HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session March 20 20181
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Whatcom County Council
Surface Water Work Session
March 20, 2018
CALL TO ORDER
Council Member 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: Tim Ballew, Barbara Brenner, Barry Buchanan, and Tyler Byrd.
Absent: Rud Browne, Todd Donovan, and Satpal Sidhu.
Brenner moved that Councilmember Buchanan serve as the Acting Chair for the
duration of the meeting in the absence of the Council Chair and Vice - Chair.
The motion was seconded.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Ballew, Brenner, Buchanan, Byrd (4)
Nays: None (0)
Absent: Browne, Donovan, Sidhu (3)
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION (AB2018 -024)
1. WATER PLANNING UPDATE
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, updated the Council on the Planning Unit's
last meeting and next meeting. They are working on Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill
6091. The water resources inventory area (WRIA) Watershed Management Board meeting
on March 1 approved the adoption process for the plan update to meet 6091 requirements.
The groundwater modeling project is still going on, but completion is delayed until after
6091. They are now in the contracting process with various consultants to provide staff
support and are in the process of hiring a hydrogeologist. The Tribes are invited to
participate in the Planning Unit per 6091.
Regarding the Lake Whatcom stormwater utility, they are selecting a consultant to
work through the process. They will create a citizen's advisory committee and have a public
meeting for developing the funding mechanism.
Councilmembers discussed whether it's wise to have one contractor in charge of all
the processes, adding all water issues to the Planning Unit work plan, and the possibility of
having the Planning Unit review the Lake Whatcom stormwater utility.
Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office, answered questions on the various contracts and
contracting processes.
Surface Water Work Session, 3/20/2018, Page 1
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Andy Ross, Planning Unit Member, reported on the Planning Unit process for
reviewing the work items.
The following people spoke:
• Carol Perry spoke on contracted staff support on various water projects
• Dave Onkels spoke about who makes decisions on contractors and their scopes of
work, marginalizing the Planning Unit, and identifying the authors of and changes
to various reports.
• Chet Dow spoke about transparency in the process
• Andy Ross spoke about upcoming Planning Unit work to keep everyone informed
2. JONES CREEK FLOOD PROJECT
Paula Harris, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a presentation on
the Jones Creek debris flow mitigation measures (on file) to deal with big debris flow
events. It's not about regular maintenance. She described how debris flows and alluvial
fans form in general and at Jones Creek. In 1983, an analysis showed a debris flow of
33,000 cubic yards. The Council decided years ago to plan for, analyze, and mitigate for a
500 -year event, which would result in loss of life and would produce a debris flow of
120,000 cubic yards. The largest event that has ever happened resulted in a debris flow
that produced 335,000 cubic yards.
To protect the town of Acme, they have chosen to create a deflection berm, which is
a hardened levee to route a large mass of debris around the town. She described the berm
location choice. They will need to work with property owners in constructing the berm.
They are moving into the property acquisition phase and have received some funding for
relocation assistance. She would like support from the Council to keep moving forward
Harris answered questions on tree removal requirements, public feedback on the
project, whether or not they are forcing people out of their homes against their will, making
sure that property owners know their option to choose to not relocate knowing the risk, the
capital budget approval process, and what's involved in the relocation process.
The following person spoke:
• Dave Onkels spoke about whether property owners are exposed to additional risk
after the berm is constructed.
3. 2017 NPDES ANNUAL REPORT SUMMARY AND 2018 PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Cathy Craver, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a presentation (on
file) and answered questions on additional requirements imposed on the County, the
County's outreach and education efforts to homeowners, how success is measured in these
programs, and who decides which programs the County will engage in.
The following people spoke:
• Unidentified speaker 1 spoke on the County's authority and whether cities are
subject to the permit.
• Unidentified speaker 2 spoke on the County's authority to deal with outflow from
Canada
Surface Water Work Session, 3/20/2018, Page 2
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:09 p.m.
The C.OH"gil approved these minutes on April 10, 2018.
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Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
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Barr Buchanan, Acting Chair
Surface Water Work Session, 3/20/2018, Page 3