Drainage System ReviewNarrative for Drainage System Review
Downstream of a Townhome Project
Proposed at 5308 Carolina Beach Road
The project proposes to develop ninety-five (95) townhome units with associated parking and
other improvements. An existing drainage system flows through the tract from the Southeast
and into the Marquis Hills neighborhood. This area is within the Motts Creek watershed
which flows into the Cape Fear River.
The attached map shows the project location and a general routing of the drainage
downstream of it. The system flows primarily in open ditches, but is piped under any road
crossings. Those pipe crossings are under the control of NC Department of Transportation,
and it is their responsibility to maintain them. Issues of blockage are normally identified by
registered complaints, and work orders are created for remedying the problem.
Maintenance of the open ditches that run over the privately-owned property are currently the
responsibility of those individual owners, as defined on the NHCo Stormwater flyer. The
following pictures show the varying condition of the ditches along the reviewed system.
Good maintenance of the ditches translates into better flow and greater capacity during
heavy rain events.
New Hanover County is regulated by a Stormwater Ordinance.
Sec. 23-284. - Purpose.
The purpose of this article is to protect and promote the public health, safety and general
welfare, and to safeguard the natural and manmade resources of the county by regulating
stormwater runoff. This purpose is accomplished by imposing conditions and requirements
upon existing and proposed development activities, and by establishing procedures by which
these requirements and conditions are to be administered and enforced.
Any current development project must be designed and permitted prior to construction
release, and meet specific criteria.
Sec. 23-343. - New development.
It is the policy of the county that all land within the unincorporated areas of the county to be
developed, shall have sufficient stormwater management controls to provide adequate
protection of life, property and natural resources. To this end, as a minimum, all land disturbing
activity subject to this article, shall provide sufficient management of post-development runoff
from the two-year, ten-year and 25-year frequency storms such that the discharge rates of
post-development stormwater runoff do not exceed the pre-development rates.
Development of the proposed project will include a stormwater management pond that will be
designed and built to all regulations. Continued maintenance of the pond will initially be the
responsibility of the developer, and then will be turned over to a Homeowners’ Association at
the completion of the project.
PROPERTY OWNER RESPONSIBILITY FOR STORM WATER CONVEYANCE.
It shall be the responsibility of individual property owners of developed or undevel-
oped land within the unincorporated areas of the county, to maintain stormwater con-
veyance facilities, such as waterways, streams, creeks, ditches, swales, channels, canals,
conduits and culverts, and stormwater control facilities, such as ponds and lakes within
their property. Where conditions of existing stormwater facilities are determined to be
deficient and a public nuisance, and the property owner fails to correct the deficiencies
after being notified by the county, the county may arrange for the deficiencies to be cor-
rected and recover all costs thereto from the property owner.
Owner/ Developer/ Home Builder shall not:
Construct fences, buildings, structures, electrical boxes, light poles, HVAC units, etc.
within a drainage easement.
Plant trees, bushes, or other permanent plantings within a drainage easement.
Impede or obstruct the flow of stormwater runoff through a stream, channel, swale,
pipe, sheet flow, etc.
Restriction on Owner/ Developer’s Use of Utility Easements.
Owner/ Developer shall not erect buildings, structures, trees, fences, berms or ponds
within the utility easement. Owner/ Developer shall grant no additional utility ease-
ments on, over, or within the easement without first securing the written authorization
of the New Hanover County Engineering Department.
ALL ENCROACHMENTS & OBSTRUCTIONS MUST BE REMOVED
If have any questions or are aware of any encroachments or obstructions into ease-
ments or drainage ways, please contact the New Hanover County Engineering :
Jerry May Tim Lowe, PE
Drainage Specialist or Chief Project Engineer
(910) 798 – 7129 (910) 798 - 7072
Antoinette Dr. Crossing #1
(View Northwest)
Antoinette Dr. Crossing #1
(View Southeast towards project tract)
Antoinette Crossing #2
(View Northeast)
Antoinette Crossing #2
(View Southwest)
Normandy Dr. Crossing
(View West)
Normandy Dr. Crossing
(View East)
3