HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources April 13 20101
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Natural Resources Committee
April 13, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL (9:33:04 AM)
Present: Carl Weimer, Bill Knutzen and L. Ward Nelson.
Absent: None.
Also Present: Sam Crawford, Kathy Kershner and Ken Mann.
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PROPOSED LAKE WHATCOM FIVE -YEAR
WORK PLAN AND PROPOSED PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT (AB2010 -171)
Weimer stated there was a Joint Policy Group meeting with the City and Water
District last week. A Joint Councils and Commissioners meeting is next week. They are
supposed to receive the five -year work plan today and brief the committee members on
what will happen at the meeting next week and the planned public involvement. This is
their response to the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study.
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department, gave a staff report. They must develop a
new five -year work plan in 2010. He submitted the draft 2010 -2014 work plan (on file).
The plan is the basis for response to the total maximum daily load (TMDL) findings in the
Lake Whatcom watershed. They will forward to the Washington State Department of
Ecology this document, a list of everything done in the watershed since the baseline year of
2002, and a description of additional things that can be done in the long term. The
County's principal interest is in reducing phosphorus and fecal coliform loading in the creeks
and lake. All parties recognize the complexity of this system and that they won't see
dissolved oxygen levels increase to water quality standards in five years. It will more likely
take a generation. The County must demonstrate that it's taking actions to achieve that
goal. He described the process for approving this five -year work plan. The City of
Bellingham and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District must work with the County to
approve the plan.
Rebecca Craven, Council Policy Analyst, stated the meeting with the three
jurisdictions will include a public hearing.
Discussion included designating a committee to work on the plan; (9:45:37 AM)
avoiding political posturing during a joint meeting with the City and Water District; having a
discussion of the data demonstrating the critical issues in the lake and identifying the
sources of phosphorus; the difficulty of pinpointing the sources of phosphorus; the
connection between phosphorus loading and the late summer low oxygen conditions; the
overall goal of improving lake conditions; creating goals that the County can have direct
control over; the Silver Beach Creek project on pages 11 and 16 through 23 of the proposed
Natural Resources Committee, 4/13/2010, Page 1
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plan; how they incorporate the actions preferred by the legislative bodies and public; using
flexible and universal criteria; convincing the public that the public money spent on their
efforts will work; whether the improvements coincide with the plan; (10 :14 :33 AM)
homeowner association retention facilities; whether any of the activities are options rather
than mandates; estimated funding of the tasks; how the Council prefers to include the
public in this process; not calling the lake a reservoir,' and; scheduling a public workshop
with the Lake Whatcom Policy Group and staff during the 30 -day public review process.
The following person spoke:
• Elizabeth Kilanowski, citizen, asked about having Robin Matthews make a
presentation or conduct a work session.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 10:33 a.m.
Please contact the Council Office to obtain an
official, signed copy:
360- 676 -6690 or council &o.whatcom.wa.us
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
Carl Weimer, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 4/13/2010, Page 2