Inver Grove Heights City Council — Transcript

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Story

City reviews stormwater management program, addresses resident concerns

Public Education, Outreach, and Participation

Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE)

Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control

Post-Construction Stormwater Management and Infrastructure

Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping (Municipal Operations)

Future Objectives and Funding for Stormwater Improvements

Citizen Questions and Feedback

Votes (1)

Annual Municipal Stormwater Impacts Meeting (MS4 Program Review for 2021)

Informational Session - No Formal Action Taken

Assistant City Engineer Steve Dodge provided a detailed presentation on the city's 2021 stormwater management activities, covering the MS4 program, its regulatory basis (NPDES, Clean Water Act), and the implementation of the Six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs). Key areas included public education efforts, illicit discharge detection, construction site runoff control (noting 172 NOVs issued), post-construction management (including a stringent 2.6-inch requirement for the Northwest Area), and municipal good housekeeping. The presentation also outlined future objectives, such as developing a televising program, securing grants, improving capital planning, and enhancing operational procedures. During the Q&A, residents inquired about collaboration with DNR on lake species testing, tracking repeat violators among contractors, and establishing volunteer programs for trash cleanup or vegetation maintenance around lakes. The city responded that it lacks specific programs for DNR testing and volunteer cleanup, citing funding limits, but confirmed it actively manages contractor compliance, with measures up to stop-work orders for non-compliance.

Notable Quotes (5)

This is to make sure we are working with the citizens of immigrant heights and the public on addressing any stormwater needs of the city and what is called our municipal stormwater ms4 program that we work through permitting annually with the mpca.

— Steve Dodge, Assistant City Engineer [00:01:21]
Annual Municipal Stormwater Impacts Meeting (MS4 Program Review for 2021)

The mpdes system is on the left here it's the national pollution discharge elimination system and that's just to make sure that construction activity uh within uh immigrant heights in the state is not polluting our waters of the state.

— Steve Dodge, Assistant City Engineer [00:03:00]
Annual Municipal Stormwater Impacts Meeting (MS4 Program Review for 2021)

So these meetings are important because we want to interact with the uh and educate you know with our citizenry and receive comments uh from the public on interview of heights storm water program in any one of the measures that we're responsible for and also just review do an annual review of our progress and how we're doing and of course we also need to hold public engagement meetings like this in order to meet the ms4 permit requirements.

— Steve Dodge, Assistant City Engineer [00:05:40]
Annual Municipal Stormwater Impacts Meeting (MS4 Program Review for 2021)

We have what's a five-year storm water volume requirement so that's more like a 2.6 inch requirement basically it's much more stringent and that's because we're trying to protect the natural basins we have in the northwest area and make sure they continue to function like they did prior to any development coming around them.

— Steve Dodge, Assistant City Engineer [00:15:35]
Annual Municipal Stormwater Impacts Meeting (MS4 Program Review for 2021)

It's called a stop work order and so all that is written in our code and if it goes even further we can take them in the violation further where we can take them to court or find them so we we actually have measures where we just kind of keep stepping it up the enforcement action.

— Steve Dodge, Assistant City Engineer [00:28:16]
Annual Municipal Stormwater Impacts Meeting (MS4 Program Review for 2021)

Ordinances & Resolutions (11)

Municipal Stormwater (MS4) ProgramPermit

The city's program for managing stormwater runoff, requiring annual permitting with the MPCA.

National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)Permit

A national permit system ensuring construction and other activities do not pollute state waters, stemming from the Clean Water Act.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP)Plan

A program required to obtain an NPDES permit, part of the city's overall stormwater management.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWIP)Plan

A document required for development over an acre of disturbance area, detailing erosion and sediment control measures.

1972 Clean Water ActLegislation

The foundational federal legislation that led to the creation of the NPDES and MS4 systems.

Six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs)Regulatory Requirement

Six categories of activities the city must report on annually to the MPCA as part of its MS4 permit.

Fourth Generation Stormwater Management PlanPlan

The city's comprehensive plan covering stormwater management requirements for development, excluding the Northwest Area.

Capital Improvement Plan (for stormwater)Plan

A future five-year plan for stormwater-related infrastructure improvements and funding.

Bioretention standards and detailsStandard

Technical specifications for bioretention facilities, to be made available on the city website.

Municipal Operations Enforcement Response Procedures (ERPs)Procedure

Procedures to be further developed for enforcing stormwater regulations related to municipal operations.

Standard Operation Procedures (SAPs)Procedure

Standardized operating procedures for maintenance staff regarding stormwater management.

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Inver Grove Heights City Council - Inver Grove Heights Recorder