Chapel Hill to discuss enforcement of Jordan Lake Rules

The N.C. General Assembly passed a law to protect Jordan Lake’s waters in Aug. 2009.

Two years later, Chapel Hill is working to find a way to enforce those regulations.

The town’s planning board scheduled an Oct. 17 public hearing to consider new requirements and new ways to implement the Jordan Lake Rules, an effort to reduce pollution in the area.

An amendment discussed Oct. 4 would add a new requirement for developments’ stormwater management to the original ordinance. That amendment is required to show full compliance with the state’s law.

The change would also give the town more authority to enforce the requirements.

The General Assembly passed the 2009 mandate in an effort to reduce pollution from wastewater discharges, stormwater runoff, agriculture and fertilizer application in the Jordan Lake watershed.

Frequent algal blooms — an indicator of water pollution — have been found in waterways in the Chapel Hill area and others under its jurisdiction, which all flow into the Upper New Hope Arm of Jordan Lake, which is southeast of Chapel Hill.

Algal blooms are caused by overloads of nitrogen and phosphorous. The blooms can cause problems with taste and odor in drinking water, kill or stress aquatic life and release toxins into the water.

Julie McClintock, president of Friends of Bolin Creek, said the group is supportive of implementing the Jordan Lake rules.

McClintock said her only concern with the proposed changes in the Jordan Lake rules is that they might include exceptions for certain developments.

“We are really enthusiastic about the rules, but there are a lot of exceptions in the laws the (Friends of Bolin Creek) will want to discuss before the planning board meeting.”

Sue Burke, a stormwater management engineer for Chapel Hill, said she is a strong advocate for the amendment.

Burke said she especially supports stricter sediment regulations and the strict enforcement for developments.

“If new developers don’t comply with these regulations, they won’t get their permit,” she said.

Burke said she expects UNC to also do its part to follow the rules.

“The University has to comply with the laws as well,” she said.

Because the planning board oversees a diverse array of topics, board member John Ager was originally worried that the community wouldn’t take enough interest in the runoff issues, he said.

“Stormwater issues tend to be very dry,” he said.

“A lot of students don’t know what stormwater is, but in reality it is a big part of our everyday lives.”

Contact the City Editor at city@dailytarheel.com.