The Stormwater Strategic Initiative is announcing a competitive Request for Proposals for a Model Ordinance Clearinghouse, helping local jurisdictions with templates and technical resources for implementing strong water quality policies.

Model Ordinances can help minimize additional work for smaller jurisdictions by providing a template for best practices for writing plain spoken, well-crafted local laws that amplify compliance while improving water quality. The Stormwater Strategic Initiative (Stormwater SIL) has published a competitive RFP (WEBS reference number: 25-0117JMC) to establish a Model Ordinance Clearinghouse which will be housed at the Washington Stormwater Center at WSU Puyallup Research Center.  

The Clearinghouse is intended to address a network of local stormwater issues, including capacity constraints, staffing, writing ordinances, enforcing water quality protections, and privately owned stormwater systems. 

This will be accomplished by developing model ordinances, codes and policies and identifying future operational partners that will ensure the Clearinghouse remains updated and evergreen through its life to deliver water quality benefits, support community resilience and accelerate best practices in stormwater management. 

This Request for Proposals is being developed under the Stormwater SIL’s 2023 Investment Plan: 

BIBI Investment Priority B: Develop a Clearinghouse to Include Model Policies 

Local jurisdictions need both a centralized resource for model policies and ordinances to improve water quality and Puget Sound recovery objectives, as well as technical support for adapting and implementing these policies. The funding allocated through this investment will develop or enhance a clearing house for policy resources and support, including the development of model policies and ordinances to fill environmental needs and gaps. Topics may include, but are not limited to, stormwater code, pollution prevention, tree cover, land use, green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) and low-impact development (Green Stormwater Infrastructure), as well as guidance on how to write regulations that can be measured and easily enforced. The successful applicant for this award will develop online resources and a shared space for the information, pull together an advisory team to guide the development of the clearinghouse itself, host the resources or find a long-term host for the resources into the future, and publicize the resources to jurisdictions. 

For more information please get in touch with Heidi.Siegelbaum@wsu.edu.