HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session April 17 20181
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Whatcom County Council
Surface Water Work Session
April 17, 2018
CALL TO ORDER
Council Vice -Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 10:32 a.m. in the
Civic Center Garden Level Conference Room, 322 Commercial Avenue, Bellingham,
Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Tim Ballew, Barbara Brenner, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Todd
Donovan, and Satpal Sidhu.
Absent: Tyler Byrd
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION, (AB2+018 -+024)
1. COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SURFACE WATER WORK SESSIONS
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, gave a staff report and answered questions
on the history and format of the work sessions.
(Clerk's Note: Councilmember Browne arrived at 10:37 a.m, and assumed the duties
of the Chair.)
Staff and councilmembers discussed the scheduling items on the work session
agenda versus the Natural Resources Committee agenda. Topics that need more discussion
and input from Council and from others should be scheduled in the work session. Keep
issues related to Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 6091, water resources inventory
area (WRIA) 1, and the Planning Unit updates in the work session. Budget and policy
decisions should be scheduled in Natural Resources Committee. Council will continue
discussion in two weeks when they discuss the Planning Unit.
2. WATER PLANNING UPDATE
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, stated the next Watershed Management
Board meeting is postponed to June. The Board is working on a five -year work plan and
how to incorporate the Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 6091 issue into the broader
water issues. The next Planning Unit meeting is on April 25, and they're working on the
6091 update. All consultants are in place and working. He described the current
consultants' work. Most Planning Unit members are attending the Planning Unit's
Governance and Funding Committee meetings.
Staff and councilmembers discussed the 6091 deadline, the members and purpose of
the Governance and Funding Committee, the City of Bellingham's participation with the
Planning Unit, using data in the Comprehensive Plan to define exempt well water use, and
the need to work on other impacts to instream flows.
Surface Water Work Session, 4/17/2018, Page 1
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Stoyka gave a staff report on thf
community meeting and appointments to
consultant, shellfish protection coordination
shellfish core team.
3. SWIFT CREEK UPDATE
upcoming Lake Whatcom Stormwater Utility
the advisory committee, data analysis by the
efforts, and councilmember representation on a
Roland Middleton, Public Works Department, referenced the information in the
meeting packet (on file) and gave a staff report on State funding for work at Swift Creek;
negotiations with the Attorney General's office on the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA)
consent decree, which will finalize the issue with the Department of Ecology, who have been
instrumental in making this happen; and creating a public development authority (PDA) to
limit liability for future actions and that will own and manage Swift Creek.
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department Director, answered questions.
Staff and councilmembers discussed what happens to the sediment in the Whatcom
aqueduct; plans for materials at the Parker property repository; the funding, structure, and
responsibilities of the PDA; the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and the
process for creating the consent decree as a result of friendly litigation.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 11:25 a.m.
The 'Council approved these minutes on May 8, 2018.
ATTEST::.
Dana Brown- Davis, Coundll Clerk
f-
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHAT CO OV COUNCIL
WHAT 0 CO N , WASHINGTON
Rud Browne, Council Chair
Surface Water Work Session, 4/17/2018, Page 2