HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session June 12 2007Whatcom County Council
Special Surface Water Work Session
June 12, 2007
Council Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 10:10.a.m. in the Whatcom
County Civic Center Annex, Second Floor Meeting Room, 322 N. Commercial, Bellingham,
Washington.
Present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner L. Ward Nelson
Seth Fleetwood Dan McShane
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
Sam Crawford
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION (AB2007 -0251
1. COMPREHENSIVE WATER RESOURCE INTEGRATION PROJECT UPDATE
Paula Cooper, Flood Division Manager, stated she will discuss the startup plan and
potential delays to projects. She submitted a handout of estimated program adjustments
for the duration of this project (on file).
They have issued a request for proposals (RFP). They used the draft scope of the
three phases for the RFP process. The RFP also includes the timeframe. The schedule is
compressed to get this project done as soon as possible. They would like to approve the
consultant contract at the August Council meeting. She read the schedule from the meeting
packet.
The handout is a list of projects and program areas compiled by the staff team. The
list shows which staff projects will be maintained during this process, which projects will be
delayed, and which projects will be stopped. She read through the flood projects on the list.
Updating the assessment roles. for technical support to special districts will be delayed. She
hopes to finish one or two this year. They will have to rely on the manual role technique
that they've used in the past. The river management area delineation will happen next year
instead of this year. Projects that are shown in the handout to be stopped are really
delayed until next year. She explained the Glacier /Gallup Fan study. The most significant
project that will be slowed the most will be the lower Nooksack reach 4 river management
area delineation. That has taken up most of her time until now.
Fleetwood asked about riprap mitigation. Cooper explained the Mosquito Lake Road
riprap mitigation project.
Kirk Christensen, Public Works Department, read through the list of stormwater
projects that will be maintained, slowed, or stopped.
Sue Blake, Public Works Department, stated some projects that are listed as slowing
or stopped would still go forward on their regular timelines, because they are projects of
other agencies and jurisdictions. The County will experience a limited ability to participate.
For instance, the total maximum daily load (TMDL) study will still go forward on its timeline.
Surface Water Work Session, 6/12/2007, Page 1
1 John Thompson, Public Works Department, stated that's also true for salmon
2 recovery efforts.
3
4 Weimer asked how many of these projects are slowed or stopped because of this
5 project, or because there are so many vacant staff positions. Cooper stated her flood
6 projects are all slowed or stopped because of this project because she is fully staffed.
7
8 Weimer stated the Council started this discussion because it didn't understand why
9 different water programs were split among so many different departments. The Council
10 wanted to understand why that is. It may be that's the most efficient way to get more
11 things done. Now, they are stepping back to get a lot less done, in the short term.
12 Christensen stated this discussion is to make the Council aware of the impacts.
13
14 Weimer stated they are delayed for both reasons.
15
16 Cooper stated many projects on the list are included in more than one program area.
17 There is a lot of overlap. This process will help them integrate.
18
19 Brenner asked why they can't hire someone through Sustainable Connections,
20 RESources, or elsewhere to develop the low impact development ordinance.
21
22 Cooper stated the Planning Department staff will explain their list.
23
24 Brenner stated she is concerned about project number two in the stormwater section
25 regarding establishing a funding mechanism for the Birch Bay stormwater plan. She's
26 concerned that the citizens' only concern is about getting the money rather than developing
27 the best funding plan. The plan is supposed to be the most important thing, rather than a
28 deadline in 2008. Christensen stated he agreed. He's also trying to convey that message,
29 and will continue to do so.
30
31 Brenner stated a critical project is number one under the salmon recovery section
32 regarding culvert project development with the County and the Nooksack Salmon
33 Enhancement Agency (NSEA). Foresters are actually improving the water flow for salmon
34 spawning, but the problems are on County property. Try to do select, important projects
35 when possible.
36
37 Amy Pederson, Planning and Development Services Department, read through the
38 first few projects on the list in the critical areas ordinance section.
39
40 Brenner asked the results of the Lummi Island Groundwater Study.
41
42 Roland Middleton, Planning and Development Services Department, described the
43 results of the study. Much of the delays on planning items are also due to a severe loss of
44 staff in the department.
