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Minnesota Stormwater Manual

Minnesota GreenStep Cities Stormwater Assessment guidance and supporting information

The Minnesota GreenStep Cities Stormwater Assessment, formerly called the Blue Star Assessment, ................

Contents

Section One - Planning and Preservation

This section includes four sections that focus on planning and preservation in respect to development, redevelopment and water resources.

Section One - Part A: Water Friendly Development Patterns

image of ford plant
Images of original St. Paul Ford Plant (left) and proposed development of the Ford Plant site (right). The proposed development includes redevelopment of a Brownfield site, incorporating mixed use, high density development. Image on right courtesy City of St. Paul.

Part A of the assessment includes two sections that address sprawl-limiting strategies and strategies for redevelopment, including Brownfield redevelopment.

Sprawl-limiting strategies

Does your community comprehensive plan allow the following sprawl-limiting strategies? (Select all strategies that apply)

  • Mixed-use development by right (1 pt)
  • Compact development outside of the downtown zoning district (greater than 3 residential units/acre) (1 pt)
  • Transfer of development rights (1 pt)
  • Other applicable (1 pt)
  • No / I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Wikipedia defines urban sprawl as "the expansion of human populations away from central urban areas into low-density, monofunctional and usually car-dependent communities". "Low-density" is an arbitrary term typically defined in local ordinances. Housing densities lower than 1 home per acre are often considered to be low density.

Urban sprawl has many negative environmental impacts, including habitat loss and fragmentation, increased water use, and increased energy consumption. The relationship between urban sprawl and stormwater has not been extensively studied. Sprawl may reduce imperviousness on a per acre basis, but increases overall impervious acreage. High density, mixed-use development, allows for more efficient stormwater management than low density development.

  • Mixed-use development: neighborhoods or buildings that include multiple uses, such as residences, shops, restaurants, and businesses. Mixed use development provides more efficient service delivery and results in reduced resource consumption.
  • Compact development (greater than 3 units/acre): compact development provides for more efficient delivery of services and resources, resulting in less consumption
  • Transfer of development rights: transfer of development rights (TDR), sometimes known as transfer of development credits (TDC), is a market-based tool that allows communities to channel development toward designated growth areas and away from natural areas, drinking water sources and farmland (Smart Growth America).
  • Redevelopment of underutilized previously developed sites: underutilized or unused sites (e.g. Brownfields) represent an opportunity to implement mixed use, compact development (discussed above).

Further reading

Redevelopment and Brownfields

Does your community have any of the following incentives specifically targeted to ‘brownfield’ development and redevelopment sites? (Select all that apply)

  • Density bonus (1 pt)
  • Funding for remediation (1 pt)
  • Streamlined permitting (1 pt)
  • Reduced impact fees (1 pt)
  • Tax increment financing (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don't know / not specified

A brownfield is an abandoned site with an industrial or commercial past that has left behind a legacy of contamination. The contamination is due to the release of a hazardous substance onto the land and in certain cases the groundwater. These sites are often seen as undesirable but there are many benefits of redevelopment (EPA). To stimulate development at these sites different incentives have been created to encourage reinvestment in these areas. Along with these incentives there are societal benefits as well which include: increases in local tax base, job growth, utilizes existing infrastructure, takes pressure off undeveloped land and improves the environment (EPA).

  • Density bonus
  • Funding for remediation
  • Streamlined permitting
  • Reduced impact fees
  • Tax increment financing

Further reading

Green infrastructure

In your stormwater ordinance is there a definition of green infrastructure -- better management of stormwater while aiming to achieve other environmental, public health, social, and economic benefits? (Select one)

  • Yes (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Green infrastructure is an approach to water management that keeps the water close to where it falls and mimics the natural water cycle. The benefits of green infrastructure make it a practice that can be used in an array of practices including stormwater management.

  • Environmental: filters pollutants found in stormwater and then water is able to infiltrate into the ground. They as can be places for wildlife to flourish.
  • Public health: green infrastructure provides shade, green spaces for public gatherings and a walkable community.
  • Social: serves as a means to educate and engage the public in stormwater management and enhances the community aesthetics.
  • Economic benefits: public investment in neighborhoods across a city including transportation corridors and business districts plus costs to install and maintain are lower (Raincheck).

