HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works July 27 2004DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
Public Works and Safety Committee, 7/27/2004, Page 1
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL 1
Public Works and Safety Committee 2
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July 27, 2004 4
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Committee Chair Barbara Brenner called the meeting to order at 1:36 p.m. in 6
the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. 7
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Present: Absent: 9
Dan McShane Sam Crawford 10
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Also Present: 12
None 13
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COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND ACTION 16
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1. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE 2005 INTEGRATED ROADSIDE 18
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (AB2004-285) 19
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Mike Roberts, Assistant County Road Engineer, gave a Power Point 21
presentation (on file) and introduced staff members who worked on the program. 22
The presentation follows the program in the Council packet. He read from the 23
presentation regarding the decision-making and action process. 24
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One program is the brush program. He showed slides of work happening in 26
the brush program. Trees and limbs are cut back from the roadway to prevent 27
hazards during storms. The crew is very dedicated. The chip truck and chipper is 28
used in the program. The chip truck can deliver chips to residents of the county, or 29
the residents can pick it up. The program also clears out detention ponds to 30
prevent peak flows from blowing out ditches. 31
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Brenner asked if the County is having better results with its detention ponds 33
than private detention ponds. Roberts stated they’re maintaining the ponds 34
annually at regular intervals. They are performing as designed and built. 35
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Brenner asked if the County should require a developer to maintain 37
detention ponds. Roberts stated he’d agree they’d be better maintained. 38
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He continued to discuss the hydro seeding program. They follow between 40
maintenance and operations (M&O) activity that involve land disturbances, such as 41
culvert and bridge replacements and ditching. They put down the hydro seeding, 42
which binds to the ground to prevent erosion before seeds germinate. 43
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They have five long arm mowers throughout the county to remove smaller 45
vegetation from the roadway by 20 feet. They establish a clear zone and site 46
distance. They cut around road signs. The shoulder mowing program also is to 47
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
Public Works and Safety Committee, 7/27/2004, Page 2
establish a clear line of site. They have a shoulder mowing program and do ditch 1
maintenance. They surplused one grade-all and purchased a mowing machine to 2
help clear ditches for surfacewater runoff and the West Nile virus to keep the water 3
moving. 4
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The fish marking program is a new program. 6
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Clayton Silves, Road Crew Leader, stated the Environmental Protection 8
Agency (EPA) is required to create pesticide buffers around streams and rivers that 9
are home to threatened or endangered salmon and steelhead. The EPA determined 10
a 60-foot buffer. It applies to the south fork, north fork, middle fork, and main 11
stem of the Nooksack River and the north fork of Dakota Creek. They are the only 12
bodies of water that the County has to do. However, the County voluntarily 13
established 150-foot setback, and won’t use herbicides near any fish bearing 14
stream or culvert in the county. These areas are marked with green flex-posts to 15
make sure applicators are aware of the buffers and so mowers know when to use 16
extra caution. There are 395 known fish bearing culverts in the county. 17
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McShane asked how they figure out where to put the flex-posts. Silves 19
stated a fish biologist identified the fish culverts. Where there is a culvert, they will 20
measure 150 feet from the culvert. 21
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Brenner asked if the markers are on all fish bearing creeks. Silves stated 23
they’ve done all that they know of. They add a couple more each month. 24
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Roberts stated the State and City of Bellingham have done the same thing. 26
Also, markers indicate where any accidental spill needs to be cleaned up 27
immediately. 28
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He continued the presentation regarding the herbicide program. The goal is 30
to minimize their use of herbicides. They match the appropriate herbicide to the 31
application and use the minimum effective concentration and in the right 32
environmental conditions. All herbicides are registered by the State and federal 33
government. All applications are licensed by the State Department of Agriculture. 34
They undergo continuous training for recertification and attend an annual weed 35
conference. There is an extensive notification process before applying herbicides. 36
Individual property owners can enter into an agreement with the County to 37
maintain their areas themselves, rather than have the County apply sprays. About 38
47 property owners are participating now. There are also no spray areas in the 39
county and a petition process for no spray areas. 40
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Laurel Shiner, Weed Board Coordinator, stated the noxious weed program 42
and Noxious Weed Board have worked closely. They have a good relationship with 43
the vegetation crew. They survey and monitor six species on the noxious weed list, 44
including knapweed. The Noxious Weed Board must work with the vegetation crew 45
to stop noxious weeds as soon as they get started. Knotweed is also moving up 46
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
Public Works and Safety Committee, 7/27/2004, Page 3
and down the western corridor. Part of the roadside program is to deal with the 1
knotweed. Mowing potentially spreads the weed. 2
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Roberts stated the herbicide truck sprays for noxious weeds and the bare 4
ground. They apply both at the same time. The noxious weed herbicide targets 5
the weeds only, and lets the native grasses grow. Native grasses prevent 6
sedimentation. It’s important to keep the road shoulder intact. A 12- to 18-inch 7
strip of herbicide is put down along the side of the road to establish bare ground. 8
This allows drainage off the pavement, prevents the buildup of sod and 9
encroachment into the road. If they don’t have the bare ground, there will be a 10
buildup of sod, encroachment into the road, and erosion of the road. 11
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Brenner asked what they do in no spray areas. Roberts stated it results in 13
higher maintenance costs. It takes 18 months to do a loop of all the areas that are 14
sprayed. The dormant brush spray kills weeds to continue to have good site 15
distance. Another part of the herbicide program is sign post treatment. They can’t 16
reach the grass at the posts with mowers. They use portable backpacks. Last is 17
the guardrail treatment to prevent guardrails from being overgrown. 18
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Brenner asked about options for a guardrail at a culvert over a stream. 20
Roberts stated they use summer help for that. 21
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Brenner asked who wrote the forward of the plan. Roberts stated it was a 23
combined effort from him and others. 24
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Brenner stated it’s excellent. She suggested amending the forward, Council 26
packet page 101, the second paragraph, “…And in this regard, the vegetation 27
program is blessed, fortunate. One needs…” Roberts stated that is okay. 28
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Brenner asked about hazard tree removal and if that happens only in a right-30
of-way. Roberts stated it does, but they also take action on a tree that is off the 31
right-of-way if it can fall onto the road, for public safety. 32
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Brenner asked if the County could do anything about creating a district for 34
private detention pond owners. Roberts referred the question to the Public Works 35
Director. 36
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Brenner stated it’s hurting those who do good detention pond maintenance. 38
Figure out a policy that requires maintenance. 39
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Brenner asked about the 12 ponds that are maintained, and where the one 41
on Smith Road is. Roberts stated the detention pond on Smith Road is between 42
Meyer’s Estates and Bell’s West. It was installed with the Smith Road 43
improvements. It’s on the north side of the road. 44
45
Brenner asked about long-arm mowing over culverts with guardrails. 46
Roberts stated they don’t spray it. It’s all done by hand. 47
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
Public Works and Safety Committee, 7/27/2004, Page 4
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McShane stated the presentation was very nice, including the photographs. 2
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Brenner stated it was a great presentation. 4
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Brenner moved to approve the 2005 Integrated Roadside Vegetation 6
Management Program. 7
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Motion carried unanimously. 9
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OTHER BUSINESS 12
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There was no other business. 14
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ADJOURN 17
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The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m. 19
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______________________________ 22
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription 23
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ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL 26
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON 27
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______________________________ ___________________________ 31
Dana Brown-Davis, Council Clerk Barbara Brenner, Committee Chair 32