CITY OF ALEXANDRIA MASTER PLAN Water Quality Management Supplement Adopted January 13, 2001 Water Quality Management Water Quality Management CITY OF ALEXANDRIA MASTER PLAN Executive Summary and Highlights The Chesapeake Bay – Alexandria’s downstream neighbor – is among the nation’s largest and most productive estuaries. However, carried along with the huge volumes of fresh water from the Bay’s 64,000 square mile watershed are sediments, fertilizers, pesticides, motor oil, and other pollut- ants generated by various land uses and human activities. In 1988, the Virginia General Assembly, recog- nizing that action had to be taken to preserve the Bay for future generations, enacted the Chesa- peake Bay Preservation Act. In 1992, the City of Alexandria adopted a Chesapeake Bay Preser- vation Ordinance (CBPO) to manage land devel- opment in a way that was more harmonious with the environment. The seal of the City of Alexandria highlights the City’s historical and However, this was only a first step. While the present day reliance on the Potomac City’s CBPO is the backbone of Alexandria’s wa- River. ter protection efforts, the Act also requires locali- ties to incorporate water quality protection into their comprehensive plans. This planning pro- cess is the “vision phase” of the Bay Act program and there are no predisposed outcomes. While CHAPTER CONTENTS the City’s CBPO sets out specific water quality ■ Introduction protection criteria, the planning process provides ■ Alexandria’s Water City officials and residents with an opportunity to Environment think strategically about the kind of environment ■ Pollution and Other they want to call home. Sources of Water Quality Decline The Water Quality Management Supplement ■ to the City of Alexandria Master Plan is the re- Water Quality sult of this strategic planning effort. To assist the Management Today City in its effort, the Chesapeake Bay Local As- ■ Policy Analysis and sistance Department provided the Northern Vir- Recommendations ginia Regional Commission with funding to serve as a technical resource. E-1 Water Quality Management While the outcomes are flexible, under the Chesa- peake Bay Preservation Area Designation and SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS Management Regulations, the City is required to investigate the following areas: The following is a summary of the important findings which are explained in more detail in (1) Constraints to Development Section V “Policy Analysis and Action Plan.” (2) Protection of Water Quality Section V also includes a table identifying time (3) Shoreline Protection and Erosion Control frame for completion, cost, and the City agency (4) Public and Private Access to Waterfront responsible for implementation. New actions, Areas and or those which are not ongoing City programs, (5) Redevelopment of Intensely Developed are shown in bold. Areas ■ SMALL AREA PLANS. Most detailed land A major effort in the planning process is to use planning is accomplished through the gather background information to ensure that City’s fourteen Small Area Plans. adequate data is available for making environ- mentally sound decisions. As a result, the bulk To provide a stronger link between each of this Chapter is devoted to pulling together in- SAP and this Supplement, the City will formation from diverse sources in order to paint a incorporate into each SAP: a discus- complete picture of the City’s environment. Sec- sion of the City’s long-range water qual- tions include: ity protection strategies; SAP-specific Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (1) Introduction maps; and, SAP-specific analyses of (2) Alexandria’s Water Environment opportunities to protect and improve (3) Pollution and Other Sources of Water Qual- water quality and the environment ity Decline through planned development and re- (4) Water Quality Management Today development opportunities. This information then serves as the basis for Sec- ■ EXISTING CITY ORDINANCES. The tion V, “Policy Analysis and Action Plan.” Section City’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Or- V takes a strategic look at how Alexandria’s wa- dinance, Erosion and Sediment Control ter quality programs and regulations meet the Ordinance, and Floodplain Overlay District challenges laid out in Sections I through IV. and the Virginia Uniform Building Code al- ready provide a sound foundation for wa- ter quality management in Alexandria. The City will consider incorporating civil penalties into its CBPO as a way to strengthen local enforcement. ■ TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY URBAN RETROFIT PROGRAM. The Department of Transportation and Environmental Service’s Targets of Opportunity Urban Retrofit Program is an important public-pri- vate partnership which has resulted in sig- nificant water quality benefits