Title
Approval of Low Impact Development (LID) Code Revisions Ordinance
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Following a six-week public comment period, the Planning Commission recommended moving forward with approval of the ordinance to amend Olympia's development regulations for low impact development.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the recommended ordinance on second reading.
Report
Issue:
whether to approve the recommended ordinance.
Staff Contact:
Laura Keehan, Senior Planner, Public Works Water Resources, 360.753.8321
Nicole Floyd, Senior Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3768
Presenter(s):
None. Consent Item.
Background and Analysis:
Background and analysis have not changed from first to second reading.
Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) requires the City of Olympia to evaluate our various codes and regulations in order to "make LID the preferred and commonly used approach to site development." The City must adopt the new rules no later than December 31, 2016 to ensure compliance with our Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater permit.
Ecology defines LID as "a stormwater and land use management strategy that strives to mimic natural hydrologic processes such as infiltration, filtration, and evaporation of precipitation." Additional background information about the LID code update project is in the attached overview.
In 2014, staff began drafting proposed LID-related updates to Olympia's development regulations. Specifically, this includes Olympia's Drainage Design and Erosion Control Manual (DDECM), the Engineering Design and Development Standards (EDDS), and the Olympia Municipal Code (OMC).
During fall 2015, the Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) reviewed staff's proposed LID technical and policy recommendations (see UAC letter). The Planning Commission then reviewed UAC's recommendations along with draft code language. Planning Commission recom...
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