As of February 15, 2005, new and redevelopment projects that create or replace more than one acre of impervious area must treat and/or detain stormwater runoff before it is discharged to creeks or stormdrains. The threshold drops from one acre to 10,000 square feet effective August 15, 2006. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water quality Control Board revised Provision C.3 in the countywide National Pollutant discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit in February 2003 to include these development requirements. The primary goals of the new requirements are to protect water quality by minimizing sediment and other pollutants in site runoff, and to prevent downstream erosion by ensuring that post-project runoff and volume do not exceed pre-project runoff and volume.

In October 2009, a new Municipal Regional Permit was adopted by the Regional Water Quaility Control Board; this permit applies to all jurisdictions in the San Francisco Bay Area. Under this permit, the thresholds for treatment of stormater runoff are further reduced. Click here for the March 2010 Stormwater C.3 Update summary fact sheet outling these requirements.

The City of San Pablo participates in the Contra Costa Clean Water Program (Program), which coordinates NPDES permit compliance efforts countywide. The Stormwater C.3 Guidebook 4th Edition (c.e Guidebook) is available to help developers comply with the new requirements. This document along with other useful information can be accessed at www.cccleanwater.org/construction/nd.php.

Appendix A (PDF Version)

This Appendix allows cities, towns, or the County to identify any exceptions or additional requirements to the information provided in the C.3 Guidebook. The City of San Pablo does not have any exceptions or additional requirements at this time.

However, the City of San Pablo C.3 implementation will include:

• Your Stormwater Control Plan must be certified by an architect, landscape architect, or civil engineer.
• A Stormwater Control Plan Review fee upon submittal of the Planning Application Form.  Please refer to www.ci.san-pablo.ca.us/main/documents/masterfees.pdf for the Master Fee Schedule.

• A C.3 Permit prior to construction from the Community Services Department. Commercial and residential development C.3 permits must be renewed annually. Please refer to www.ci.san-pablo.ca.us/main/documents/masterfees.pdf for the Master Fee Schedule.

For further guidance, please call the Public Works Department at 510.215.3037.

Appendix K (PDF Version)

Requirement for Maintenance and Inspections

Maintenance and annual inspection of Stormwater Treatment Facilities is required by Chapter 8.40 of Title 8 of the San Pablo Municipal Code (SPMC) relating to Stormwater Management and Discharge Control. In addition, the City of San Pablo (City) may require that a Stormwater Management Facilities Operation and Maintenance Agreement and Right of Entry be executed as a condition of project approval.

List of Stormwater Treatment Facilities

The NPDES Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the list of stormwater treatment facilities. Procedures are as follows:

Stormwater Control Plans, once approved by the Public Works Department, are forwarded to the Planning Division and filed with the Planning Application.

• When a construction permit is applied for, the Public Works Department receives and reviews (1) detailed drawings and specifications for the stormwater facilities and (2) a draft Stormwater Control Operation and Maintenance Plan (O&M Plan). Requirements for O&M Plans are in Appendix F of the Stormwater C.3 Guidebook.
• Coordinated with construction inspections, the City Inspector (1) will observe the methods and materials used to build the facilities. The City Inspector will also check that the facilities are maintained during the construction period.
• Prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, the operator must submit to the NPDES Coordinator a final. The approved O&M Plan must be filed at the facility and maintained by the Operator.

Sites with stormwater treatment facilities are tracked through the City’s PermitTrak software which includes site name, owner, address, type and size of improvement, and other pertinent information. Further information is accessed and compiled by referencing each individual Stormwater Control Operation and Maintenance Plan.

Operator Inspection Procedure

Per Section 8.40.050 (d) of the SPMC, the Operator shall inspect the stormwater BMPs at least annually. The Operator who is responsible for implementing the O&M Plan may include but is not limited to the property owner, the property manager, the management company, the home owner’s association, or another designated representative. Inspection checklists for each BMP are to be incorporated into the required O&M Plan for each site as described in Appendix F. Operator inspections shall be recorded on a log similar to that in Attachment F-3 in Appendix F, and shall include the information shown in Attachment F-4 in Appendix F. Operator inspection reports will be filed onsite along with the O&M Plan.

City Verification of Operator Stormwater Facility Inspections

The Operator of each site with a stormwater treatment facility is required to obtain from the City an annual certificate of compliance certifying operation and maintenance of the site. Per Section 8.40.100 of the SPMC, the Operator is responsible for requesting an inspection from the City and paying the inspection fee every 12 months. Operators who fail to request an inspection will be issued a warning notice. If no response is received in two weeks, a Code Enforcement Officer will issue an administrative fine of $100 per day until the Operator pays the inspection fee and schedules an inspection.

Operators who fail to maintain inspection records and/or stormwater BMPs will be issued a warning notice and scheduled for a re-inspection by the City Inspector. If inspection records are not in compliance by the re-inspection date, a Code Enforcement Officer will issue an administrative fine of $100 per day until the required records are provided to the City. If the stormwater BMPs are not maintained by the re-inspection date, per Section 8.40.050 (d), the City or its contractor may perform the maintenance and recover its costs from the Operator as provided in Sections 8.40.170 and 8.40.180 of the SPMC.

Documentation, Effectiveness Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement

The NPDES Coordinator will review and assess the BMP Operation and Maintenance Verification Program each year when the City’s annual report to the Water Board is prepared. The report to the Water Board will include:

• Any updates to the organization or structure of the verification program.
• Planned improvements to the verification program.
• Summary of inspections and inspection results.
• Sites added to the verification program, including treatment measures used, sizing criteria employed, and party responsible for O&M.
• Evaluation of the verification program’s effectiveness.

References and Resources

Operation, Maintenance, and Management of Stormwater Management Systems by the Watershed Management Institute. Information and an order form are at http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/wmi/

Information on maintenance requirements for specific BMPs is compiled on SCVURPPP’s website.

Guidance for planning treatment BMP operation and maintenance is in Chapter 3, Step 9, Chapter 6, and Appendix F of the Stormwater C.3 Guidebook.

The City Inspector can include the NPDES Coordinator, the Public Works Inspector, or another designated City representative.

Best Management Practices to Prevent Stormwater Pollution from Construction-Related Activites.  Blueprint for a Clean Bay