Title
Utilities Chapter of the City of Olympia Comprehensive Plan Update
Recommended Action
Agree to a process for updating the Utilities Chapter of the City of Olympia Comprehensive Plan. Discuss and develop draft Utilities Chapter goals and policies for further review and recommendation by the full Utility Advisory Committee (UAC).
Report
Issue:
Whether to agree to staff’s proposal for the process to develop draft Utilities Chapter goals and policies for further review and recommendation by the full UAC. Whether to accept or revise staff’s recommended changes to the Utilities Chapter general goals and policies for further review and recommendation by the full UAC.
Staff Contact:
Susan Clark, Engineering and Planning Supervisor, Public Works Water Resources and Drinking Water Utility, 360.753.8321
Ron Jones, Senior Planner, Public Works Waste Resources, 360.753.8509
Presenter(s):
Susan Clark, Engineering and Planning Supervisor
Ron Jones, Senior Planner
Fran Love, Stormwater Engineer
David Dunn, Wastewater Engineer
Background and Analysis:
Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update - General
Under the Washington State Growth Management Act, Olympia is required to update its Comprehensive Plan every 10 years. Olympia’s will look out to year 2045 to show, among other things, how the City will accommodate new population and employment growth. It is also an opportunity to make sure the Comprehensive Plan and the City’s Development Regulations meet current state requirements that may have changed since the last major update of the Plan. This update process has been named “Olympia 2045”.
Based on population projections developed by the Washington State Department of Commerce and allocated to Olympia through a regional process overseen by the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC), Olympia and its urban growth area (UGA) is expected to grow by almost 21,000 new residents by 2045. To accommodate this growth,13,500 new housing units are expected. As service providers, all four city-owned utilities must be prepared to serve this expected growth.
Throughout the month of May, an Olympia 2045 Community Values and Vision Survey was available to foster input on the community’s values and vision for Olympia’s future. The results from the survey, when available, will be shared with the UAC.
The Comprehensive Plan contains the following chapters, in addition to the Utilities Chapter:
• Community Values & Vision
• Public Participation & Partners
• Natural Environment
• Land Use & Urban Design
• Housing
• Transportation
• Parks, Arts and Recreation
• Economy
• Public Safety
• Capital Facilities
• Climate Change & Resiliency Sub-element - New 2023 Requirement
Utilities Chapter
The Utilities Chapter of the City’s Comprehensive Plan covers both city-owned and privately run utilities. The UAC’s involvement is proposed to focus on city-owned utilities.
City-owned and operated utilities provide the community with essential services and can help shape Olympia’s future in meaningful ways. We take a coordinated, cost-effective approach to managing our utilities and fully consider the economic, social and environmental implications of all our actions. City-owned utilities include Drinking Water, Wastewater, Storm and Surface Water, and Waste ReSources (garbage and recycling).
Each City-owned utility has developed, and periodically updates, a utility focused management plan. Each plan provides specific strategic direction necessary to implement the growth directives contained in the Comprehensive Plan. Because the utility plans are updated more frequently, they are more relevant to current trends, and will, therefore, form the basis for the update of the Utilities Chapter’s goals and policies.
The Washington State Growth Management Act (RWC 36.70A) requires the following information to be included in utilities chapters of comprehensive plans:
• The general location, proposed location and capacity of all existing and proposed utilities.
• Utilities include, but are not limited to: sanitary sewer systems, water lines, fire suppression, electrical lines, telecommunication lines, and natural gas lines.
Proposed Approach to Utilities Chapter Update
At the May 2023 UAC meeting, Public Works staff proposed forming a subcommittee of interested UAC members to assist with the Utilities Chapter.
The first meeting of the UAC Comprehensive Update Subcommittee will be August 3, 2023 beginning at 4:30 (60 minutes prior to the full UAC August 3 meeting). This first meeting will focus on finalizing the UAC’s approach for updating the Utilities Chapter and may include reviewing the Utilities Chapter’s general goals and policies, time permitting.
Staff’s recommendation for updating the Utilities Chapter includes providing the UAC Subcommittee with recommended revisions to goals and policies as developed by an internal staff team with representation from all city-owned utilities for review and input.
The general public will be invited to attend Subcommittee meetings and provide comment during the UAC’s regular public comment period.