Further reading

Climate adaptation

Does your community have a climate adaptation plan in place to address potential impacts of climate change on community water resource management? (Select one)

  • Yes (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Climate adaption is defined as a response to global warming that seeks to reduce the vulnerability of social and biological systems to relatively sudden change and this offset the effects of global warming (Wikipedia). Climate change will affect society in multiple ways including water resources. In order to plan for future changes in water resource availability communities are developing climate adaption plans and looking at water resource management under future circumstances.

Further reading

Section One - Part B: Natural Resource Preservation & Management

Part B of the assessment includes six sections that address high quality natural resource areas, floodplains, wetlands, buffers, steep slopes and urban forests.

High quality natural resource areas

Does your community comprehensive plan include an inventory of high quality natural resource areas and are land-use decisions guided by the inventory in order to protect these areas from development?

  • Yes, a Natural Resource Inventory or Natural Resource Assessment is incorporated into the subdivision or development process (4 pts)
  • Yes, inventoried (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

A Natural Resource Inventory is a statistical inventory of natural resources in a given area that is documented and used to assess the change in natural resources in a given area. The inventories or assessments can range from general to detailed depending on the land area that is being evaluated. They inform governmental units how to plan new buildings in their communities in order to protect those areas that are considered high quality natural resource areas. Examples of these areas are as follows: native ecosystems, habitat for endangered species, sensitive plants and animals, and scenic landscapes (Washington State Department of Natural Resources).

Further reading

Filling in floodplain areas

Does your community allow filling for development within the floodplain and if so, are restrictions imposed excluding storage of hazardous materials and requiring compensatory storage for fill? (Select one)

  • No fill within FEMA and locally defined floodplain allowed (3 pts)
  • No fill within FEMA floodplain allowed (2 pts)
  • Fill allowed with the above restrictions (1 pts)
  • Fill allowed without restrictions (-1 pt)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)
  • Not applicable in my community (N/A)

A floodplain is an area of land adjacent to a body of water such as a river or stream and when a body of water exceeds capacity the flood plain will flood with the excess water. There are multiple benefits of floodplains from ecosystem services, erosion control and flood services. In some incidences the floodplain will be filled in and precautions are taken to minimize the impact on the floodplain.

Further reading

Sensitive wetlands

Does your community protect high quality or sensitive wetlands through a Resource Management Plan or Wetland Management Plan? (Select one)

  • Yes, plan exceeds state standards (2 pts)
  • Yes, plan meets state standards (1 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)
  • Not applicable in my community (N/A)

Wetlands are areas collecting water some are flooded seasonally and others are flooded year round. There are different types of wetlands emergent marshes, hemi-marsh, sedge meadows, wet prairie, fens, bogs and swamps (*What is a Wetland). A Resource Management Plan or Wetland Management Plan is a plan created to document the protection status of wetlands in accordance with state standards.

Further reading

Buffers

Do your buffer standards include any floodplain, steep slope, vegetation or resource quality considerations? (select all that apply)

  • Additional buffer width to encompass 100-year floodplain (1 pt)
  • Additional buffer width in areas with slopes 9% or greater (1 pt)
  • Buffer language clearly specifies vegetated cover requirements (1 pt)
  • Expanded stream buffer requirements for sensitive resources, such as trout streams and/or ORVWs (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)
  • Not applicable in my community (N/A)

Steep slopes

Does your community have land use protections and/or development restrictions that preserve slopes 18% or greater in a stable, undisturbed vegetated state? (Select one)

  • Yes (2 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)
  • Not applicable in my community (N/A)

Further reading

Urban forests

Does your community encourage the establishment and sustainability of urban forests through the following strategies: (select all strategies that apply, then check appropriate score box below)

  • Insect & disease control, including ash preservation
  • Increased care during establishment
  • Increased indigenous diversity
  • Tree protection and replacement ordinance
  • Design, construction, and maintenance standards for urban forests
  • Street reconstruction (including road diet lane conversions) that increases width of boulevard tree right-of-way
  • Standards that address soil compaction during and after development/redevelopment of private land, and of public land like street boulevards
  • Stable funding for shade tree program, goals for increasing canopy coverage, or Tree City USA
  • At least 5 of the above strategies including soil compaction standards: (8 pts)
  • At least 4 of the above strategies including tree program/goals/Tree City: (5 pts)
  • At least 4 of the above strategies: (3 pts)
  • At least 3 of the above strategies: (2 pts)
  • At least 2 of the above strategies: (1 pt)
  • None (0 pts)

