HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session April 12 20161
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Whatcom County Council
Special Surface Water Work Session
April 12, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. in the Civic
Center Garden Level Conference Room, 322 Commercial Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Satpal Sidhu, Barry Buchanan, Ken Mann, Todd
Donovan and Carl Weimer
Absent: Rud Browne
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSI.ON f AB20.16-024)
1. COORDINATED WATER SYSTEM PLAN (CWSP) /JOINT BOARD /PLANNING
UNIT UPDATE
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, gave an update on the meeting schedules.
A final vote of the Water Utility Coordinating Committee (WUCC) on the coordinated water
system plan is upcoming. It will be submitted to the Planning Department, have a public
hearing before the Council, and will be forwarded to the State Department of Health for final
adoption and approval.
The Planning Unit is reviewing all water issues in the Comprehensive Plan and a
proposal for outreach and education. They will give a quarterly update at the May Surface
Water Work Session.
The Puget Sound Partnership and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) met with
the Joint Board regarding the Local Integrating Organization (LIO) to create an action
agenda that qualifies the County for grant funds from the National Estuary Program. They
are still working to combine the Joint Board with the Salmon Recovery Board via an
interlocal agreement.
Work is proceeding on phase 2 of the groundwater modeling project, which mainly
involves data collection. Creating the model is still unfunded.
The Water Supply Coalition staff group began meeting to quantify and plan for water
needs.
2. FLOOD BUDGET — OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMS
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a presentation (on
file) and answered questions about the long -term plan for the Water Action Plan, which is to
get the shellfish beds reopened and keep them open.
The Water Action Plan is partially grant funded from the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). The main two issues are septic systems and livestock. He described the
Surface Water Work Session, 4/12/2016, Page 1
1 steps taken if they find specific septic system or livestock problems, which includes funding.
2 He answered questions about the frequency of septic system inspections for people who
3 have brand new systems.
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5 Stoyka continued the presentation on salmon recovery, Lake Whatcom Management
6 Plan, stormwater capital program, and water resources inventory area (WRIA) 1 program.
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8 Paula Harris, Public Works Department, concluded the presentation on the flood
9 program and answered questions about the shorter timeframe of the systemwide
10 improvement framework (SWIF) process that did not allow for comprehensive flood
11 planning, how to balance levee integrity with providing riparian habitat, an appropriate size
12 for sediment traps on High Creek, and whether the material trapped will be usable.
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14 3. UPDATE ON RUTSATZ ROAD EMERGENCY FLOOD REPAIR
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16 Paula Harris, Public Works Department, showed photos of the Rutsatz Road
17 emergency repairs and gave a staff report on the project.
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19 4. LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT (LID) CODE UPDATE
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21 Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department, referenced the
22 paperwork in the work session packet and submitted and read from a presentation (on
23 file).
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25 Mike Kershner, Planning and Development Services Department, continued the
26 presentation on what exists now for stormwater regulations and answered questions about
27 the reason that different conditions apply to different areas; whether staff have spoken to
28 the development or agricultural communities, and; making the regulations less confusing for
29 staff, which may make it more difficult and costly for developers.
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31 Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Director, stated this is in early
32 stages. They need some Council direction to narrow the options. Once the options narrow,
33 it will go to the Planning Commission.
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35 Brenner stated she's not comfortable giving direction yet. This seems to create a
36 burden for people who pay the costs.
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38 Roger Almskaar, Land Use Consultant, stated there is no difference in this proposal
39 between rural and urban densities. He supports the staff trying to simplify things.
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41 Noel Higa, Public Works Department, continued the presentation on the options and
42 answered questions. At a minimum, they must adopt the 2014 State Department of
43 Ecology (DOE) stormwater manual in the phase II areas.
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45 Kershner continued and concluded the presentation on options #2B and #2C and the
46 recommendations.
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48 Weimer stated he agrees with the recommendation for option #2B.
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50 The councilmembers discussed how putting regulations in the zoning code makes the
51 regulations simpler, consolidating regulations into one location for the public, getting more
52 input on the options from the development community and the public, and the stakeholder
53 group that has reviewed the options.
Surface Water Work Session, 4/12/2016, Page 2
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Mann stated the recommendation is fine.
Brenner stated staff needs to meet with other organizations to get more input before
making a recommendation to the Council.
Almskaar stated the staff can set up a workshop with the Building Industry
Association (BIA).
Strong stated their next steps will generally be writing the low impact development
(LID) rules into the Code.
Mann stated it's best to get participation from certain stakeholders at the beginning
of the process, not the end of the process. He encourages staff to reach out to stakeholder
groups and have informal workshops to get-their feedback. That is a good next step.
Buchanan asked if there is a deadline. Strong stated they only have to incorporate
the 2014 manual into the phase II areas by the end of the year.
Weimer stated he supports reaching out to the stakeholder groups, especially about
where the thresholds should be.
The councilmembers discussed which specific groups would be approached for their
input, which would include environmental, development, agriculture, and sales groups.
Focus the workshop on the options.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:32 p.m.
The Counciligproved these minutes on May 3, 2016.
ATTEST
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Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Surface Water Work Session, 4/12/2016, Page 3