HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session October 20 20091
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Whatcom County Council
Special Surface Water Work Session
October 20, 2009
Council Chair Seth Fleetwood called the meeting to order at 11:07 a.m. in the
Whatcom County Civic Center Annex, Second Floor Meeting Room, 322 N. Commercial,
Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner None
Bob Kelly
Carl Weimer
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
L. Ward Nelson
Sam Crawford
Seth Fleetwood
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION (AB2009 -024)
1. UPDATE OF SUMAS RIVER FLOODPLAIN MAPPING
Rollin Harper, City of Nooksack, handed out maps (on file) and thanked the Council
for partnering on this project. The results will save quite a bit of flood insurance payment
money for residents. It will also open areas not in the floodway for additional infill in the
city of Nooksack. Areas in the city had an extensive flood plain where people were paying
flood insurance. That has been significantly reduced. At least 115 properties have been
removed from the 100 -year flood plain. That is a savings of almost $70,000 per year to
those residents. Also, flood plain mapping was adjusted in Whatcom County. Properties are
now in the flood plain that weren't before.
The final step in this process is to include this map in regulations through the flood
insurance rate maps. They are in the process of amending those maps, which is a long
process. He asked for continued County support, including County staff support. They will
pursue alternatives with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to amend
those maps.
Brenner asked where the areas have changed.
Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, described the locations on the maps.
Caskey- Schreiber asked about a concern regarding a slough area that needs to be
dredged. Harper indicated the location of the slough on the map. Sediment buildup can
plug the water in the slough. The City dredged a few years ago. If it fills again, a concern
is that it could raise the flood level again.
]on Hutchings, Public Works Department, stated that if it's contaminated sediment,
the County would want to know.
2. STATUS REPORT ON ORDINANCE CHANGES REQUIRED UNDER NATIONAL
POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES)
Surface Water Work Session, 10/20/2009, Page 1
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Roland Middleton, Public Works Department, stated there is a timeline for National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) phase II requirements. They still have to
do Title 20 changes, adopt the State Department of Ecology (DOE) stormwater manual, and
lower the threshold from two acres to one acre. Those are minor changes. The DOE
manual is already required in the urban growth area (UGA) through interlocal agreements
with Ferndale and Bellingham. A change from two to one acre only affects a few rural
acres. A final Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) ordinance needs to happen.
A public meeting on October 28 at 6:30 p.m. will cover phase II requirements and the IDDE
ordinance. The Title 20 changes will go to the Planning Commission on December 10. The
Council will introduce the Title 20 changes and final IDDE ordinance on January 12 to meet
the February deadline.
3. REVISED FLOOD CONTROL ZONE DISTRICT (FCZD) ADVISORY COMMITTEE
PRIORITIZATION METHOD AND RESULTS OF 2009 PROJECT REVIEW
(Clerk's Note: Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District
Board of Supervisors. Board Chair Weimer assumed the duties of the Chair for this portion
of the meeting.)
Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, handed out information and read from a
presentation (on file). The Advisory Committee wanted to change the criteria for how they
prioritize projects. This is from the Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee looking
only at flood benefit. They looked for the broadest benefit and uses consistent with the
hazard. She read from the presentation on the individual projects.
4. REVIEW OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE 2010 FLOOD CONTROL ZONE
DISTRICT (FCZD) BUDGET
(Clerk's Note: Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District
Board of Supervisors. Board Chair Weimer assumed the duties of the Chair for this portion
of the meeting.)
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department, submitted handouts (on file). They may
continue this discussion at the next Natural Resources Committee meeting. He referenced
and read through the flood control zone district fund balance analysis handout.
Brenner asked if the projection includes reimbursements. Hutchings stated it does.
(Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
Brenner asked if the Council has had presentations on how the Conservation
Program on Agricultural Lands (CPAL) is working. According to farmers, the program is not
working. She would like George Boggs to set up a tour of the locations.
Hutchings stated there will be additions to expenditures, revenue reductions, and
drawing down the fund balance. The Deming levee improvement project will be delayed for
a year, which will improve the ending fund balance for 2010. It provides a margin of safety
against a flood. However, when they go forward with that large construction project, which
is a high priority, there will be a lot of angst about what they are doing with the flood
district money. The ending fund balance for 2012 puts them at the margin of safety to
respond to flood events.
Surface Water Work Session, 10/20/2009, Page 2
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Weimer asked for a proposed fix for the declining flood fund. Hutchings stated
there's been discussion about vetting out options during the 2010 budget year.
Brenner asked if some of these things should be funded through the conservation
futures fund because it protects agricultural lands. Hutchings stated some of these things
could. They are already dipping into the real estate excise tax (REET) II program. There
are stormwater projects in the Lake Whatcom watershed scheduled for 2010. The REET
money is a bridge right now. They need to get to some of these projects built in the Lake
Whatcom watershed.
Crawford asked about the Academy Road project.
Kirk Christensen, Public Works Department, stated it is item six or seven on the
stormwater plan. It's not a 2010 project. It will be designed in 2011, with construction in
2012.
Crawford asked if those residents know that. Hutchings stated they do.
Hutchings referenced Exhibit A, the Flood Control Zone District Budget Summary by
budget code and the Flood Control Zone District 2010 Budget /Supplement Budget Request
detail. The councilmembers should review these handouts to see that they are getting the
work done. The numbers don't add up exactly, but the principal components of the plan are
going forward.
Brenner asked if Deming Levee Improvement could be funded with REET. Hutchings
stated it could.
Weimer stated REET revenue is going down.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:07 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
The Council approved these minutes on November 24 2009.
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Please contact the Council Office to obtain an
official, signed copy:
360- 676 -6690 or council &o.w hatcom .wa.us
Surface Water Work Session, 10/20/2009, Page 3