require an exception. The floodplain administrator's determination shall be forwarded to the applicant and city plan commission, which shall decide on any exception requested by the applicant.
(Ord. 16912 §§ 1, 2, 2008; Ord. 16882 § 2 (part), 2008; Ord. No. 19327, § 34, 4-26-2022)