Stormwater (Drainage) System Construction

Stormwater Standards for New Construction or Redevelopment

Construction projects that are large enough to require Planning Board Review are regulated by the City's Zoning By-Law and Subdivision Rules and Regulations (PDF). The following are the categories of such projects:

• All commercial, industrial, and manufacturing sites;
• Housing development and redevelopment projects comprised of detached single-family dwellings on five or greater lots;
• Multi-family housing development and redevelopment projects with five or more units, including condominiums, cooperatives, apartment buildings and townhouses; and
• Any housing development and redevelopment projects where stormwater discharges may potentially affect a critical area.

Anyone wishing to perform work within 125 feet of a wetland or 200 feet of a perennial stream, is required by law (State - M.G.L c. 131 §40 and City Bylaw - Article V Section 18) to file and application called a “Notice of Intent” or “Request for Determination of Applicability” with the Conservation Commission.

Stormwater Management Plan Review & Components

Public Works works directly with the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission to review of the stormwater management plans, ensure compliance with Framingham’s design and construction standards, and to provide consistent direction and oversight on such projects. The two major components of the plans are the design of the drainage system and the construction erosion and sediment control plan.

• The design of the drainage system must comply with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Stormwater Management Standards, which are included in the Massachusetts Wetlands Regulations (310 CMR 10.05(6)(k)). The Stormwater Management Standards and design guidance can be found in the DEP’s Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook.
• A construction erosion and sediment control plan is the plan for controlling stormwater runoff during construction and must also comply with the Stormwater Management Standards. Such control consists of a combination Best Management Practices (BMPs) that protects abutting properties and the MS4. Several BMPs are identified and described in the Public Works Construction Standards, including fiber rolls (a.k.a. straw wattles), silt fences, and gravel aprons. Other BMPs include but are not limited to silt socks, hay bales, slope stabilization, covered dirt stockpiles, and other storm drain inlet protection. The requirements for this plan are described in the Stormwater Management Standards.

For more information regarding the Stormwater System Construction, contact the City's Stormwater and Environmental Engineer by calling 508-532-6010 or by emailing stormwater management.