Outline: Aquifer Protection Ordinance
No. 81491
The following is an outline of the Ordinance No. 81491,
approved Jan. 12, 1995, by the San Antonio City Council amending
Chapter 34, Article VI, of the City Code by adding a new Division
6 thereunder titled "Aquifer Recharge Zone and Watershed
Protection." This outline in no way replaces Appendix
I of Ordinance No. 81491. Please review the complete Ordinance
with attachments when making any decisions in regard
to property affected by this Ordinance.
Article VI Pollution Prevention
and Control
Division 6 Aquifer Recharge Zone and Watershed Protection
Administered by the San Antonio Water System
Aquifer Protection Required
(formerly known as the Letter of Certification)
(Category 2 & Category 3)
- Aquifer Protection Plan approval issued by Resource Protection
Division of SAWS prior to development.
- Application for the Aquifer Protection Plan includes information
about the proposed development.
- Valid for three (3) years from the date the Aquifer Protection
Plan approval letter is issued.
Floodplain Preservation Area
- Floodplain Preservation Area (100-year Floodplain) defined
by watersheds greater than 100 acres within the Edwards Aquifer
Recharge Zone.
- Activities in Floodplain Preservation Areas limited.
Floodplain Buffer Zone
- Floodplain buffer zones (FBZ) established parallel to all
Floodplain Preservation Areas.
- No impervious cover allowed in the buffer zones.
Drainage Area
-
Floodplain Preservation Area extends to
the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone drainage area in the
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) and applies to creeks
with watersheds greater than 300 acres.
-
Floodplain Buffer Zone required adjacent
to the Floodplain Preservation area. Maximum impervious
cover in the Drainage Area Buffer Zone is 10 percent.
-
Does not apply to floodplain development
permits issued before Jan. 22, 1995.
Recharge Feature Protection and Buffer
Zone
- Sealing of Significant Recharge Features prohibited.
- Buffer Zone required around Significant Recharge Features.
Pollution Prevention Criteria
Properties classified into three Categories:
- Category 1:
Any property prior to effective date of this Division (Jan.
22, 1995) having a valid permit as defined in Section 481.142
of the Texas Government Code. Shall include but not limited
to:
- POADP's (prior to Dec. 22, 1994); or
- A Plat or Plat application (prior to Sept. 8, 1994)
- Category 2:
- Not in Category 1.
- Within the corporate limits of the City of San Antonio.
- Restrictions to regulated activity for Category 2
- Single-Family Residential 30% gross impervious
cover
- Multi-Family Residential 50% gross impervious
cover
- Commercial 65% gross impervious cover
-
Category 3:
Multi-Category Developments
When multi-category development is proposed, impervious cover
allowances may be prorated.
Detention, Sedimentation and Filtration
for Water Quality Control
All multi-family and commercial developments will capture and
isolate the first 1/2" of runoff to minimize pollutants from
entering the Aquifer.
Street Improvements
- Depending on amount of road traffic, sedimentation and filtration
basins or hazardous materials traps (HMT's) will be required.
- Bridges with more than 1,500 vehicles per day are prohibited
from discharging directly to the Floodplain Preservation Area
directly from the roadway surface.
Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Best Management Practices required for single family residential
developments of Category 2 or 3 properties.
Variance Procedure
Variance procedure in place.
Download Full-Text of Ordinance
Ordinance No. 81491 is available to download as an Adobe Acrobat PDF.
The Aquifer Protection Ordinance No. 81491 can also be found on Municode.com by selecting:
Chapter 34 Water Sewer > Article VI Water Quality Control and Pollution Prevention > Division 6 Aquifer Recharge Zone and Watershed Protection.
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