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Planning and Development
Environment and Natural Resource Protection

The Town of Smithfield is committed to the protection of its environment & natural resources through programs designed to reduce adverse impacts associated with land use activities created by commercial and non-commercial land development. 

 

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT 


Smithfield regulates stormwater and has adopted a stormwater management ordinance (Article 10: PART VII of the Unified Development Ordinance) in accordance with the Neuse River Basin Nutrient Sensitive Waters Management Strategy; a North Carolina program established in 1997 to reduce nutrient pollution in the Neuse River estuary by at least 30% from 1991-1995 baseline levels. Implemented in 1998, the strategy mandates controls on nutrient sources including wastewater, stormwater, and agriculture, and includes provisions for protecting riparian buffers and applying fertilizer training. While the goal is a 30% nitrogen reduction, achieving this and improving water quality has been challenging due to the estuary's complexity and ongoing climate impacts.


Article 10: PART VII of the Unified Development Ordinance. These regulations require new commercial and residential developments to address storm water quality and storm water quantity requirements during the site plan review process using stormwater best management practices as described by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Storm Water Design Manual.


What is Stormwater?

Stormwater includes rainfall, snow melt, and all other forms of precipitation that flows off of driveways, parking lots, roofs and other hard surfaces into the local drainage system rather than soaking into the ground. The drainage system includes storm sewers, ditches, culverts, streams and roadside swales that carry stormwater away from roads and private property.

Stormwater runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that can harm our rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal waters. To protect these resources, communities, construction companies, industries, and others, use stormwater controls, known as Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs). SCMs filter out pollutants and/or prevent pollution by controlling it at its source. 

 

Stormwater Education. The Town partners with the Clean Water Education Partnership (CWEP) to provide educational outreach. For additional resources, visit the Clean Water Educational Partnership (CWEP) website.

Educational Brochures (courtesy of CWEP):

·      Household Hazardous Waste

·      Litter

·      Pet Waste

·      Riparian Buffers

·      Yard Care


ILLICIT DISCHARGE DETECTION


The focus of the illicit discharge detection and elimination program is to detect and eliminate illicit discharges, including spills and illegal dumping. 

To report any illicit discharge, contact Julie Edmonds at 919-934-2116, ext. 1111.


FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION


National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

The Town of Smithfield is a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security.  The U.S. Congress established the NFIP with the passage of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. The NFIP is a Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance as a protection against flood losses in exchange for State and community floodplain management regulations that reduce future flood damage. Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between communities and the Federal Government. If a community adopts and enforces a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood risk to new construction in floodplains, the Federal Government will make flood insurance available within the community as financial protection against flood losses. This insurance is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to reduce the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods. Standard property insurance does not cover flood damage.

 

As required by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the Town of Smithfield has adopted and administers a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance that can be found in Town of Smithfield Unified Development Ordinance and is designed to: 

·      Protect human life, safety, and health;

·      Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;

·      Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;

·      Minimize prolonged business losses and interruptions;

·      Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities (i.e. water and gas mains, electric, telephone, cable and sewer lines, streets, and bridges) that are located in flood prone areas;

·      Minimize damage to private and public property due to flooding;

·      Make flood insurance available to the community through the National Flood Insurance Program;

·      Maintain the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains;


The Town of Smithfield Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance requires new development within flood prone areas to acquire a Floodplain Development Permit in conformance with the provisions of these regulations prior to the commencement of any development activities within Special Flood Hazard Areas. 


The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has identified and mapped special flood hazard areas that are at high risk for flooding. The purpose of these maps is to help determine where flood insurance is required. In partnership with FEMA, North Carolina became the first state to assume responsibility for floodplain mapping. The project includes analyzing flood hazards and producing updated, digital flood maps. 

 

EROSION and SEDIMENT CONTROL 


Construction Site Runoff


The Town of Smithfield relies on the State of North Carolina, Department of Environment & Natural Resource, Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources program to comply with minimum control measures. The NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) oversees the Erosion and Sediment Control program for the Town of Smithfield-  https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/energy-mineral-and-land-resources/erosion-and-sediment-control.  