Urban forests are a strategy used in urbanized cities to bring shade, reduce air pollution, filter stormwater and add beauty to public spaces. Urban forests include parks, street trees, landscaped boulevards, gardens, river and coastal promenades, greenways, river corridors, wetlands, nature preserves, and shelter belts of trees according to USDA. In order to take advantage of the benefits urban forests provide they must be maintained and cared for. Maintenance includes insect and disease control, establishment, indigenous diversity, tree protection and replacement ordinance, maintenance standards, street reconstruction, soil compaction and shade tree programs.

Further reading

Section One - Part C: Stormwater Management Funding & Incentives

Part of the assessment includes three sections that address stormwater management funding and incentives.

Funding mechanism

Does your community have any of the following stable, ongoing, yearly stormwater management funding mechanisms? (Select one)

  • Stormwater Utility User Fee (3 pts)
  • Other applicable: (3 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Stormwater programs need funding to install BMPs when necessary, distribute educational materials and staff time. Communities tend to have a stormwater utility fee charged to a resident's bill each month, yearly or otherwise determined by the City. The monetary amount charged to residents varies from City to City.

Further reading

Incentives

Does your community provide incentives (e.g., a variable stormwater utility fee) for retrofitting stormwater best management practices in previously developed sites? (Select one)

  • Yes for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential (3 pts)
  • Yes for only commercial, institutional and industrial (2 pts)
  • Yes for only residential (1 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Incentives to stormwater management are used to help increase stewardship of stormwater runoff. There are different types of incentives including monetary, technical and recognition.

Further reading

Land acquisition

Has your community adopted a stable funding mechanism for land acquisition of high quality natural resource and/or riparian buffer areas? (Select one)

  • Yes – Land is placed in a trust (5 pts)
  • Yes (1 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Land acquisition is the process of the government purchasing land for public use. A land trust is when one party agrees to hold property for another property.

Further reading

Section Two - Stormwater Management Standards & Practices

This section includes three sections that focus on ...........

Section Two - Part D: Impervious Cover Management

This section....

Impervious surface

Does your community allow proof-of-parking or shared driveways to minimize impervious surface? (Select one)

  • Yes (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Parking restrictions

Does your community utilize any of the following parking lot area restrictions (Select all that apply)

  • For retail/shopping areas larger than 10,000 sq. ft. of floor space: 3.3 parking spaces per 1000 sq.ft of gross floor area (2 pts)
  • For office buildings: 2.5 parking spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross floor area (1pt)
  • For transit-oriented development: 1.5 parking spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross floor area (1pt)

What is your minimum required office building parking ratio (per 1000 ft2 of gross floor area)? (Select one)

  • We have a maximum parking ratio of 3.5 or less (4 pts)
  • Fewer than 3.0 parking spaces (3 pts)
  • 3.0 to 3.5 parking spaces (2 pts)
  • 3.6 to 4.0 parking spaces (1 pt)
  • Greater than 4.0 parking spaces (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

What are your standard parking space dimensions (Select one)

  • Stalls 8.5' x 18' with 22' maximum aisle and driveway widths (3 pts)
  • Stall width 9 feet or less (2 pts)
  • 9.1 to 9.9 feet (1 pt)
  • Greater than 9.9 feet (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Vegetated areas

For new residential lots, does your community require or encourage impervious surfaces like roofs and drive ways to drain to vegetated areas? (Select one)

  • Required (3 pts)
  • Encouraged (1 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Vegetated practices

Does your community require or encourage parking area landscaping with vegetated practices (e.g. bioretention, curb-cuts, ribbon curb, tree trenches, or swales) for stormwater volume and/or water quality management? (Select one)

  • Required (3 pts)
  • Encouraged (1 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Pervious/permeable surfaces

Does your community allow & encourage pervious/permeable surfaces on residential/commercial area sidewalks, and residential/commercial parking lots? (select all that apply)

  • Yes on residential/commercial sidewalks (1 pt)
  • Yes on residential/commercial parking lots (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Section Two - Part E: Stormwater Management Policies

This section....