45
46 There was discussion about water issues in Lummi Island.
47
48 Pederson continued to read from the list on critical areas ordinance items and other
49 projects on the list. The low impact development ordinance is a huge project. There is a
50 very preliminary draft that must be refined further internally.
51
52 Brenner stated other places already have low impact development ordinances in
53 place. She asked why it takes so long to integrate such existing ordinances to Whatcom
Surface Water Work Session, 6/12/2007, Page 2
County. Pederson stated that given the watershed regulations, there are already many
regulations that are like low impact development. Folks can use the low impact
development manual as a mechanism to achieve County requirements.
Brenner stated it makes it harder for people with low impact development
construction to get their plans approved. People won't want to do low impact development
if it is as hard or harder to get it approved. They have to do something to create more
incentives. Pederson stated people can do low impact development projects right now.
Brenner stated they need to create incentives for people to do low impact
development. Pederson stated they have to find standards that would be acceptable on a
geographic or watershed basis or countywide. The Birch Bay watershed characterization
may help guide the low impact development discussion when it's done. They need to
consider a number of different factors when discussing a low impact development
ordinance.
Fleetwood asked which aspects of developing the low impact development ordinance
are complicated. Pederson stated there are a number of steps in the process. A number of
different communities are interested in low impact development. It is also a water resource
inventory area (WRIA) implementation task. Many interest groups and private citizens want
to look at and have input on how this would work for them and how it should be framed.
There will be a public outreach component. They will have to consider if it will be
countywide or region - specific. Last year, they worked with the Puget Sound Action Team to
provide technical assistance for 11 jurisdictions. Their consultant provided local examples of
how a low impact development ordinance may work within the existing regulatory
constructs for Each of those jurisdictions. They have a template for it. There are many
steps to go through.
Fleetwood asked the problems if they take a uniform low impact development
ordinance, go through a fast -track public process to adopt it, and then refine it later.
Crawford stated the question is what they are going to fast- track. He doesn't know
what the Incentives are.
Caskey- Schreiber stated they already have low impact development in Lake
Whatcom. They provide incentives by creating disincentives for regular development. Low
impact development is difficult when dealing with different areas and different jurisdictions.
Look at what they want to achieve in each area with low impact development, and then
cater to that specific area.
Brenner stated other parts of the State have allowed much narrower roads. They
don't have to have wide roads, as long as there is space for emergency vehicles. The roads
are taking up a big percentage of the problem of impervious surfaces.
Crawford stated that given the personnel situation at the Planning Department, put
this item on the back burner. Every regulation they have is about the impact of
development. They have incredibly restrictive regulations now. That's not to say there is
no room for improvement, but there are other things that are important on the list.
Pederson completed reading the list of planning projects that will be maintained,
slowed, or stopped.
Surface Water Work Session, 6/12/2007, Page 3
1 Brenner stated there was an unintended consequence that developed when they
2 adopted the Shoreline Management Plan. A simple amendment would fix the consequence.
3 Under the Shoreline Management Plan, the views are about the marine waters and rivers.
4 It shouldn't have to be for every creek. Many people can't see their own creeks because of
5 all the trees planted for restoration. Now, they can't build a building to a certain height.
6 They are to reduce their footprint, but can't go up. Pederson stated they will need to
7 address a couple of small changes from the State Department of Ecology.
8
9 Crawford asked when Ecology will get back to the County. Pederson stated they
10 must hold a public hearing, then it will take a couple of months after that.
11
12 Crawford asked if the County adopts it formally once Ecology approves it. He asked
13 how changes are made. Pederson stated it's possible that Ecology already knows about that
14 change, and the County will work with Ecology. Staff will bring significant changes back to
15 the Council.
16
17 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
18
19 Middleton read through and explained the list of Planning Department special
20 projects that will be maintained, slowed, or stopped. Many of the projects for which he was
21 the lead staff person have been reassigned to other staff.
22
23 Crawford asked about the status on Point Roberts. Middleton stated there is nothing
24 new in Point Roberts. There is nothing new with the pier project. The Parks Department is
25 doing improvements to Lighthouse Park instead.
26
27 Brenner asked what the administration would like the Council to tell the public about
28 what's going on with all the staff who are leaving.
