New Standards to Take Effect
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board recently passed new standards that require compliance from all cities. They are expected to go into effect Thursday. The board exists to protect the surface and ground-water quality in the Los Angeles region. State and federal regulations require the establishment of the framework for regulating storm-water discharge.
The Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plan was developed as part of the municipal storm water program to address lessening storm water pollution at new development and redevelopment in the private sector. It contains a list of minimum required “best management practices” that must be used for a project.
In residential housing it will apply to single-family hillside residences and home subdivisions with 10 to 100 or more units.
Municipalities are allowed to enact more stringent standards if they choose. A lawsuit filed by several cities in the county prevented its earlier enactment.
Individual homeowners should closely watch their local municipalities for changes in codes for both new homes and those undergoing major renovation, generally interpreted as increasing the square footage by 50% or more.
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