Subject:  Adopt The Watershed Institute Enhanced Stormwater Rules template

I urge you to adopt The Watershed Institute Enhanced Stormwater Rules template.

 It is important that the Mayor, Committee and Planning Board recognize that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has approved new regulations for storm water management. Every municipality has been notified in writing by DEP that they have until March 2021 to adopt an ordinance that reflects compliance with the new regulation.

The ENHANCED template strengthens the DEP Rules and is permissible under the DEP new rules: A municipality may choose these stronger or additional measures in order to address local water quality and flooding conditions as well as other environmental and community needs. For example, municipalities may choose to define “major development” with a smaller area of disturbance and/or smaller area of regulated impervious cover or regulated motor vehicle surface; apply stormwater requirements to both major and minor development; and/or require groundwater recharge, when feasible, in urban redevelopment areas.

A significant contributor to poor water quality and flooding is the inadequate management of polluted stormwater runoff. I believe the goal of a municipal stormwater ordinance is to protect and improve water quality while mitigating flooding for the public health, safety, and welfare of the community.

For these reasons, The Enhanced Stormwater Management Ordinance includes the following provisions:

● Reduced threshold definition for major development
● Requires major developments to treat runoff from all impervious surfaces for water quality
● Requires stormwater management for minor development over 250 square feet
● Addresses redevelopment ● Requires the use of Low Impact Development techniques
● Includes maintenance reporting requirements

The link to the Enhanced Stormwater Rules template is: https://thewatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/TWI-Enhanced-Ordinance-highlights-final.pdf   

Planning Director San Chavan told me she is on track to meet NJ DEP requirements by the deadline.   This letter reinforces that Middletown adopt the ENHANCED template, issued by the Watershed Institute, and endorsed by environment organizations.
My personal perspective: If only this enhancement had been on the books DECADES AGO!  I own a house in the hilly Oak Hill section of Middletown.  With climate change, rainfalls have become increasingly heavy.  Street runoff is dramatically eroding the creek banks behind our houses. Some homeowners have long demanded Ted Maloney magically correct long-ago storm water management deficiencies that are now threatening houses, undermining roads, and requiring $Millions to retrofit and fortify under-road culverts/bridges/creek banks.
I trust Middletown elected leaders will support Dir. Chavan and the Planning Board to implement the best stormwater management for intensifying rainfalls in Middletown's future.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Steven Miller
151 Borden Rd
Middletown Township