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Article 6: Development Standards <br /> Section 6.14: Stormwater Management <br /> 6.13.8 Land Disturbance and Planting of Vegetation <br /> (A) Area within a stream buffer which is subject to serious erosion may be disturbed for the <br /> purpose of planting and maintaining erosion-resistant vegetative cover. <br /> (B) Existing forested areas or any other healthy vegetation may not be removed from a <br /> stream buffer, except where replaced with vegetation resulting in comparable stormwater <br /> runoff velocity and quantity one year after planting. <br /> (C) New vegetation shall be planted to capture non-source pollutants before they reach the <br /> perennial stream, as per applicable Orange County Standards. <br /> 6.14.1 Introduction <br /> As a watershed becomes more developed, the amount of impervious surface increases, causing <br /> a decrease in the rate at which stormwater runoff which can be absorbed into the soil. This <br /> results in more stormwater flowing directly into streams and other water bodies. Because this <br /> direct runoff has not been filtered through the soil, pollutants from the air and land surface enter <br /> streams and increase the potential for pollution of drinking water supplies. <br /> 6.14.2 Purpose <br /> The purpose of the Board of County Commissioners in adopting stormwater regulations is to <br /> protect the water quality of the streams that lie within Orange County by reducing and controlling <br /> stormwater runoff and addressing nutrient reductions for both new and existing development. <br /> 6.14.3 Jurisdiction-Wide and Inter-Local Approaches <br /> (A) Orange County shall have the option of implementing jurisdiction-wide and/or inter-local <br /> approaches to control stormwater runoff and achieve nutrient reductions. <br /> (B) Any jurisdiction-wide and/or inter-local approaches must be approved by the Orange <br /> County Board of Commissioners, and the Environmental Management Commission <br /> before implementation. <br /> 6.14.4 General Methods <br /> The following general approaches shall be utilized to minimize the effects of stormwater pollution <br /> on drinking water supplies in Orange County: <br /> (A) Non-Structural Stormwater Control <br /> (1) The firof-stormwater runoff generated by one inch of rain from all project <br /> area surfaces shall be controlled to the extent possible through on-site infiltration <br /> and through the use of methods which rely on natural soil properties for <br /> absorption and treatment. <br /> (2) Run-off from roads, parking lots, and/or sidewalks shall be directed to <br /> undisturbed areas through use of berms, grassed diversion ditches or swales, or <br /> other acceptable means to reduce run-off velocity and filter out pollutants. <br /> (3) Impervious Surface Limits <br /> (a) In order to promote infiltration of stormwater runoff into the soil and <br /> minimize direct and immediate runoff into streams and water supply <br /> impoundments, the maximum percentage of the total lot area which may <br /> be covered with an impervious surface shall be specified. This limit is <br /> referred to as the "impervious surface ratio". <br /> Orange County, North Carolina—Unified Development Ordinance Page 6-101 <br />