Title
Storm and Surface Water Update
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Provide information on three major Storm and Surface Water initiatives. Receive Council input on emerging issues, public outreach and scheduling, and program priorities.
Report
Issue:
The Storm and Surface Water Utility is launching three initiatives this year which will have wide-spread implications to our community. The initiatives include updates to the 2003 Storm and Surface Water Management Plan, State-mandated low impact development code revisions, and the Land Acquisition and Stewardship Strategy. Staff will share draft approaches for the initiatives and request Council input.
Staff Contact:
Andy Haub, Water Resources Director, Public Works, 360.753.8475
Presenter(s):
Laura Keehan, Senior Planner
Eric Christensen, Water Resources Engineer
Marcus Goodman, Senior Program Specialist
Background and Analysis:
The City's Storm and Surface Water Utility provides important environmental management services in our community. Primary responsibilities include minimizing flooding, improving water quality, and protecting aquatic habitat. The breadth of these responsibilities, combined with the natural science skills embodied in Utility staff, often places the Utility in the forefront of local environmental decision-making. Our new initiatives reflect this role in the community role.
Storm and Surface Water Management Plan Update
City staff and the Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) revisited the 2003 Management
Plan in 2010-2011. The basic responsibilities and structure of the Utility were affirmed, while goals, objectives, strategies, and priorities were updated and refined.
While the Storm and Surface Water Utility continues to be effective, it's time to better understand and begin responding to the issues that will shape our future. Given the long-term environmental issues faced by the Utility, the new management plan could set the stage for several decades of work. Working with our community will be a key dynamic of the planning process and implementation. A list of draft issues to be addressed in the new plan are attached.
Low Impact Development Code Revisions
Washington State defines low impact development (LID) as a stormwater and land use management strategy that strives to mimic pre-development hydrologic processes such as infiltration, filtration, and evaporation of precipitation. The strategy emphasizes conservation, site planning, and small-scale stormwater management practices that are integrated into the project design. Low impact techniques include careful site design and innovative stormwater management approaches such as porous pavements.
The City of Olympia is required by the State to evaluate our various codes and regulations in order to "make LID the preferred and commonly used approach to site development." In response to this requirement, the Public Works and Community
Planning and Development Departments assembled a LID Code Revision Work Group in February, 2014. The work group plans to complete the ambitious work effort including Council-approved code revisions by the end of 2015. As necessary, the effort could extend to the State-mandated deadline of December 2016.
Public education and involvement will be essential to project success. A proposed public involvement strategy and tentative schedule is attached for Council consideration.
Habitat and Stewardship Strategy
With encouragement from the City's Utility Advisory Committee, Storm and Surface
Water Utility staff recently completed an in-depth evaluation of aquatic habitat within the City. Aquatic habitat includes shorelines, wetlands, streams and adjacent vegetated lands. The watershed-based evaluation identified and prioritized habitat restorations needs. Various approaches for protecting and improving habitat and adjacent lands were recommended.
Key findings of the work include the following:
· Approximately 30 percent of Olympia's wildlife habitat has been lost in the past 20 years.
· Almost all remaining habitat is associated with stream, wetland, and marine corridors.
· Many opportunities are available to preserve and improve remaining habitat. Effective management of vegetation is essential.
Staff will discuss opportunities to begin implementing the work in our community. The Habitat and Stewardship Strategy Report is attached.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
All three initiatives build upon neighborhood and community interests in environmental protection and sustainable development. The work efforts will help guide the storm and surface water priorities and neighborhood implementation strategies for years to come.
Several neighborhoods have expressed interest in participating in the habitat and stewardship work.
Options:
City Council could modify the approaches or timing of any of the three initiatives to better serve community needs.
Financial Impact:
Initial resources for the Storm and Surface Water Management Plan and the LID Code Revisions has been budgeted. Funding options for implementing the habitat work are being evaluated.
Attachments:
1. Habitat and Stewardship Strategy
2. SSW Management Plan Policy Questions
3. LID Project Outreach Timeline