 New development projects and redevelopment plans, whether commercial or residential, by their nature, increase impervious surfaces. Effective stormwater management is required to manage the potential risks posed by increased stormwater runoff. The larger the development, the larger the potential impact. That's why the city implements a thorough stormwater development review process. By minimizing the risk of adverse drainage impacts caused by inadequate infrastructure and ensuring that development projects comply with our stormwater criteria standards, we reinforce our mission to protect people and property from harmful stormwater runoff. How do we review? The city is not ultimately responsible for the design and construction of private development. However, we provide comprehensive reviews to confirm that proposed improvements comply with the city's stormwater and floodplain management standards. We examine and comment on design plans from engineering consultants and approve plans that meet our standards. We also collaborate with developers regarding city requirements and we meet with residents who report drainage concerns. So when a developer comes to our department, which is stormwater development services and they want to move through the development process, we will be the team responsible for the drainage study reviews. We will also help the developer navigate through the grading permits middle process. That can also touch into other things like floodplain development permitting, parkway permits, building permits, the planning process. Pretty much every one of those processes that stormwater is responsible for, our team will assist the developer in navigating through. This review process also includes confirming that sediment and erosion control plans meet city construction requirements. For instance, a basic sediment barrier such as a silt fence prevents silt and soils from a construction site from being washed off the site and down a storm drain. Not doing so reduces the storm drain's capacity and ability to move stormwater away from existing and planned improvements and can impact water quality. The city reviews design plans for developments over one acre. With a few exceptions where smaller size developments are also reviewed, larger size developments present a higher potential to create flood risk and impact neighboring properties. Floodplain development such as along channels or creeks is examined differently than drainage reviews. The city works closely with FEMA to use the most current data and mapping information available so we can notify the owner or developer about the increased flood risk in those areas and additional development requirements. This process, whether examining drainage studies, construction plans, grading permits or flood plains is in place because of the city's mission to protect people and property from harmful stormwater runoff. Please contact Development Services for more information.