New impervious surfaces

For new development, does the permitting agency apply community stormwater management standards to all new impervious surfaces, or is a minimum threshold (de minimis) included? (Select one)

  • Standards apply to all new impervious surfaces (10 pts)
  • Standards apply to 10,000 sq. ft. or more of new impervious surface (8 pts)
  • Standards apply to .5 acres or more of new impervious surface (4 pts)
  • Standards apply to 1 acre or more of new impervious surface (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Rate control

For new development, does the permitting authority apply community stormwater standards requiring rate control based on the difference between a baseline-condition and post-development runoff condition? (Select one)

  • Yes, our baseline condition is Pre-European settlement (5 pts)
  • Yes, our baseline condition approximates woods/prairie grass in good condition (3 pts)
  • Yes, our baseline is pre-development (existing) conditions (1 pt)
  • Yes, our baseline is consistent with MIDS (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Total-suspended solids and total phosphorous

Does your community require best management practices (BMPs) for all new development that will result in at least 90% reduction in total-suspended-solids (TSS) and/or at least 60% reduction in total phosphorous (TP)? (Select one)

  • Yes, my community follows MIDS (3 pts)
  • Yes (2 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Downstream water resources

Are post-construction sediment and nutrient loading requirements customized to downstream water resources, such as critical habitat, impaired waters, ORVW? (Select one)

  • Yes (3 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Runoff volume

Are there post-construction runoff volume requirements for downstream river erosion protection? (Select one)

  • Yes, no runoff volume increase for the 10-yr, 24-hr event (6 pts)
  • Yes, no runoff volume increase for the 5-yr, 24-hr event (4 pts)
  • Yes, no runoff volume increase for the 2-yr, 24-hr event (2 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Erosion and sediment control

(for non-MS4s only) Has your community adopted an erosion and sediment control ordinance that align with MS4 permit requirements? (Select one)

  • Yes (10 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)
  • Not applicable in my community (am an MS4) (N/A)

Pretreatment

Do your community stormwater management standards specify pretreatment sizing standards for stormwater prior to discharge into all permanent structural best management practices (BMPs)? (Select one)

  • Yes (2 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Linear projects

Do your community stormwater management standards apply to all redevelopment and reconstruction of linear projects? (Select one)

  • Yes, we apply MIDS to all redevelopment (9 pts)
  • Yes, reconstructed and net increase in impervious surface (7 pts)
  • Yes, net increase in impervious surface only (4 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Water conservation

Does your community encourage or require any of the following water conservation strategies: (select all that apply)

  • Stormwater water reuse incentives (5 pt)
  • Stormwater water reuse standards (3 pt)
  • Encourage or require irrigation systems to be retrofitted with Smart irrigation systems that track weather patterns and mitigate unnecessary watering (2 pt)
  • Use of low-water vegetation (1 pt)
  • Water Conservation Rate Structure that exceeds DNR minimum requirements (1pt)
  • Other:___________________________ (1pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Maintenance agreements

Does your community require & enforce maintenance agreements for privately maintained stormwater facilities? (Select one)

  • Yes (3 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Section Two - Part F: Green Streets For Cleaner Water

This section....

Roadway pavement

For public, residential access and sub-collector streets (with fewer than 500 average daily trips) what is the minimum roadway pavement width allowed in your community? (Select one)

  • 24 feet or less (4 pts)
  • 25-26 feet (2 pts)
  • 27-28 feet (1 pts)
  • Greater than 28 feet (-1pt)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Infiltration

Does your community encourage curb-cuts, ribbon curb, roundabouts, or right of way swales for infiltration and conveyance of stormwater runoff in lieu of curb-and-gutter along residential roadways? (Select one)

  • Yes, allowed and encouraged (5 pts)
  • Yes, allowed (2 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Section Three - Stormwater Pollution Prevention

This section includes three sections that focus on ...........

Section Three - Part G: Education & Community Programs

This section....

