Stormwater Management Program
The City of Franklin Stormwater Management Program is in the process of implementing the Stormwater Management Ordinance that was approved by Board of Mayor and Aldermen on April 9, 2002. It is an essential part of the City's Small Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) NPDES General Permit for Discharges No: TNS075311 from July 7, 2003 to Feb 26 2008 issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
The Stormwater Management Ordinance also sets up new and more restrictive erosion prevention and sediment control requirements (EP&SC) and stormwater design standards that affect anyone who develops land in Franklin.
The MS4 Permit
The MS4 Permit includes 6 minimum controls requirements for how the city will manage its runoff stormwater program:
- Public Education and outreach
- Public involvement/ participation
- Illicit discharge detection and elimination
- Construction site stormwater runoff control
- Post-construction stormwater management in new development and re-development
- Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations
Stop Litter Campaign
- Hold onto litter until you can put it in a trash container.
- Keep a litterbag in your car.
- Secure your truck bed with a tarp or tie materials down.
- Use an ashtray or ash receptacle. Cigarette butts are litter too!
- Make sure your household garbage containers are secured with a lid.
- Convictions for littering carry a $500 fine and community service time.
- Apply peer pressure to others to follow the law.
Visit http://www.stoplitter.org.
Ordinance for Stormwater User Fee Passed
On March 9, 2004, Franklin's Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved Ordinance No. 2004-25: An Ordinance to Establish a Stormwater User Fee for the City of Franklin Establishing Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), ERU Rate and Undisturbed Property Rate, Providing An Effective Date and Amending Sections 16-804, 16-805, 16-806 of the Franklin Municipal Code to Provide Exceptions or Adjustments and to Create a Procedure for Appeal of Stormwater User Fee Determinations. The ordinance set up an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) fee of $3.65; Residents will have a two tier system with the small residence (impervious surface smaller than 3,350 sq. ft.) paying .75% or $2.74/month and larger residents (impervious surface greater than 3,350 sq. ft.) paying 1.25% or $4.38/month added on the utility services bill. (this amount had been temporarily reduced from the initial $4.00/month to $1.00 until further studies). For nonresidential properties, that is enterprise, business establishments, buildings or other occupancy that discharges "through the 'city's' storm water and/or flood control facilities" (which includes drainage structures, conduits, combined sewers, sewers, the streams and tributaries (and associated flood plains), the monthly fee has been computed on the measured total impervious area of the property: parking area, roof, driveway, etc. divided by the Equivalent Residential Unit, ERU, which has been raised form 2,714 to 3,350 square feet (the average residential impervious area in Franklin) multiplied by $3.65/month. The revenue collected will fund stormwater management for all citizens of Franklin: it will protect citizens, to the extent practicable, from flooding, from loss of life and property damage and to minimize runoff impacts on surface water quality.
