DuPage Looking for Public Feedback on Stormwater Ordinance

DuPage County is looking to approve a major ordinance to its stormwater and floodplain ordinance, and the county wants your feedback.

You have until Oct. 20 to submit your feedback. The ordinance is expected to go into effect in 2012.

Here are the major points of the change, as put together by members of the village's staff in a village e-release:

• An overall focus of the amendment is to improve water quality by requiring in many situations the construction and maintenance of what is called Volume-control, Best Management Practices (BMP) structures. These structures (which may include native vegetation and/or man-made structures), will help filter stormwater before it enters the county's streams and rivers.
• If you add an additional 2,500 square feet of net impervious surface area (e.g. parking lots, buildings, patios, driveways and any other structure that prevents stormwater from reaching the ground), you will be required to provide and maintain a Volume-control BMP structure.
• Previously, adding more impervious surface to a commercial property required additional stormwater detention in most cases. In the proposed amendment, developers will be credited for any impervious surface gained by the addition of landscaping, green space, etc.
• The amendment proposes changes for the regulation of Special Management areas which includes floodplains and wetlands that will impact future development.
• County is looking for ways to streamline their review of ordinance requirements.

You can see the full amendment here.

Send your comments to David Winklebleck at dwinklebleck@dupageco.org or via snail mail at:

DuPage County Department of Economic Development and Planning

421 N. County Farm Road

Wheaton, IL 60187

You can also contact village staff with questions:

Chris Bethel, Director of Public Works at 630-719-4767, cbethel@vil.woodridge.il.us 

Michael Mays, Director of Community Development at 630-719-4766, mmays@vil.woodridge.il.us