by control- ling pollution from already developed ar- Although urban, Alexandria is still an important eas of the City. This program will continue part of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. E-2 Water Quality Management to be used to improve water quality and this effort and ensure that citizens un- help the State to meet its nutrient pollution derstand the important role that the up- reduction obligations under the federal grade plays in the protection of Chesa- Chesapeake Bay Program. peake Bay water quality. The City will continue to meet and exceed the require- ■ WETLANDS. Wetlands are an important, ments of its permit to operate a combined but disappearing, resource in the City. sewer system. The City will continue its efforts to minimize the number and volume The City will support efforts, similar to of combined sewer overflows. The City will the Targets of Opportunity Urban Ret- continue its sanitary sewer inspection and rofit Program, that promote the resto- maintenance program in an effort to elimi- ration of degraded wetlands and nate sanitary sewer overflows. streams. In addition, while healthy wet- lands should generally be left alone, when ■ WATER QUALITY MONITORING. The impacts do occur the City will try to miti- four primary pollutants of concern in the gate the impacts through wetland cre- City include fecal coliform bacteria, nutri- ation or enhancement, improvements to ents, petroleum products (oil), and thermal riparian areas, or through the use of (heat) pollution. Current efforts by the creative Best Management Practices to City to control these pollutants need to treat stormwater. The City will investi- be expanded and there is a need to bet- gate opportunities to use wetlands as ter characterize City water quality. an educational tool for both students and adults. Specifically, current water quality monitor- ing efforts are not adequate to detect pol- ■ HABITAT PROTECTION. Wildlife habitat lution pulses associated with dumping and protection is a major challenge in Alexan- stormwater runoff. The City will initiate a dria. The City will better identify, char- program to expand the scope of exist- acterize, and map remaining significant ing water quality monitoring efforts. The natural habitat areas that will assist the City will also pursue public-private part- City with its effort to preserve and pro- nerships and volunteers to assist in tect these areas. When possible, exist- monitoring water quality in the City. ing stream valleys need to remain in a natu- ral condition. ■ POLLUTION PREVENTION. Pollution prevention is the most cost-effective way Remaining wildlife habitat areas are frag- to protect water quality. Existing City pro- mented and ways to connect remaining grams include its street sweeping program, habitat areas need to be explored. If cur- leaf collection program, hazardous waste rent efforts by VDOT to reduce the impact and used oil collection program, sanitary of streets on wildlife corridors are success- sewer line inspection and maintenance pro- ful, the City will pursue developing simi- gram, school-age water and environmen- lar standards for new or reconstructed tal education programs, and best manage- City roads. ment practices manual for automotive re- lated industries. ■ WASTEWATER TREATMENT. The Alex- andria Sanitation Authority’s effort to up- While the City has undertaken important grade Alexandria’s Wastewater Treatment pollution prevention efforts, an expanded Facility is probably the single most impor- and comprehensive approach to pollution tant, and costly, environmental protection prevention is needed. Before the year effort in Alexandria. The City will support 2007, the City will need to demonstrate, E-3 Water Quality Management under new federal Clean Water Act require- The City’s web page will be used as a ments, that it is minimizing pollution through means of advertising environmental public education and outreach programs. programs and for exchanging envi- ronmental information. Areas specifically identified as requir- ing attention and public outreach by the ■ USED OIL AND ANTIFREEZE RECY- City include the following. CLING. There is a need for additional par- ticipation in used oil and antifreeze pro- – The City will coordinate with fuel oil grams. The City will increase advertis- companies to increase public aware- ing of collection sites as a way to en- ness of the threat of aging above tice businesses to join the program. ground and underground storage tanks. ■ OPEN SPACE AND VEGETATION. An – The City will continue to work with important way to reduce nonpoint source the Virginia Department of Environ- pollution is to increase the amount of open mental Quality to prevent under- space left in vegetation. The City’s open ground storage tank releases. space requirements do not currently con- – The