Delmont council members approved an updated stormwater ordinance earlier this month that incorporates county and state requirements for best-management practices.

The updated ordinance brings in elements of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s 2022 model ordinance, mandated by Act 167 and Westmoreland County’s integrated water resource plan.

Communities that are subject to the state’s MS4 regulations must develop a stormwater ordinance. The county’s resource plan, among other things, identified stormwater hot spots like heavily developed areas in Murrysville and Jeannette, and identified mitigation opportunities.

Murrysville officials updated their stormwater ordinance earlier this month as well.

Councilman Stan Cheyne asked why some of the ordinance’s elements — particularly those affect on-lot stormwater management for smaller properties — went above and beyond the county and state requirements.

“In areas that have flooding — older communities like Delmont — we added in items that require smaller developments to do on-lot stormwater controls,” borough engineer Kevin Brett said. “That’s something we’ve talked about numerous times, people adding things like rain gardens to their property. And the county regulations don’t really hone in on that to the degree that you should.”

If a property owner disturbs more than 500 square feet of earth, the updated ordinance requires some type of best-management practice to mitigate the storm water impact.

Cheyne said he wanted to ensure that residents knew the update only applies to new development in the borough. Fellow Councilman David Weber noted that there is not a lot of potential for new development at present.

“It’s going to have limited applicability, especially in a limited-development community like Delmont,” solicitor Dan Hewitt said. “But if someone goes to pave their backyard for a parking area, we need to have something online so they can address stormwater flow.”

Council voted 6-1 to approve the ordinance update. Cheyne voted no.

In other borough business:

• Delmont officials unanimously approved a $1.7 million balanced budget for 2021 that does not call for a tax hike. Taxes will remain at 18 mills. This year’s budget is about a half-million dollars larger than the $1.2 million 2020 budget.

• Beginning in 2021, council meetings will be held in the new Delmont Public Library building at 75 School St., just behind the borough building.

The new library features a meeting area, among a host of other new features and environmentally friendly “green” elements.

Below, librarian Denni Grassel talks about the process of moving into the new building.

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