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Mitigation: WATER QUALITY
Approved Area: Thea Foss Watershed
This program allows property owners within the Thea Foss Watershed with qualified projects to pay a system development charge to utilize regional stormwater treatment facilities instead of constructing stormwater water quality treatment best management practices (BMPs) on their project site. Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) 12.08.870 and Ordinance No. 28521 outline the program requirements.
A property owner qualified under this program shall be assessed a one-time system development charge of $1.87 per square foot of area requiring water quality treatment mitigation. An additional monthly maintenance surcharge of $0.02 per square feet of onsite area requiring water quality treatment mitigation shall be assessed to the property and billed with the property stormwater bill. No maintenance surcharge is required for offsite surfaces requiring water quality treatment mitigation.
FOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT #6 WATER QUALITY TREATMENT ONLY
Applicants must comply with all applicable Minimum Requirements (MR) as required by the SWMM. This program can only be used to satisfy MR#6. BMPs may be required to be installed to satisfy other Minimum Requirements such as MR#5 Onsite Stormwater Management, MR#7 Flow Control and MR#8 Wetlands Protection, as applicable.
VOLUNTARY PROGRAM
The program is voluntary. Once mitigation requirements for a proposed project are determined, a property owner has the option to construct water quality treatment facilities to comply with MR#6 or pay a one time system development charge in-lieu-of constructing facilities and agree to pay an ongoing maintenance surcharge.
SERVES ONLY THEA FOSS WATERSHED
Payment into the the Foss Regional Stormwater Water Quality Treatment Facilities is currently available to qualified projects within the Thea Foss Watershed for MR#6 – Water Quality Treatment only. Qualified projects will be determined by Environmental Services based on the project characteristics and location as outlined in the Regional Stormwater Facility Plan.
PROJECTS NOT ACCEPTED
Examples of projects that are not eligible for the program include:
- Projects that include approved requests for any exemption to Minimum Requirement #6 or #8.
- Requests to reserve capacity for future mitigation needs.
- New development projects that are not located within the area contributing directly to a regional facility.
- Existing projects or projects that are already permitted.
- Projects submitted when 85% of the available mitigation credits have been utilized.
PROJECT PARTICIPATION DOES NOT ALTER MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants are required to comply with all applicable Minimum Requirements including completing a Stormwater Site Plan and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan per the Stormwater Management Manual. Contact Site Development Group at (253) 591-5760 or sitedevelopment@cityoftacoma.org to determine if your project qualifies for this program.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
- One time system development charge.
- Typically lower cost to participate in program than to construct and maintain a water quality BMP on site.
- No or fewer stormwater BMPs on project site.
Additional Information
The City of Tacoma Regional Stormwater Facility Plan is available online at: www.cityoftacoma.org/stormwatermanual
Tacoma Municipal Code 12.08.870 is available online at: https://www.cityoftacoma.org/cms/one.aspx?objectId=2255
For additional program information contact Merita Trohimovich at 253.502.2103 or mtrohimo@cityoftacoma.org
