Step 2: Normative Requirements Pass (Discussion)

Section Content:

Facts:
A new subdivision is planned in City C, located in State Q.
Developer G retains Firm BWJ (an engineering and surveying firm), under the direction of Principal Engineer R, to develop plans for the subdivision.
The plans were administratively reviewed for conformance with City C policy and approved by City Engineer J and are released for bidding and construction.
City Engineer J was formerly a principal at Firm BWJ.
City C’s subdivision regulations require that post-development 25-year recurrence interval peak stormwater flows must be equal to or less than pre-development conditions.
After the subdivision is completed, properties in the vicinity of the subdivision experience flooding.
Property owners complain that the flooding damage caused water damage to their homes, and because of these complaints, City C engaged a third-party engineering firm (IBM) to review the subdivision design.
Property owners also complain that City Engineer J is ethically compromised because of his former employment with Firm BWJ.
After performing independent modeling and analysis, Firm IBM found storm runoff flows to be substantially larger for the 25-year, two-hour storm event after the subdivision was completed.
One of the complaining property owner's driveway culverts was determined to have insufficient capacity for a 25-year storm event.
Construction of extensive paved areas and a large outbuilding by one of the property owners was also determined to have exacerbated flooding potential.