Adoption of Revised Public Storm Drain
Standards and Delegation of Approval
Authority for Future Revisions to the
Board of Public Utilities
City Council Meeting
September 30, 2025
Gabe Osburn, Director
Planning & Economic Development
Flannery Banks, Supervising Engineer
Engineering Development Services Division
Cleve Gurney, Deputy Director
Engineering Development Services Division
1 Executive Summary
• Establish the design policies and methods
governing the public infrastructure
• Should be updated to meet the needs of the
community, development, industry, and
operations
• City’s Charter Section 25 ratified on Nov. 8, 2022
delegated authority of Storm Water to the Board
of Public Utilities (BPU)
2 Executive Summary (continued)
• Consistent with RES-2017-177
• Proposes City Council, by resolution:
• Adopt the revised Public Storm Drain
Standards as presented, with an effective
date 30 days from the date of adoption
• Delegation of authority to the BPU to adopt
future revisions to the standards
3 Background
• Establishes minimum standards for design and
construction of public storm drain infrastructure
• Applicability
• Modifications to the public storm drain
infrastructure
• Capital improvement and private
development projects
• Infrastructure repairs by operations
4 Background (continued)
• Importance of updates to be consistent with:
• Federal, state, and local regulations
• Industry standard practices
• Operation and maintenance needs
• Industry needs
• Changing urban watershed
• Last adopted update: April 2005
• Routed for internal City comments
• Planning and Economic Development
• Water
• Transportation and Public Works
5 Background (continued)
• Routed for public comment
• American Council of Engineering Companies
– North Coast Chapter (ACEC)
• Northern California Contractors Association
(ECA)
• American Society of Civil Engineers- Redwood
Empire Branch (ASCE)
• Sonoma Water
• Marin/Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control
District (MSMVCD) 6
Background (continued)
• Delegation of approval authority
• Amended City Charter Section 25 delegates
Future Approval Authority of the City’s storm
drain infrastructure to BPU
• RES-2017-177 established precedent
• Board of Public Utilities (BPU) recommended, by
motion, City Council adopt the revised standards
and delegate future adoption authority to BPU
7 Analysis
• General types of revisions included
• Formatting
• Ensuring consistency with federal, state,
and local regulations
8 Not Allowed!
Analysis (continued)
• Industry support
• Clarifying, increasing transparency, and
formalizing interpretations
• Address requests from design and
construction community
• Industry standard practices
9 Analysis (continued)
• Industry support (continued)
10 Analysis (continued)
• Industry support (continued)
11 Analysis (continued)
• Operation and maintenance needs
12 Analysis (continued)
• Changing urban watershed and risks
13 1973 2022
Analysis (continued)
• Why delegate future authority?
• Consistent with City Charter Section 25
• RES-2017-177 established precedent for
potable water, recycled water, and sewer
• More timely processing of future revisions
14 Analysis (continued)
• Effective date
• Recommend revised standards go into
effect 30 days from City Council adoption
• Only applies to new applications submitted
after the effective date
• As proposed, will limit impacts to the
private design community and avoid
redesign of plans currently under review
15 Recommendation
• Recommend City Council, by resolution:
• Adopt the revised Public Storm Drain
Standards as presented, with an effective
date 30 days from the date of adoption
• Delegate authority to the BPU to adopt
future revisions to the standards
16 QUESTIONS?
17 Gabe Osburn, Director
Planning & Economic Development
Flannery Banks, Supervising Engineer
Engineering Development Services Division
Cleve Gurney, Deputy Director
Engineering Development Services Division