The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC) funding through the MS4 Municipal Assistance Grant Program to work with North Shore communities to review municipal zoning bylaws and regulatory ordinances in an effort to reduce stormwater runoff.  

MVPC is excited to partner with Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) and Greenscapes North Shore Coalition to assist 29 North Shore communities, including the 15 municipalities within the MVPC region. The overarching goal of this project is to conduct a review of municipal ordinances to assess their effectiveness in mitigating stormwater runoff.  The bylaw review will specifically address how street and parking lot design match federal stormwater requirements but will also explore the reduction of impervious surfaces and will promote the implementation of LID principles (Low impact development). This review is a year 4 requirement under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) MS4 General Permit. To complete project tasks, MVPC, IRWA, and Greenscapes staff will utilize the recently released MassAudubon Bylaw Review for LID & Climate-Smart, Nature-Based Solutions tool to identify best practices in reducing impervious areas and implementing LID. Using the results from Mass Audubon’s Bylaw Review toolkit, the project team will provide recommended bylaw changes for each municipality within the project area.  

This effort will provide communities with guidance and language to implement policies that will directly reduce stormwater runoff, moving the Merrimack Valley towards a more resilient future while improving compliance with regulations and ultimately reducing costs to communities. The project will be getting underway during February 2022 and will conclude in late June 2022.

For more information about our stormwater initiatives, including our quarterly Stormwater Collaborative, check out our program page.

PC: Susan Zappala