Stormwater Management Ordinance (SWMO)

Before any earth disturbance or land development activities occur that may affect stormwater runoff, an Application must be prepared and submitted to the Borough Office for approval, along with all required site plans.

Myerstown Borough is required by federal and state regulations (see below) to implement a program of stormwater controls and measures.  In order to meet these regulations, the Borough of Myerstown Stormwater Management Ordinance was adopted.  This ordinance establishes rules, regulations, and standards to govern any earth disturbance activities or any activities that involve the alteration or development of land in a manner that may affect stormwater runoff.

BOROUGH OF MYERSTOWN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE (pdf)


Applicability
All "Regulated Activities" and all activities that may affect stormwater runoff, including land development and earth disturbance activity, are subject to regulation by the Borough of Myerstown Stormwater Management Ordinance.

Regulated Activites - Any earth disturbance activities or any activities that involve the alteration or development of land in a manner that may affect stormwater runoff.


Exemptions
The following earth disturbance and land development activities are exempt from the requirements of the Stormwater Management Ordinance:

  • Regulated activities that result in cumulative earth disturbances less than one acre.
  • Building expansion.
  • Impervious area enlargement.
  • Development of existing lots where the applicant can document to the satisfaction of the Municipal Engineer the lot improvements will not result in detrimental stormwater discharges to adjoining lands, roads, waterways or other areas.

Federal and State Regulations

The Pennsylvania Storm Water Management Act (Act 167) requires municipalities to “adopt or amend, and shall implement such ordinances and regulations, including zoning, subdivision and development, building code, and erosion and sedimentation ordinances, as are necessary to regulate development within the municipality in a manner consistent with the applicable watershed storm water plan and the provisions of this act.”

Federal regulations at 40 CFR § 122.34 require the use of ordinances by small MS4s to address 1) the prohibition of unauthorized non-stormwater discharges (MCM #3), 2) erosion and sediment controls for construction activities involving earth disturbances of one acre or more (or disturbances less than one acre if the construction activity is part of a larger common plan of development or sale that would disturb one acre or more) (MCM #4), and 3) postconstruction stormwater management for new development and redevelopment projects (MCM #5).