The Stormwater Management Program is a community effort to provide water quality and quantity protection to local streams, tributaries, and the Chesapeake Bay. The City of Staunton's Stormwater Management Program is a citywide effort depending on the cooperation of nearly all city departments.

Like most Virginia cities, Staunton is facing growing concerns with regard to stormwater management from increased storm runoff flowing from impervious areas into the City's storm drain system, streams, and tributaries. Development of properties means more impervious areas – i.e.- rooftops, driveways, roads, sidewalks, parking lots, etc. Runoff from such impervious areas is generally pollutant loaded, can move very rapidly and can damage area streams and tributaries and depending on the storm intensity, flood and damage properties and businesses. 

Program Goals

In continuing efforts to minimize the impact of stormwater runoff, the City has implemented and manages a Stormwater Management Program with the objectives of:

• Providing protection from runoff to both residential and commercial properties,
• Enhance funding to maintain and repair existing stormwater infrastructure,
• Reduce flooding potential and damages to both residential and commercial properties
• Establishing, enhancing, and protecting riparian buffers along the streams and wetlands of the City
• Implementing projects to improve water quality within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
• Providing information to help the public recognize and understand the MS4 program, stormwater management, pollution concerns and state and federal regulations.

Regulations & Requirements

To reduce runoff quantity and improve water quality, the City requires all proposed development and redevelopment projects to comply with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality(VADEQ) Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations in conjunction with the City’s more stringent Stormwater Ordinance, which establishes provisions to:

• Provide for the required treatment of stormwater for both quality and quantity management
• Require approval of a stormwater concept plan, prior to submission of a development plan, if applicable
• Require approval of a comprehensive drainage plan along with a site development plan
• Require approval of a riparian buffer management plan, if applicable
• Provide for inspections for regulatory compliance of both Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control for both residential and commercial development.
• Require submittal of record drawings and a Stormwater Management Inspection & Maintenance Agreement to be recorded with the deed for the property.
• Require an Engineer's certification that all stormwater management facilities were installed per the approved plans.

Complete requirements and specifications can be found in Title 13 of the City code.

Additional Stormwater Programs

The Stormwater Management Program consists of multiple additional programs and ordinances to help achieve the program goals mentioned above, which include:

• MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) Program  
• Erosion and Sediment Control Program
• Stormwater Utility Fee Program
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program
• Adopt-A-Stream Program
• Stormwater/E&S Ordinance (Staunton City Code Title 13 - Environmental)
• Environmental Facebook Page