April 11, 2024 – Special meeting on draft of Storm Water Ordinance
UNT Supervisors met to discuss a draft of the Storm Water Ordinance—no agenda was provided by this meeting.
Engineer Kevin Horvath said an update is required by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and that the update will help the policy better mesh with the MS4 (Storm water) program as it addresses water quality and existing storm water infrastructure. The Monacacy Creek Watershed and all other watersheds, separated in the current policy, will now be combined. Animal Waste disposal is included in the draft; construction requirements will be covered in a separate document.
The Ordinance will guide residents on what to do if they choose to develop their land.
PUBLIC COMMENT
A Palmer Township resident advised UNT Supervisors to not update their policy the way Palmer Township did. He asked how UNT would pay for the upgrades and said Palmer had divided all land owners into tiers and that his 6 acre farm field is in the same tier as the Amazon warehouse even though, unlike Amazon, he doesn’t have any runoff from his property.
- Scott Sylvainus said that funding has not been decided yet.
An UNT resident asked if the Animal Waste rules will affect farmers.
- Kevin Horvath said that the rules only apply to domestic animals, basically instructing owners to pick up their pet’s waste
Nate Prichard, who participates in a County KARST geology committee (i.e. sinkholes), reported that he had received a technical advisory draft of a new PA Geological Study which examines regulations for storm water. The draft addresses differences in drainage patterns in KARST areas, preconstruction infiltration and a discussion of storm water BMPs. Basically, they want to avoid the situation currently happening with the Amazon warehouse on Tatamy Road which has an ongoing problem with sinkholes.
- Horvath said that the storm water draft refers to the Act 167 plan
Robert Williams, Palmer Township’s Manager, attended the meeting. He recommended UNT supervisors do more outreach to residents about the ordinance as a lot of Palmer residents weren’t aware of the policy discussion until it passed. Palmer established a Storm Water Authority to repair infrastructure. He also admitted that not one Palmer resident is happy about paying more money and said Palmer is charging a fee for its storm water, not a tax.
He told the Supervisors that paying for storm water maintenance out of the General Fund wouldn’t be realistic.
Becky Bartlett covers these meetings because citizens have the right to know what their government is doing
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