Education & outreach programs

Does your community participate in stormwater pollution prevention education & outreach programs such as: (select all that apply)

  • Metro Blooms educational workshops (within last 3 years) (1 pt)
  • The NEMO Program (within last 3 years) (1 pt)
  • The Clean Water Minnesota Media Campaign (annually) (1 pt)
  • The Blue Thumb Program (annually) (1 pt)
  • Other similar program (please specify): (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Does your community have residential and business education programs such as: (select all that apply)

  • A city newsletter that regularly includes a variety of stormwater pollution prevention messages at least 4- 6 times each year (1 pt)
  • A city website with that regularly includes a variety of stormwater pollution prevention messages at least 4- 6 times each year (1 pt)
  • Educational stormwater pollution prevention workshops for residents (2 pts)
  • Education and outreach program for local businesses (2 pts)
  • A storm drain stenciling program (2 pts)
  • Regular utility bill inserts with stormwater educational messages (1 pt)
  • Sponsorship of community education events and/or clean ups (2 pts)
  • Adopt-a-Storm Drain program (2 pts)
  • Stormwater BMP demonstration sites with educational signage (2 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Financial assistance

Does your community promote and/or provide financial assistance for the implementation of stormwater pollution prevention & treatment practices and projects for residents or local businesses? (Select one)

  • Yes – promotion & financial assistance (3 pts)
  • Yes – promotion only (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Certification and training

Which of the following certification and training opportunities does your community make available to municipal staff on a regular basis? (select all that apply)

  • MIDS training (e.g. MIDS calculator, ordinance and BMP trainings) (1 pt)
  • Erosion & sediment control certification (1 pt)
  • Illicit Discharge detection & elimination training (1 pt)
  • NEMO “Stormwater U” (1 pt)
  • Fertilizer & Pesticide use minimization training for institutional, parks, residential or commercial property managers? (1 pt)
  • None (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Section Three - Part H: Inspection & Enforcement

This section....

Mapping

(for non-MS4s only) Is your community’s stormwater system mapped? (Select one) Yes (1 pt) No (0 pts) I don’t know / not specified (0 pts) Not applicable in my community (am an MS4) (N/A)

Inspection & maintenance

[for non-MS4sonly] Does your community have an inspection & maintenance schedule for stormwater management practices - including catch basin sumps & stormwater ponds? (Select one) Yes (2 pts) No (0 pts) I don’t know / not specified (0 pts) Not applicable in my community (am an MS4) (N/A)

Section Three - Part I: Source Control

This section....

Smart salting

Which of the following certification and training opportunities does your community make available to municipal staff on a regular basis? (Select one)

  • MPCA Smart Salting Level 1 Training (3 pts)
  • MPCA Smart Salting Level 2 Training (3 pts)
  • Other Smart Salting Training (2 pts)
  • None (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Salt management

Which of the following salt management strategies does your community use? (Select one)

  • Salt Savings Assessment tool (SSAt) to track BMPs related to chloride use (3 pts)
  • 5-year BMP implementation plan to improve salt or chloride management practices (3 pts)
  • Salt or Chloride Management Plan (2 pts)
  • Tracking salt use (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Street sweeping

Does your community street sweeping program include the following? (Select one)

  • Sweep four or more times per year (3 pts)
  • Utilize vacuum sweeping technology (2 pts)
  • Sweep two or three times per year (1 pt)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Does your community prioritize street sweeping in areas that are directly tributary to lakes, streams, wetlands and Wellhead Protection Areas? (Select one)

  • Yes (2 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Prioritize inspections

Does your community prioritize inspections of permitted businesses storing/using hazardous and/or toxic chemicals that are directly tributary to lakes, streams and wetlands, and to any Wellhead Protection Areas? (Select one)

  • Yes (2 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Yard waste collection

What type of residential yard waste collection program does your community have? (Select one)

  • Community-wide curbside pick-up (5 pts)
  • Elective pick-up (3 pts)
  • Collection site at which residents dispose yard waste (2 pts)
  • None (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)

Native and turf alternatives

How does your community address native vegetation and turf alternatives on residential and commercial sites? (Select one)

  • We incentivize native plantings, including turf replacement (3 pts)
  • We promote native plantings, including turf replacement (2 pts)
  • We allow native plantings, including turf replacement (1 pts)
  • No (0 pts)
  • I don’t know / not specified (0 pts)
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