CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

Permit Requirement for Construction Sites One Acre or Greater:

To build on sites with over one acre of disturbed soil, property owners must obtain coverage under the California Construction General Permit. This permit is issued by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SWRCB site offers Permit guidance. For sites that disturb less than one acre, property owners are still required to implement site controls to minimize soil erosion and sediment runoff and follow the District’s urban stormwater ordinance.The basic steps to gain coverage under the State’s Permit and be authorized to construct are:

Set up an account with the State’s new “SMARTS” online project application/reporting system
Electronically submit all required ‘Permit Registration Documents’, including Site Risk Assessment, a site-specific Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan, Construction Site Monitoring Plan and Site Map.
Send your acreage-based Permit fee to State Water Resources Control Board.
Follow authorization to construct, implement all State-mandated site controls, inspection and reporting requirements.

Go to the State Water Resources Control Board website for more information.

Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District’s Role in the Construction General Permit:

FMFCD, the Cities of Clovis and Fresno, and Fresno County are collectively responsible to ensure Permit compliance within the boundaries of our region’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit boundary. The District’s focus is on ensuring that construction sites are managed to minimize the amount of sediment discharged off-site and into the District’s local storm drain system. The District has produced to Action Alert fact sheets designed to acquaint builders and subcontractors with acceptable methods of sediment control.For more information on the Construction General Permit, contact District staff at Environmental@fresnofloodcontrol.org, or (559) 456-3292.

Certified QSP & QSD Training Requirements to Write and Implement Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans:

The State’s new construction general permit requires that all construction sites over 1 acre have a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) onsite prepared by a State-certified Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD) and implemented by a State-certified SWPPP Practitioner. Click here for information on training courses to become a certified QSD or QSP and more information on the State’s Construction General Permit.Under the new Permit regulations (effective July 1, 2009) persons desiring to write and amend SWPPPs must be certified as Qualified SWPPP Developers (QSDs). Persons in charge of implementing the site controls and conducting inspections required under the new Permit must be Qualified SWPPP Practitioners (QSPs). Information on taking the QSD and QSP exams can be found on the SWRCB website.

EPA’s Small Construction Rainfall Erosivity Waiver:

EPA rules, implemented by the State Water Resources Control Board, allow certain types of construction sites to apply for a Small Construction Rainfall Erosivity Waiver. If a site is between 1 and 5 acres and construction is done only during times of the year when there is little chance of producing adverse water quality impacts, the State can waive the usual Construction General Permit requirements.Although the Construction General Permit does not apply to ‘waiver’ sites, the construction site owner-operator must agree (as condition waiver eligibility) to inspect and properly maintain the site until construction is done and the site has been stabilized to prevent any offsite transport of contaminated stormwater.

Post Development Standards Technical Manual:

Post Development refers to the structure and behavior of a built site after the building is completed. Post Construction “Best Management Practices” include design features and on-site processes that serve to minimize stormwater pollution. FMFCD developed a Post Development Standards Technical Manual. The new manual, including project area maps, is available for download and applies to construction projects that do not drain to the regional stormwater mitigation system. Projects built or redeveloped in the blue zones show on this map must incorporate into their design methods to reduce stormwater pollution, as explained in the manual. Fact Sheet – Guide to Determining if the ‘Post-Development Standards Technical Manual’ Applies to Your Project

CASQA Resources:

BMP Handbook – Members of the California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA) have access to a number of helpful guides designed to facilitate filing for and maintenance of Construction General Permit coverage. The Association website is: www.casqa.org. Standard Low Impact Development Plans and Specs – Standard LID Design Plans & Specifications | CASQA – California Stormwater Quality Association