County approves stormwater ordinance

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

On Dec. 17, the Larimer County Commissioners approved a new stormwater quality ordinance that has more teeth than previous regulations.

The county will now be able to assess fines to individuals or businesses that violate provisions of the stormwater management plan.

The new ordinance is designed to discourage illicit discharges made into the county's storm drainage systems. These can include sediments and oils from construction sites, sewage, gray water, industrial effluents and runoff from landscapes including excess fertilizers or pesticides. Illicit discharges from agricultural operations are also covered by the ordinance.

Details about administration of the plan and fines that can be levied will be hammered out in the next month, according to Scott Cornell of the engineering department. State law allows up to $1,000 per violation, Cornell said, and each day of noncompliance could be considered a separate violation.

Before assessing fines, the county will first contact offenders and try to help them solve the problem.

The ordinance will take effect in late January. The new, stiffer enforcement rules are required by the federal government, which now regulates Larimer County's stormwater policies.

Besides dealing with effluents, the ordinance also requires proper maintenance of permanent stormwater facilities such as retention ponds, irrigation canals, culverts and natural waterways.

The most serious discharge problems generally come from construction sites, Cornell said.