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Code of Maryville

Table of Contents » Title 19 Stormwater » Chapter 5 Vegetated Buffer Zone And Stormwater Quality Management » § 19-511 Minimum width and vegetation standards for buffers on streams and rivers.
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19
Title 19
19-1
Title 19, Chapter 1
19-101
§ 19-101
Maryville
Title 19 : Stormwater
Chapter 5 : Vegetated Buffer Zone And Stormwater Quality Management

19-511 : Minimum width and vegetation standards for buffers on streams and rivers.

  1. A water quality buffer having a minimum width of sixty feet (60') shall be provided along each side of a stream or river, as measured perpendicular from the top-of-bank of the active channel. For those streams that do not have a defined top-of-bank, the buffer shall be measured perpendicular from the centerline of the stream.
  2. The water quality buffer shall consist of two (2) zones, as follows:


    1. Inner zone. The inner zone of the water quality buffer shall have a minimum width of thirty feet (30'), measured perpendicular from the top-of-bank of the active channel and extending landward. Property owners are permitted and encouraged to establish an inner zone that has a width greater than thirty feet (30').
    2. Outer zone. The outer zone of the water quality buffer shall be measured from the edge of the inner zone and shall extend the perpendicular distance required to obtain a total minimum buffer width of sixty feet (60') when combined with the width in the inner zone.
  3. The minimum vegetative target for the inner zone is mature, moderately dense forest (i.e., trees) with woody shrubs and understory vegetation. Where forest vegetation has the potential to impact traffic safety or limit access, areas immediately surrounding approved stream crossings and utility access areas may be vegetated with dense grasses.
  4. The minimum vegetative target for the outer zone is mowed, dense grass that covers the entire zone.
  5. A variance for the width of the water quality buffer may be granted for water quality buffers located on streams and rivers through allowance of buffer width averaging; provided, that the following conditions are met:


    1. The average width of the entire buffer within the boundaries of the property to be developed shall not be less than sixty feet (60');
    2. The width of the buffer shall not be less than thirty feet (30') at any location, except where infrastructure encroachments and/or stream crossings have been approved by the director of engineering and public works, or his/her designee;
    3. Areas of the water quality buffer having a minimum width of thirty feet (30') (or less at infrastructure encroachments and stream crossings) can comprise no more than fifty percent (50%) of the buffer length; and
    4. Buffer width averaging is performed in accordance with policies stated in this chapter and the policy manual.
  6. Buffer width averaging is required for water quality buffers that have stream crossings and infrastructure encroachments.
  7. Buffer width averaging is prohibited for any portion of the development that has, or will have, after development the land uses described below:


    1. Areas that have slopes greater than fifteen percent (15%) that are located within fifty feet (50') of the stream to be buffered;
    2. Developments or facilities that include on-site sewage disposal and treatment system drainfields (i.e., septic systems), raised septic systems, subsurface discharges from a wastewater treatment plant, or land application of biosolids or animal waste;
    3. Landfills (demolition landfills, permitted landfills, close-in-place landfills);
    4. Junkyards;
    5. Commercial or industrial facilities that store and/or service motor vehicles;
    6. Commercial greenhouses or landscape supply facilities;
    7. Developments or facilities that have commercial or public pools;
    8. Agricultural facilities, farms, feedlots, and confined animal feed operations;
    9. Animal care facilities, kennels, and commercial/business developments or facilities that provide short-term or long-term care of animals; and
    10. Other land uses deemed by the director of engineering and public works, or his/her designee, to have the potential to generate higher than normal pollutant loadings. (1999 Code, § 19-711)
Date Last Updated: 12/22/2025
Codification Date: 06/01/2024

Officials at Date of Last Codification:

Mayor - Andy White
Vice-Mayor - Fred Metz
Council Member - Sarah Herron
Council Member - Tommy Hunt
Council Member - Drew Miles
City Manager - Greg McClain
Assistant City Manager - Kevin Stoltenberg
City Recorder/Financial Services Director - Sherri Phillips
City Attorney - Melanie Davis 

Date Last Updated: 12/22/2025
Codification Date: 06/01/2024

Officials at Date of Last Codification:

Mayor - Andy White
Vice-Mayor - Fred Metz
Council Member - Sarah Herron
Council Member - Tommy Hunt
Council Member - Drew Miles
City Manager - Greg McClain
Assistant City Manager - Kevin Stoltenberg
City Recorder/Financial Services Director - Sherri Phillips
City Attorney - Melanie Davis