HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session May 15 20071
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Whatcom County Council
Special Surface Water Work Session
May 15, 2007
Council Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 10:08 a.m. in the Whatcom
County Civic Center Annex, Second Floor Meeting Room, 322 N. Commercial, Bellingham,
Washington.
Present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner Laurie Caskey - Schreiber
Dan McShane
Seth Fleetwood
L. Ward Nelson
Sam Crawford
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION AB2007 -025
1. RIVER AND FLOOD ISSUES
Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) Annual Prioritization
Pauia Cooper, Flood Division Manager, submitted information (on file). She read the
nine major program areas. She explained the handouts. The numbers on the spreadsheet
are the percentage of a full -time equivalent (FTE) employee required by the issue. The
flesh color on the handout represents projects that sleep a lot. She hopes those projects
continue to sleep, to make this plan work. The color yellow represents projects that are a
bit of a quagmire. The color pink represents projects they considered parking. The color
green represents the modeling stuff. It is the optional work that the Flood Control Zone
District (FCZD) Advisory Committee has prioritized highly. She read through the handout of
the 2007 FCZD Prioritization -FTE Allocations recommended by the Advisory Committee.
The hard part of planning is accommodating for things that don't even happen during
a flood event. She described the emergency Mosquito Lake Road rock job the County did
last week. The cost of the project was estimated to be in the range of $120,000. She
doesn't have the final cost. The River and Flood Division did the permitting and oversaw
construction. The road fund paid for the project. They still have to do mitigation for this
project on another project across the river. As mitigation that was negotiated with
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Army Corps of
Engineers, they will remove a similar length of rock.
Crawford stated the Mosquito Lake Road project was done as an emergency project
because of the cost, on the authority of the County Executive, without Council input. The
Executive probably assumed that the Council would have approved the work. He asked the
long -term strategy for that road.
McShane stated closing a portion of the road would create a really long route around.
It provides a significant route for accessing resource lands in the long -term.
Cooper stated they may be able to relocate the road in certain localized places that
are bad spots.
Surface Water Work Session, 5/15/2007, Page i
McShane stated they should have a rationale for big, massive projects.
Crawford stated development patterns have occurred on Mosquito Lake Road that
tend to have customary access from either the north or the south, but not both. He asked if
there could be a decommissioned portion of Mosquito Lake Road in a less developed area
that allows people to continue their normal routes of traffic.
McShane stated closing a portion of the road might influence bidding on State Forest
Board lands, which can have a significant impact on a County revenue source.
Cooper continued to describe the ongoing tasks they must do from the prioritization
list. There was discussion about the National Flood Insurance Program, mapping, and the
Slater Road improvement project. She continued to describe the projects in process on the
2007 prioritization list.
(Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
Cooper continued to describe the projects in process on the 2007 prioritization list.
McShane stated he would like the Shoreline Management Program to reference
channel migration zones. There is currently not an adopted channel migration zone. The
Council should adopt some sort of channel migration zone (CMZ). The CMZ process would
inform the management area work. They can ultimately amend the CMZ if more
information becomes available. There is a presumption that the County will keep protecting
the area along reach four. Cooper stated the staff is still working on that.
Cooper described the difference between the CMZ and the river management area.
There was discussion about adopting a CMZ and the river management area. She continued
to describe the projects in process, new projects, and projects in the "parking lot" on the
2007 prioritization list. There was discussion on whether the County evaluates the impacts
to downstream areas from private flood control projects.
Nelson asked about coordinating flood control efforts with other natural resource
functions of the County.
Frank Abart, Public Works Director, stated that would be coordinated with any
project they have. They would be evaluated on the same basis. He's not sure yet whether
additional staff would be necessary.
Nelson stated coordinating the efforts of what they have on the ground at this time
is phase one. He asked if they are working on that. He is concerned about all the flood
projects in the various districts compared to the limited amount of County resources.
Because there is always a crisis coming up, things don't get done unless the Council pushes
a particular effort. They have to push this issue forward. He moved to confirm the FCZD
priorities as recommended by the Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee.
McShane stated they may need to move forward on item 1A in the parking lot
regarding pre -flood planning, evacuation routes, and the ICS structure. Move forward on
that item. He asked if this is important. Cooper stated it is important. When they get
further in the modeling work, they will have more accurate flood plain maps. She hopes
other County staff will work on this project in the meantime.
Surface Water Work Session, 5/15/2007, Page 2
I McShane stated the emergency operations center (EOC) should take the lead, but
2 he's not sure they have the good information they need.
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4 Motion carried unanimously.
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7 AD30URN
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The eeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m.
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13 ]ill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
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15 The Council approved these minutes on June 19 2007.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Carl Weimer, Council Chair
Surface Water Work Session, 5/15/2007, Page 3