Sanitary and Stormwater Rules and Standards Update

Project Background

Clackamas Water Environment Services is updating its Sanitary and Stormwater Rules and Standards. The proposed Rules and Standards documents will be available for public comment beginning March 17, 2021 and ending April 17, 2021.  Available information includes:

• 2021 Rules draft
• 2021 Stormwater Standards draft
• 2021 Sanitary Standards draft
• 2021 Buffer Standards draft

WES' Rules and Standards Update Project was initiated to review existing rules and standards and recommend updates to: reflect new technologies, approaches, and development patterns; address regulatory changes and requirements; and provide uniform and streamlined development review and approval processes across WES’s service area.

Significant modifications to WES’ Rules and Standards include the following:

• Stormwater performance standards (retention, water quality, flow control), project thresholds, exemptions, and in-lieu fees
• Stormwater facility selection and design, facility types and allowable uses, prioritization, minimum design criteria
• Sanitary connection requirements, conveyance design standards, and pollution pretreatment requirements
• Fiscal policies regarding dwelling unit assignments for system development charges, developer reimbursements, and low income discounts
• Easements, maintenance, and use of public properties

At this critical step in the stakeholder involvement process we are gathering a final round of recommendations and comments on the documents before ordinance adoption in the first half of 2021. Note that there will be adoption hearings and formal public comment taken at that time.

Anticipated Schedule:

• March 17, 2021: Public Comment Opens
• April 17, 2021: Public Comment Closes
• April – May 2021: Revisions
• June 2021: Adoption Hearings
• July 2021: Implementation

For questions please email us at  WES-Rules-Update@clackamas.us

Stakeholder Interviews

WES identified approximately 15 members of the development community (development engineers, planners, and others who utilize the rules and standards) to interview about sanitary and stormwater design standards.  Information obtained during the interviews was compiled into a Stakeholder Interview Summary Memo.

Task Force Workshops

WES convened a Task Force to review and come to consensus regarding policy issues and technical standards that will be addressed in the rules and standards update.  Members of the Task Force included both developers and municipal agency partners. The Task Force workshops were intended to introduce and get feedback on proposed policy and technical decisions.

Task Force Workshops included the following topics:

Stakeholder Outreach

Following the Task Force Workshops, WES met with various interest groups including watershed councils, Business Chambers, Community Planning Organizations, Homebuilders Associations and other development/business interest groups.  WES also held two public forums.  The purpose of this outreach was to update the groups on the proposed standards and invite them to comment.