The subcommittee’s proposed schedule is as follows:
o Process & General Utility Policies: 4:30 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 3, 2023
o Drinking Water: 4:30 p.m. Thur., Sept. 7, 2023
o Waste ReSources 4:30 p.m. Thur., Oct. 5, 2023
o Wastewater 4:30 p.m. Thur., Nov. 2, 2023
o Stormwater 4:30 p.m. Thur., Dec. 12, 2023
At the conclusion of the subcommittee’s work, the full UAC will be asked to provide support for the draft Olympia 2045 Utilities Chapter, allowing the chapter to move forward to the formal review and adoption process. This briefing and request for recommendation is scheduled for February 4 2024.
A copy of the e-newsletter announcing the Utilities Chapter update process has been included as an attachment to this staff report.
Utilities Chapter General Goals and Policies
The Utilities Chapter has four general goals, and associated policies, which establish the general strategic direction appropriate for all four City-owned utilities. Public Works staff is recommending revisions to the four general goals and associated policies to address the following:
• Ensuring master plans consider up-to-date growth and development projections during the update process, including those that may include projections of growth due to climate migration, and ensuring master plans consider environmental constraints, including risks from climate change, during update cycles.
• Acknowledging the utilities’ new Helping Neighbor’s Charitable Fund Program and suggesting it should be considered for expansion to help meet the City’s social equity goals.
• Ensuring master plans and utility rates consider the City’s climate and social equity goals.
• Adding that new developments should be required to provide space for solid waste collection, in addition to constructing drinking water, wastewater and stormwater utilities, in ways that meet community development goals of the Plan.
• Pursuing grant fund opportunities to enhance utility services.
• Clarifying that a portion of utility revenue each year should be provided for outreach and engagement programs that are inclusive, accessible and representative of the entire community.
Climate Analysis:
All four City-owned utilities currently contribute to the City’s overall climate goals through current strategies, actions and programs including, but not limited to: waste prevention messaging; supporting legislative initiatives and improving recycling capture at multi-family and mixed-use buildings; green power purchase; water conservation goals and messaging; inflow and infiltration reduction; and, property purchase and habitat preservation programs.
As we continue to develop the Utilities Chapter’s goals, policies and strategic direction, how its goals and policies can support reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the impacts of climate change will be analyzed.
Equity Analysis:
Goals, policies and the strategic direction established through the Comprehensive Plan for City-owned utilities have the potential to both benefit and burden people who live, work, visit, pay utility bills, develop property in Olympia or become utility customers/rate payers in the future. The mission of all three water-related utilities (Wastewater, Storm and Surface Water and Drinking water) includes prioritizing public and environmental health on behalf of all customers, regardless of who "pays the bill". Additionally, all three water-related utilities collect and use data on the condition of each utility's infrastructure to make maintenance, renewal and replacement decisions. Condition data helps each utility to make equitable decisions since it focuses work toward infrastructure most in need of maintenance, renewal or replacement. Further, all four City-owned utilities implement utility bill assistance programs for low-income disabled or low-income over age 62. Finally, all four City-owned utilities are in the business of providing high-quality and cost-effective service to all existing and future customers located within each utility's respective service area consistent with the growth and development objectives of the City's Comprehensive Plan. However, regardless of current practices, all four City-owned utilities would benefit from continuing to use information from the Thurston Stormwater Equity Index to focus efforts and resources to ensure infrastructure and program service decisions are made which reduce service disparities and support equitable outcomes.
As we continue to develop the Utilities Chapter's goals, policies and strategic direction, all potential benefits, burdens and disparities will be further assessed. Additionally, the Comprehensive Plan update process includes a public engagement component to promote transparency and provide representation across Olympia communities throughout the process. This will be supported by the Thurston Stormwater Equity Index, which provides basic demographic information on Olympia's overburdened and vulnerable communities.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
City-owned utilities provide essential public health services to residential and commercial customers in our service area. A Community Values and Vision survey for the Olympia 2045 project was available throughout the month of May. When available, the results of the survey will be made available to the UAC. As the Olympia 2045 project continues, additional opportunities for community input and involvement will occur.
Options:
Accept or provide revisions to staff’s recommendation on the process to update the Utilities chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Accept or provide revisions to staff’s recommended changes to the Utilities Chapter’s general goals and policies.
Financial Impact:
None at this time. However, utility rates impact our community by the utility rates that customers pay.
Attachments:
Current Comprehensive Plan Utilities Chapter
Staff proposed Utilities Chapter General Goals and Policies Updates
Utilities Chapter Update E-newsletter