Policy

Title

Ditch Replacement Number

DWW-205 Rev. no.

0

Responsibility

Drainage and Wastewater Line of Business Supersedes

N/A Pages

2

SPU Director's Approval

/s/ Ray Hoffman Effective Date

July 19, 2016

1. PURPOSE

This policy is needed to meet a new regulatory requirement consistent with the Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit issued in August 2012 which requires the City to incorporate and require low-impact development (LID) principles and best management practices.

"The intent of these shall be to make LID the preferred and commonly-used approach to site development. The revisions shall be designed to minimize impervious surfaces, native vegetation loss, and stormwater runoff in all types of development situations [emphasis added]. Permittees shall conduct a similar review and revision process, and consider the range of issues."

2. POLICY

Seattle Public Utilities will not allow the replacement of a ditch with a culvert where the ditch functions as part of the informal drainage system in City right-of-way. When deviations to this policy are necessary, the decision to allow or deny the conversion from ditch to a piped system is delegated to the Drainage and Wastewater Line of Business Branch Director or the designee.

3. APPLICABILITY

This policy principally applies to:

Requests to the City from property owners to convert roadside ditch systems located within the City right-of-way, which seek to increase on-street parking by replacing the existing ditch with a culvert and installing a hard surface, typically either compacted gravel or asphalt cement paving.

This policy does not apply to culverts required in the following instances:

Necessary to span a driveway in order to access required off-street parking.

Required based upon Seattle Department of Transportation and Land Use required street improvements.

City-approved street improvements.

Other unique circumstances, or when there are other regulatory requirements, such as ADA access, can be reviewed on a case by case basis.

City capital improvement projects.

4. ADMINISTRATION

This policy will be concurrently adopted in the SDOT Right of Way Improvement Manual and subject to implementation and enforcement via Title 15, Street and Sidewalk Use, and the Stormwater Code SMC 22.800.