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33)    Establish land use controls and stormwater regulation to promote stormwater best practices and Low Impact Development
Stormwater bylaws and ordinances grant a municipality the authority to establish standards for discharge of stormwater runoff.  These controls can be structured to promote Low Impact Development, minimizing site alteration and stormwater pollution.  Numerous municipalities in the region have already adopted stormwater regulation; there are numerous models available and lessons learned regarding adoption and implementation.  It is necessary to catalog the bylaws that have been adopted and to develop a next generation of model bylaws.  

Municipalities should also adopt stormwater bylaws as part of a comprehensive review of existing development controls, in order to reduce barriers to application of low impact techniques, such as excessive roadway width requirements, parking requirements, dimensional standards, or landscaping requirements. MAPC has prepared a development controls checklist that municipalities can use to assess their existing regulations.  It is available on the Massachusetts Low Impact Development Toolkit: www.mapc.org/lid.

33.a    MAPC should summarize lessons learned and recommendations for expanded adoption of stormwater bylaws

34)    Expand septic system management programs
Septic management programs involve monitoring, testing, and required maintenance of private septic systems in order to improve performance and extend life span.  These programs help to protect water quality and prevent widespread system failure, deferring or eliminating the need to extend sewer to neighborhoods with failing septic systems.  

All municipalities where landowners use private septic systems should establish a septic management utility.  These utilities would conduct regular mandatory inspection and maintenance of private systems.  Such a system could be funded through assessments on owners of the systems.   

Since few municipalities have the staff capacity to manage the technical aspects of such a program, a regional program could be developed in which a single contractor conducts inspections, testing, and application review for multiple municipalities.  MAPC’s regional purchasing department is in an ideal position to manage the contracting and administration of such a program. 

34.a    MAPC and the Department of Public Health should develop a proposal for regional septic management programs

34.b    MAPC and the Department of Public Health should disseminate guidance and best practices for regional septic management systems

35)    Favor decentralized wastewater solutions and strictly condition access to sewer extensions
In municipalities with a mix of private septic systems and centralized sewer, wastewater management plans commonly recommend sewer extensions to “needs areas” where multiple septic systems are failing.  Such extensions are very costly, reduce groundwater recharge, and may stimulate unplanned growth if not accompanied by careful land use controls.  

DEP should establish policy that the land use component of wastewater management plans and their alternative scenarios should be consistent with the municipal land use plan.  Sewer extensions should also be accompanied by strict conditions for connections to the system, and clearly defined service area boundaries, in order to prevent the sewer from enabling unplanned growth. 

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