SFPUC Stormwater Alternative Compliance Program Development

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

< PROJECTS

Lotus is the lead consultant assisting the SFPUC in undertaking a study to determine the technical and financial basis for multiple alternative compliance paths to complement the existing modified compliance option to San Francisco’s Stormwater Management Ordinance (SMO) requirements, including: a fee-in-lieu option, offsite compliance, and stormwater credit trading for SMO compliance. The goals for developing alternative compliance options are to provide greater flexibility to the development community in achieving compliance with the SMO and to fund high performing stormwater runoff reduction projects with objectives similar to that of the SMO. These projects will have a better cost-performance ratio than stormwater management facilities constructed on highly constrained project sites because they can be strategically located to more easily achieve the SFPUC’s stormwater runoff reduction goals in less constrained areas.

The focus of this work is developing the major components of a program, including: eligibility criteria, basis for fee, siting criteria, BMP selection, water quality ratios, applicability of funds, and intake materials for these alternative SMO compliance programs. Future phases of Alternative Compliance policy development will evaluate other potential mechanisms for compliance including the investigation of a stormwater credit trading program.