A. Public Education and Outreach on Storm Water Impacts and Public Involvement/Participation (MCM #1 and #2)

1. The Permit Requirement (per Ohio EPA draft NPDES Permit)

a) 3.2.1.1 Implement a public education program to distribute educational materials to the community or conduct equivalent outreach activities about the impacts of storm water discharges on water bodies and steps that the public can take to reduce pollutants in storm water runoff.

b) 3.2.2.1 Comply with State and local public notice requirements when implementing a public involvement/participation program.

2. Public Education and Involvement Plan Given the similarity of these two MCMs, the Village of Moreland Hills has developed a unified Public Education and Involvement Program. The BMPs, measurable goals, and responsible parties in this Public Education and Involvement Plan are detailed in Table 1. In addition to Table 1, per Ohio EPA draft NPDES permit requirement 3.2.1.2 and 3.2.2.2, we are documenting our decision process with the following information required by the draft permit.

3.2.1.2.1 & 3.2.1.2.2 How you plan to inform individuals and households about the steps they can take to reduce storm water pollution and how to become involved in the storm water management program. As presented in Table 1, we will inform our residents about the steps they can take to reduce storm water pollution and ways to get involved in our Storm Water Management Program through a combination of workshops, community activities, and print media including newsletters, new resident outreach, permit inserts, and web site postings. Our newsletter reaches every resident and business each month and our web site is very active, with an average of 35 hits per day. Our community activities, including the Orange Jubilee Festival and Blossom Time Festival, are long-standing events and very well attended by residents.

3.2.1.2.3 & 3.2.2.2.3 Who are the target audiences for your public education and involvement plan who are likely to have significant storm water impacts and why those target audiences were selected? Include a description of the types of ethnic and environmental groups engaged and steps to involve all potentially affected stakeholders including businesses, trade associations, environmental groups, homeowners associations, and educational organizations. Every attempt is being made to link to as many people, young and old, in the watershed as possible. Information will be available at Village Hall and will be distributed through internal channels, Council Highlights newsletter, website and new homeowner kits. Community events, such as Orange Jubilee Festival and Blossom Time Festival provide opportunities for participation from a large variety of groups, both young and old. Businesses will also receive information through the newsletter, website, and community events. Outreach to schoolchildren in the watershed will help educate a diverse student body and also provide opportunities for further involvement. Riparian landowners will receive targeted mailings about stream stewardship and pollution prevention practices. Watershed activities will also include public meetings to raise awareness of storm water issues and meetings with various business entities

3.2.1.2.4 What are the target pollutant sources your public education plan is designed to address? We will target pollutant sources common to the Chagrin River watershed including sediment pollution from stream bank erosion and improperly controlled construction sites; habitat alteration due to land use changes; and bacteria and nutrient pollution from home sewage treatment systems. Because the majority of these pollution problems are caused by increases in impervious cover and the resulting increases in storm water volume and velocity, we will focus much of our Public Education and Involvement Program on increasing public awareness of the links between land use practices and storm water pollution. We will also continue our program of education on proper operation and maintenance of home sewage treatment systems with the assistance of the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

3.2.1.2.5 What is your outreach strategy, including mechanisms (e.g. printed brochures, newspapers, media, workshops, etc.) you will use to reach your target audiences, and how many people you expect to reach with the outreach strategy over the permit term? Our outreach strategy is to work with the other communities in the Chagrin River Watershed through the CRWP to 1) raise awareness of watershed issues, 2) involve citizens in water quality discussions, 3) help change behaviors, and 4) encourage citizen participation in BMPs. With the assistance of the CRWP Watershed Coordinator and the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, we will implement the activities outlined in Table 1. Outreach mechanisms will be varied in an effort to reach diverse audiences. These mechanisms will include an exhibit for community events, brochures, articles, electronic information and school programs. The media will be used to help promote programs and to report on the progress being made to address storm water concerns through the two local papers, with a combined readership of over 66,000 in the regulated communities.

3.2.2.2.1 How you have involved the public in the development and submittal of your NOI and SWMP. The Stormwater Management Committee has a Citizen's Representative on it to involve the Public in the Plans development process. The SWMP legislation went through three readings in January, February and March, 2003, to allow for public comment.

3.2.2.2.2 What is your plan to actively involve the public in the development and implementation of your plan? The Stormwater Management Committee has a Citizen's Representative on it to involve the Public in the Plans development process. We will work with the CRWP to develop public involvement activities.

3.2.2.2.4 What types of public involvement activities are included in your plan? Where appropriate consider the following types of public involvement activities: 3.2.2.2.4.1 Citizen Representatives on storm water management panel. As detailed in Table 1, we formed a Storm Water Management Committee to assist us in developing our SWMP and overseeing implementation during the permit term. This Committee includes a resident.

3.2.2.2.4.2 Public hearings. We held two public meeting related to storm water in 2002. The first was in September of 2002 and included a presentation by CRWP to the Moreland Hills Council updating them on the requirements under Phase II. Additional meetings were held, see 3.2.2.2.1 above.

3.2.2.2.4.3 Working with citizen volunteers willing to educate others about the program.

3.2.2.2.4.4 Volunteer monitoring or stream clean-up activities.

3.2.1.2.6 & 3.2.2.2.5 Who is responsible for overall management and implementation of your Pubic Education and Involvement Plan? The overall management and implementation of our Public Education and Involvement Plan will be done through the Storm Water Management Committee. The Committee will meet on a quarterly basis with the CRWP to review the activities associated with the Public Education and Involvement Plan. To assist the Village in implementing its activities under the Public Education and Involvement Plan, we have entered into Memorandums of Understanding with the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, and the Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc. These MOUs are attached and these partner organizations are listed in Table 1.

3.2.1.2.7 & 3.2.2.2.6 How will you evaluate the success of this minimum measure, including how you selected the measurable goals for each of the BMPs? The Storm Water management Committee will review each of the BMP's listed in Table 1 at the quarterly meetings to determine the need to maintain, modify or replace the BMP based on its success.

Table 1: Village of Moreland Hills Public Education and Involvement Program