29
30 Crawford stated the County Council must be concerned about a high level of
31 turnover, recognizing that organizations go through these types of turnovers from time to
32 time. However, it seems to be an ongoing thing. He asked for clarification on how the
33 Executive's Office is viewing the situation and what efforts are being made.
34
35 Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated this is a problem. They are actively
36 recruiting for new staff. They recently did a study of the turnover rate at the Planning and
37 Development Services Department, and have found that Whatcom County is about average.
38 They've lost some high profile people recently. The administration is working to attract and
39 retain qualified people to maintain the work of Whatcom County.
40
41 Crawford asked if the administration is planning to replace the Planning Department
42 director now, and letting that new person step in to do hiring, or hiring at all levels. Desler
43 stated they are hiring at all levels.
44
45 Brenner stated this is her 16th year on the County Council, and she was involved with
46 the County for several years before that. She's never seen this kind of turnover from the
47 senior staff. It's not average because it's the senior staff and the people with the most
48 institutional memory. It's not about money. This has all happened since 3anuary. This is a
49 short amount of time.
50
51 Caskey - Schreiber asked if there is any way the County Council can assist the
52 administration with making this transition smoother. Desler stated they already get a lot of
53 assistance from the County Council. They don't like that they're losing people. They wish
Surface Water Work Session, 6/ 12/ 2007, Page 4
1 they can retain people longer. This is a highly competitive environment. He hopes the
2 Council takes seriously any specific recommendations he brings forward. They are working
3 to augment staff. They are interviewing two highly qualified candidates for the Planning
4 Department director position. They are impressed with the applications submitted. The
5 Human Resources Division is doing active recruitment
6
7 Caskey - Schreiber stated she suspects that County salaries are falling behind the
8 private sector. She's always advocated that the County get more aggressive in addressing
9 those inequities. Desler stated salary and benefits are one issue. Working conditions are
10 another issue. There are many reasons why people work for the County, and many reasons
11 for people to leave also.
12
13 Crawford stated that when he started his own consulting firm, he found that the
14 amount of stuff to do out there is huge. There is an ail -time low rate of unemployment, and
15 it's still easy to land a new job.
16
17 Fleetwood stated that is true for some people in some jobs. For lots of people, many
18 people are employed but making practically nothing.
19
20 Brenner stated that on one hand the County is losing people to better jobs, but on
21 the other hand the County is hearing from many highly- qualified people who are interested.
22 If people are highly qualified, and are interested in the job, it's not about the salary and
23 benefits. It seems like something has happened since January 1.
24
25 Weimer stated the last Planning Committee had a long discussion about the many
25 things the County is supposed to accomplish, and isn't. Now it's getting worse because of
27 the staff situation. They want to have a discussion with the administration about possible
28 ways to move some of those along. One idea was for the Council to find qualified people to
29 move along specific projects, and whether the administration would be willing to hire those
30 people in the short-term in order to move those specific projects along. People have
31 approached the Council about moving projects along, but they want to do it through the
32 Council, not the administration.
33
34 Caskey- Schreiber stated staff has put a lot of thought and effort into this list. Let
35 them have a try at this, and reevaluate in six months. Cooper stated this list isn't about
36 prioritizing. It's about identifying which projects can still move forward. By December, they
37 will have a new set of priorities based on some criteria that is more removed from
38 individuals.
39
40 Caskey- Schreiber stated put aside what they can't address, and focus intently on
41 what they can address.
42
43 Brenner stated the four things that she mentioned are the items that are important
44 to her to continue.
45
46 Caskey- Schreiber stated let the staff finish what they think they can finish, and then
47 move on to other things.
48
49 Desler stated there were three objectives laid out for the integration project. They
50 must keep that in mind. Staff can provide regular updates in future work sessions.
51
52 Rebecca Craven, Council Office Policy Analyst, introduced herself to the staff.
53
Surface Water Work Session, 6/12/2007, Page 5
1
2 ADJOURN
3
4 The meeting adjourned at 11:20 a.m.
5
6
7
8 ]ill Nixon, Minutes Transc piion
9
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Carl Weimer, Council Chair
Surface Water Work Session, 6/12/2007, Page 6