Standard Plan Documentation

Standard Plan v Detailed Plan

As per the Delaware Sediment and Stormwater Regulations (DSSR):

Standard Plan is defined as “a set of pre-defined standards or specifications for minor land-disturbing activities that may preclude the need for the preparation of a detailed plan under specific conditions.  All standard plans shall contain standard conditions for construction site stormwater management and the inclusion of an activity into the standard plan classification does not exclude that activity from the requirements of 7 Del.C. Ch. 40”

Detailed Plan is defined as “a plan developed by a Licensed Professional in the State of Delaware which does not meet standard plan criteria. All detailed plans submitted for review shall be prepared, signed, dated, and sealed by a Licensed Professional in the State of Delaware.  It is the obligation of the Licensed Professional in the State of Delaware to ensure that the design of construction site stormwater management best management practices (BMPs) and post-construction stormwater management systems meet the requirements in these regulations.”

One of the first questions a designer encounters from a stormwater management (SWM) perspective is whether their project would fall under what is called a Standard Plan or Detailed Plan.  From a DelDOT perspective, Standard Plans are only for SWM quality facility exemption.  If the project meets the qualifications of one of the Standard Plans (listed below), then a SWM quality facility (or BMP) is not required.  Detailed Plans are required to have a designed SWM quality facility as in accordance with the DSSR.  SWM quantity is still required to be calculated and shown not to have an adverse impact due to the project.  Erosion and sediment controls are still required to be shown on all plans.

Standard Plan submissions need to include a completed form (as shown below), an E&S plan, and any applicable paperwork to prove Standard Plan criteria, i.e. CN number comparison.

For any questions concerning Standard Plan v Detailed Plan, please consult with the Stormwater Engineer.

Typical Standard Plans for DelDOT projects

Several types of Standard Plans exist:

1. Minor Bridge and Culvert Construction
2. Sidewalk, Trail, or Other Linear Impervious Surfaces
3. BMP Construction and Retrofit
4. Demolition

Additionally, here is a link to the Standard Plan CN Worksheet.