Title
An Ordinance adopting the Indian Creek, Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook and Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plans prepared by the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) as an Amendment to the Lake County Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan.
Staff Summary
• Once adopted, the Indian Creek, Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook and Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plans (Plans) will become an amendment to the Lake County Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan.
• The Plans were developed to provide a “blueprint” for reducing flood damages, improving water quality and protecting natural resources. The Plans are intended to assist private citizens and local, State, and Federal governments to better manage the water resources of these watersheds in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner.
• The Plans were developed through a cooperative effort between the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and stakeholder representatives in each of the watersheds.
• The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission approved the Indian Creek Watershed-Based Plan on November 6, 2008 and the Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook and Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plans on February 5, 2009.
Body
Whereas, the County Board of Lake County adopted the Lake County Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan on June 11, 1990, and said plan recommended the development of comprehensive watershed management plans for each of Lake County’s twenty-six subwatersheds; and
Whereas, the Lake County Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan was updated in 2002 and adopted by the County Board of Lake County, and the update reiterated the priority of developing comprehensive watershed management plans for each of Lake County’s twenty-six subwatersheds; and
Whereas, the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission has been working to revise and update the comprehensive watershed plans for Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook, Indian Creek and Fish Lake Drain watersheds in Lake County hereinafter referred to as “Watershed-Based Plans”; and
Whereas, the purpose of the Watershed-Based Plans is to improve degraded conditions in the Indian Creek, Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook and Fish Lake Drain watersheds by improving water quality, reducing flood damage, and protecting and enhancing natural resources through implementing best management practices and programs; and
Whereas, another goal of the Watershed-Based Plans is to provide resources and information for watershed communities to integrate multi-objective watershed management in decision making for development activities; and
Whereas, the adoption of the Watershed-Based Plans is necessary for the successful implementation of a series of individual site-specific projects and watershed-wide programmatic actions to: improve water quality, reduce flood damage potential, protect and enhance natural resources, provide watershed education and recreation opportunities, and improve community cooperation and participation in watershed improvement activities; and
Whereas, all public hearing and meeting requirements have been met in the preparation of the Watershed-Based Plans; and
Whereas, the required 60-day comment period for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, adjoining counties, and the general public has been met; and
Whereas, the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission unanimously approved the Indian Creek Watershed-Based Plan on November 6, 2008 and the Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook and Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plans on February 5, 2009;
Now, therefore, be it ordained, by the County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that the Indian Creek, Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook and Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plans for Lake County, Illinois are hereby adopted as an Amendment to the Lake County Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan, the official countywide, stormwater management plan, in accordance with 55 ILCS 5/5-1062; and
Be it further ordained that a copy of the final Indian Creek, Bull Creek-Bull’s Brook and Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plans will be sent to each municipality and township in their respective watersheds in Lake County.