The Storm Water Low Impact Development Technical Design Manual (LID Manual) was developed by the City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County Water Agency and County of Sonoma, collectively known as the Phase I Co-Permittees, in collaboration with the staff of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, in partial fulfillment of the Phase I stormwater permit waste discharge requirements Order No. R1-2009-0050. The City of Sebastopol has served the Regional Board with notice of intention to join the Phase I permit, and submitted an implementation plan as part of the transition from the Phase II to the Phase I permit requirements.

Adoption and implementation of the LID Manual will aid in reducing stormwater pollution concerns as well as alleviating the volume of stormwater runoff from developed properties, reducing the impacts on our waterways by promoting infiltration. In addition the LID Manual provides comprehensive technical guidance needed to design stormwater LID features and maintain their functionality for the long term, and provides guidance to the City staff in review and approval of various new development conditions. (Ord. 1071 (Exh. A), 2014)