The Erosion and Sediment Control Program:

 

Additionally, the Town of Smithfield conducts random inspections of local land disturbing activities that have a sediment and erosion permit issued by State, for compliance. Finally, potential problems at construction sites with sediment and erosion control permits are reported to Department of Environment & Natural Resource and any follow-up actions are monitored and documented.

Potential sediment and erosion control violations should be reported to the Town via the Stormwater Hotline (919-934-2116). The report can also be made directly to town of Smithfield Planning Department.


HOW YOU CAN HELP


There are numerous simple steps property owners can take to help prevent erosion of the local drainage system.

·      Avoid dumping yard waste in or near local waterways. Not only is this action illegal, but it also is very detrimental to the drainage system.

·      Do not deposit yard waste in the gutters. Yard waste should be placed behind the curb on the yard side when placed for pick up.

·      Refrain from mowing to the edge of a waterway that may be adjacent to your property. Heavier vegetation at the edges of the waterway helps to reduce and filter stormwater runoff that ultimately accelerates erosion.

·      To report any illicit discharge, contact Julie Edmonds at 919-934-2116, ext. 1111.

 For additional resources, visit the Clean Water Educational Partnership (CWEP) website.

 

WATERSHED PROTECTION


The Town of Smithfield Watershed Protection Ordinance can be found in Article 10, Part IX of the Unified Development Ordinance and is designed is to regulate development and land use activities in a manner which will limit exposure of water supply watersheds to pollution. Sources of pollution include leachate from septic tank nitrification fields, storm water runoff, accidental spillage from residential, commercial, and industrial activities, and discharge of process and cooling water, among others. As required by the Water Supply Watershed Protection Act of 1989, the State of North Carolina has reclassified each of the state’s drinking water supply watersheds to its most appropriate classification.  The Neuse River watershed is classified as “WS-IV” which are protected water supply watersheds which are generally moderate to highly developed. Water Supply Watershed protection is a proactive approach to the preservation and treatment of drinking water supplies rather than a reactive approach of treatment prior to consumption.

Town of Smithfield and its extraterritorial jurisdiction are divided into the following Water Supply Watershed Protection

Overlay Districts: 

•               WS-IV-CA — Critical Area Overlay District

•               WS-IV-PA — Protected Area Overlay District

Methods used to protect the Town of Smithfield drinking water supply within critical and protected watershed areas include:

•               Limits on certain land uses as per State mandated rules;

•               Decreased density and additional built-upon limits;

•               Increased buffer areas; and

•               Modified designs that are proven to be environmentally responsible.


STREAM AND RIVER PROTECTION


The vegetated area closest to the body of water stabilizes the streambank and provides shade and habitat for aquatic life. The vegetation also acts like a filter and sponge to remove, transform, or store nutrients and other pollutants. The outer reaches of the vegetated buffer slow and spread out the flow of water over the land, trapping sediment and attached pollutants. 


These areas are known as riparian buffers. Riparian buffers filter stormwater runoff before it enters the stream. The vegetation within the buffer absorbs excess nutrients and sediment, controls erosion, moderates water temperature and provides habitat for wildlife. They also provide flood control and protect property. 

In the Neuse River Basin, buffer applies to intermittent streams, perennial streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries and modified natural streams that are depicted on the most recent printed version of the soil survey map prepared by the Natural Resources Conservation Service OR the 1:24,000 scale quadrangle topographic map prepared by the U.S. Geologic Survey. 


The Town of Smithfield reviews all development proposals for compliance with the Neuse River Riparian buffer rules. Any encroachment into the required buffers by a development proposal will require additional permitting by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality prior to plan approval by the Town of Smithfield.    


TREE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT


The Town of Smithfield Unified Development Ordinance, Article 10 states that vegetation existing on a site at the time of development is required to be retained in accordance with the provisions of Article 10: PART II, Section 10.9 of the Town’s Unified Development Ordinance.