Yakima operates a regulated Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) under the Washington Department of Ecology Eastern Washington Phase II Permit and codifies its program in YMC Title 7 — specifically Chapter 7.80 (Storm Drainage and Surface Water Management Utility), Chapter 7.82 (Construction Stormwater Runoff), Chapter 7.83 (Post-Construction Stormwater Runoff) and Chapter 7.85 (Stormwater Illicit Discharge). The Wastewater Treatment Plant/Stormwater Division administers the utility, bills a monthly stormwater assessment fee based on impervious surface, and applies the Stormwater Management Manual for Eastern Washington (SWMMEW) for design.
The City Council found and declared in YMC Chapter 7.80 that the public stormwater control facility provides 'collection, treatment, storage and disposal of stormwater' that benefits all developed property within city limits, and that federal and state laws (Clean Water Act and Chapter 90.48 RCW) mandate regional water-quality protection. The stormwater utility recovers its costs through a monthly assessment fee charged to every developed parcel and tied to the parcel's impervious surface (an Equivalent Residential Unit metric). Engineering review applies the Stormwater Management Manual for Eastern Washington (SWMMEW) approved by Ecology, plus Appendix 1 of the Eastern Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit, as the basis for design, implementation, maintenance, and BMP performance under YMC 7.83. Yakima's MS4 ultimately discharges to the Yakima River basin, which is listed under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act for several parameters including temperature, DDT, and turbidity. Receiving-water protection is also folded into the city's Underground Injection Control (UIC) well program — drywells are common in semi-arid Yakima and are regulated under WAC 173-218 plus YMC 7.85. The city's MS4 obligations include public education and outreach, illicit-discharge detection and elimination (IDDE), construction-site control, post-construction control, and pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations. The Surface Water Engineer at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (2220 East Viola Avenue, 509-575-6077) reviews new development and re-development for compliance.
Stormwater violations are enforced under YMC Title 7 with civil and criminal remedies. The city may issue a notice of violation, require corrective action, recover cleanup costs from the responsible party, suspend access to the MS4, and pursue Municipal Court charges. Ecology can independently assess civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day per violation under RCW 90.48.144 of the Washington Water Pollution Control Act. Knowing or negligent discharges that violate water-quality standards in WAC 173-201A can be referred for federal Clean Water Act prosecution. A Stop Work order is the city's standard tool when construction sites do not have approved erosion or stormwater controls in place.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Yakima, WA
Yakima Municipal Code does not contain a specific provision allowing or prohibiting artificial turf on private residential property. Commercial sitescreening...
Yakima, WA
Yakima Municipal Code does not require or restrict native-plant landscaping on private residential property. Commercial sitescreening under YMC Chapter 15.07...
Yakima, WA
YMC 5.57.040 sets buffers and zone restrictions. Mobile or street vendors may not operate in any vehicle travel lane (YMC 5.57.040(2)) and may not sell from ...
Yakima, WA
YMC Chapter 5.57 (Mobile Food Vendors) — adopted by Ord. 2015-029 and amended by Ord. 2020-006 — requires every mobile or street vendor to obtain a city busi...
Yakima, WA
Federal law preempts local regulation of the navigable airspace over Yakima. Recreational flyers operate under 49 U.S.C. § 44809 (visual line of sight, ≤ 400...
Yakima, WA
Yakima does not require a city permit or business license for an occasional residential garage sale of personal household items. Mobile/street vendor licensi...
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