The City of Lenexa established its Stormwater Division in the summer of 2000 to implement the city's innovative stormwater management program, Rain to Recreation.

Building on Lenexa's Vision 2020 community visioning process, the city adopted watershed management policies and created programs aimed at reducing stormwater runoff and water pollution. Together, these efforts laid the groundwork for the long-term protection of our water, which is reinforced in Lenexa’s newest community vision, Vision 2030.

The Rain to Recreation program
Rain to Recreation aims to reduce flooding and protect water while preserving natural habitat and providing educational and recreational opportunities for residents.

The program views stormwater as an amenity, not a liability, and focuses on green infrastructure solutions to prevent pollution and reduce runoff, achieving compliance through community commitment.

Since it began, the Rain to Recreation program has been recognized for its commitment and creativity in helping Lenexa residents keep water clean. See a list of Rain to Recreation program awards.

History and ordinances
Lenexa began planning a stormwater management approach four years prior to receiving a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II permit in 2004. A watershed management master plan in 2000 created the framework for the adoption of a Land Disturbance Ordinance to support the city’s erosion and sediment control efforts in 2001.

In March 2002, Lenexa was the first municipality in the Kansas City metropolitan area to adopt a Stream Setback Ordinance, proving itself a regional leader in watershed protection. Based on the Lenexa Stream Inventory (2001), an environmental evaluation of the streams and adjacent riparian corridors, this ordinance defines streams by environmental rating and stream order to determine setback distances. The Western Lenexa Stream Type Map, incorporated in the ordinance as Exhibit A, indicates stream type and order information to be used in the determination of stream setback requirements. An example application of the Stream Setback Ordinance is depicted in the Stream Corridor Zones graphic. This particular application depicts a publicly owned corridor with trails. The corridor may remain in private ownership, but development and use restrictions still apply.

Post-construction practices were adopted in 2004, using a Best Management Practices manual that identifies a minimum level of service to achieve when mitigating stormwater runoff. The stormwater management plan was revised in 2005 to accommodate the requirements of the NPDES permit and an Illicit Discharge and Detection Ordinance was passed in 2006.

Funding
Rain to Recreation received some funding from the city’s general fund account until 2006. However, in 1999 and again in 2004, Lenexa voters approved a one-eighth cent sales tax to partially fund the program by an overwhelming margin (78 percent).This sales tax, from which much of the funding for large projects came, expired in October 2010. In 2000, the City Council established a stormwater utility fee collected as a special assessment on the Johnson County property tax bill. Lastly, the city implemented a systems “capital” development charge so that as developments are built, growth pays for growth (2004).

Questions?
View frequently asked questions about stormwater topics.