Q&A
Concerns about permeability and stormwater management
5:48:01
·
168 sec
Council Member David Carr raises concerns about the impact of the zoning proposal on permeability and stormwater management, particularly in the Special Natural Area District (SNAD) and MS4 stormwater areas. Chair Daniel Garodnick responds to these concerns.
- Carr argues that reducing minimum lot sizes could negatively impact natural features SNAD aims to protect.
- He expresses worry about creating more impermeable surfaces through ADUs in backyards.
- Garodnick clarifies that homeowners can already pave their entire backyards under current rules.
- The discussion highlights the tension between the city's stormwater management goals and the proposed zoning changes.
David Carr
5:48:01
I hope so, but I think in terms of Snad, right, where we're trying to preserve natural features, literally cutting the minimum lot size for most of the lots in that area is going to have an impact on those features you're trying to preserve.
5:48:12
So to some extent, we have a special district that's trying to do one thing and a zoning text application, which is trying to do another, and they appear to be across purposes.
5:48:20
And, you know, in Commissioner Agawal's letter, you know, he talks about the unified stormwater rule that was adopted and came into effect in 2022 as this administration was taking office.
5:48:30
Again, limiting, as it says in this final paragraph, right, trying to limit the effects on permeability of surfaces, trying to retain more storm water on-site.
5:48:39
And, you know, your own staff in their discussions with me prior to this hearing and briefings said, you know, the the the MS Four rules currently, we're not really part of the scope of the environmental assessment.
5:48:50
So I'm really concerned that as you're trying to create more impermeable surfaces, which would be an attendant consequence of of an ADU in the backyard, say, for example, in our 1 or our 2 district, that you're making it harder to retain more storm water on-site, and you're actually, again, now running across purposes with the city's approach to to storm water management.
Daniel Garodnick
5:49:14
Thank you.
5:49:15
I I appreciate the the question because it gives me occasion also to respond to an earlier question which I was delinquent.
5:49:23
First of all, it's important to note that you can pave your entire backyard today.
5:49:28
That is you have the ability to do that.
5:49:30
Now I don't know if Snad rules are in any way different, but in the rest of the city, you actually can pave your backyard.
5:49:35
So the idea that we would enable an ADU does not create more or less opportunity for permeability because homeowners have the ability to pave over their backyard.
5:49:45
But it is very important to note, and this, I I wish I had noted in in response to council member, Nazis, that DEP's new storm water management rules mean that a lot of the buildings, new buildings are actually going to have to capture their own storm water, which reduces runoff to sewers.
5:50:02
Sewer hookup permits are one way of DEP to check and make sure that we're not overloading existing sewers.
5:50:08
So there are checks in this system.
5:50:11
So I I just wanted it's not that's you'll forgive me.
5:50:13
It's not directly responsive to your question.
5:50:15
I'm just using the occasion here.
5:50:16
But the fact that you can actually, in almost all parts of the city, pave over your own backyard, means that we are not increasing the the any lack of permeability by allowing an ADU.
Jumaane Williams
5:50:30
Chair,
David Carr
5:50:30
could I just be permitted another 30 seconds?
5:50:32
So there's MS4 storm water areas, and that's virtually my entire brow burrow even outside of SNAD.
5:50:38
So perhaps that rule that you're referencing applies somewhere, but it's my knowledge.
5:50:42
It does not apply to us.
5:50:44
So I'm I'm not sure that that would really work out or pencil out for us.
5:50:49
But I I just I don't wanna turn because this I have limited time left, and I wanna talk about something I referenced earlier in my first questions, which is, you know, the taxable value of these of these properties if this were to come into effect.
