REPORT TO SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the City's Green Infrastructure Plan Framework and Find that the Action is Categorically Exempt from Environmental Review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15308
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Sunnyvale owns and operates a separate storm drainage system which is regulated under the Federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program. Consequently, the City is subject to the San Francisco Bay Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit (Order R2-2015-0049), also known as the Municipal Regional Permit (Permit) issued by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). This Permit was recently reissued and became effective on January 1, 2016. In addition to Sunnyvale, the Permit applies to 75 other large, medium and small agencies (cities, towns, counties and flood control agencies) that discharge stormwater to San Francisco Bay. The current permit continues many of the previous requirements to prevent stormwater pollution. Additionally, there are new requirements including more aggressive trash reduction targets, implementation of new activities to control targeted pollutants such as mercury and PCBs, and the development of a stormwater Green Infrastructure plan.
During the five-year Permit term, Permittees are specifically required to develop and begin implementing long-term Green Infrastructure (GI) Plans to integrate low impact development (LID) measures with storm drain infrastructure on public and private lands, including streets, roads, storm drains, parking lots, building roofs, and other elements. The GI Plan must be completed by September 30, 2019. As part of the GI planning process, the Permit requires Permittees to develop a Green Infrastructure Plan Framework (Framework) that is approved by its governing body or city manager by June 30, 2017, and to submit the approved GI Plan Framework to the Regional Water Board by September 30, 2017. The Framework in intende...
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