HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session July 19 2016Whatcom County Council
Special Surface Water Work Session
July 19, 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, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Todd
Donovan and Carl Weimer
Absent: Ken Mann
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION (►462016 -024)
JOINT BOARD / PLANNING UNIT / COORDINATED WATER SYSTEM PLAN (CWSP)
UPDATE AND WATER RESOURCES PLANNING STRATEGY
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, gave an update on the Coordinated Water
System Plan, which is scheduled on the Council's July 26 agenda. The Joint Board will
discuss the interlocal agreement at its meeting on July 28. He submitted handouts (on file,
Exhibits 1 and 2) and described the agenda items on the draft agenda.
Councilmembers discussed whether the watershed improvement districts (WIDs)
represent the majority of the agricultural community.
Stoyka asked the councilmembers' thoughts on including the watershed
improvement districts (WIDs) in the Joint Board /Salmon Recovery Board process.
Councilmembers continued to discuss the Farm Bureau, the Cattlemen's Association,
and the Dairy Federation; all the governments that could be added to the Joint Board
process; fairly representing the agricultural interests; giving direction to the Planning Unit;
the purpose of the money set aside to fund Planning Unit efforts; putting information on all
the water programs onto one website, and; the necessity of having someone post public
information to the website.
Weimer moved to ask the County Executive and Public Works Department staff to
move forward with integrating information on different water programs onto one website,
according to the memo from the WRIA 1 Planning Unit to the County Council dated June 22,
2016 (on file, Exhibit 3).
The motion was seconded.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
Nays: None (0)
Absent: Mann (1)
WATER RESOURCES PLANNING STRATEGY
Stoyka submitted and read from a presentation and memo to the County Council
from the Water Resources Inventory Area (WRIA) 1 Planning Unit (on file, Exhibits 3 and 4)
Surface Water Work Session, 7/19/2016, Page 1
and answered questions on the consensus of stakeholders about the 2012 water budget, the
cost of a contractor working on the groundwater model phases, and the groundwater model
process, storing water upstream.
Henry Bierlink answered questions about understanding the water budget and
groundwater model.
OVERVIEW OF FLOOD AND STORMWATER BUDGETS
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a presentation (on
file, Exhibit 5) and answered questions on hiring people to do data management of water
issues, funding an additional farm planner, and the Joint Board's work on groundwater
modeling.
Kirk Christensen, Public Works Department, continued the presentation on the
stormwater program.
Paula Harris, Public Works Department, continued and concluded the presentation on
the River and Flood program.
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LAKE WHATCOM HOMEOWNERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a handout (on file,
Exhibit 6)
Eli Mackiewicz, City of Bellingham, answered questions and continued the
presentation on program design variables. He submitted a handout on the Homeowner
Incentive Program (HIP) 2 Incentive Variables Decision Tree (on file, Exhibit 6A).
Stoyka and Mackiewicz answered questions on potential barriers, comparisons to the
onsite septic system (OSS) program, the City of Bellingham plans for funding, the impacts
of lawns, program costs, and focusing on improvements that provide the best benefit for the
least cost.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 1:03 p.m.
, � % % IIIIIIPlj
The Counicll,approved these minutes on January 24, 2017..
ATTEST:,' ,• ATt,: ?�. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
=Y"
F
Dana Brown -Da 4 oonci(pterk Bar y uchanan, Council Chair
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
Surface Water Work Session, 7/19/2016, Page 2