Environmental Sustainability Council

Falls Church Environmental Services Council Thursday May 21, 2015 - 7:30 - 9:30 pm Dogwood Room, G Corridor DRAFT Minutes - Prepared by Sarah Bayldon (with much help from Chris McGough) 1. Call to Order Members present: Ray Arnaudo (Chair), Peter Adriance, Andy Crawford, Sarah Bayldon City Staff present: Chris McGough, Staff Liaison Jason Widstrom, Stormwater Engineer Community member: Corey 2. Jason Widstrom presented information about the city’s Stormwater challenges, fees and management plan. The state grants the city a permit which details the amount of stormwater runoff permitted to come from the city and how it must be handled. The requirements have become stricter in recent years as the problem of excess runoff has increased with more development and consequently less land available to absorb the runoff safely and naturally. The larger counties have all been audited for compliance recently, and have failed and been fined. The fines have been up to $200K. They have not yet started for smaller cities but Jason advises that they will. To meet permit requirements, we have to enact Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) and report on them yearly. So far, the city has been working actively towards decreasing our runoff and provided the state with strong reports re: actions taken. This has no doubt helped keep the state from focusing on us for an audit. MCMs come straight from state law. Categories include:  Public education and outreach on stormwater impacts  Public involvement and participation  Illicit discharge detection and elimination  Construction site stormwater runoff control  Post- construction stormwater management in new development and redevelopment  Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations The city has two main streams, Four Mile Run (with some fecal contamination) and Tripps Run (with some legacy PCB contamination which would only be a problem if disturbed – unlikely) Fees: By shifting the stormwater expenditures out of general fund and into a utility – the tax burden was shifted from property values to impervious surface area. The losers were those with big surface parking lots. Residential fees went down but hard to tell as taxes went up. Not many city residents have been vocal on this issue – about 50 have called the office. The credit system available for on-site measures to control runoff was supposed to be simple but few residents have taken advantage of it. It is not that easy to qualify and $ savings are not high so actions would be done more out of principal than for economic benefit and might not be claimed. Education might help as much of city seems unaware of program. Ideas included:  Flyers on doors, perhaps distributed by block captains  Notices stuffed in with bills  Notices in online neighborhood communities  Notices in elementary school folders – TJ, Mt Daniel Jason noted that most improvements have come from new stormwater ordinance which requires action upon redevelopment. The current program would incentivize commercial properties to undertake stormwater abatement activities because they stand to save much more money. Sources of illicit discharges were discussed, and citizens were encouraged to report any questionable discharges as often that is how they are discovered. Getting the word out to citizens to report polluters could be very effective – many eyes help the effort. 3. Peter Adriance was elected vice chair. Bill Schellstede has left the group. 4. Solarize program – public outreach o Tim has participated in a number of presentations with local groups. Solarize kickoff meeting 26 April was very well attended. o Door hangers dropped off thanks to Andy and Tim. o 75 signups, to Vienna 110. Still doing pretty well. o Program continues through June! Sign up at www.solarizefallschurch.org ESC members are invited to 17 June discussion with Tree Commission. Addressing question of competing interests – how do we balance the need for more solar energy with the goal of tree canopy cover? 5. Operation EarthWatch is wrapping up another year. Went mostly online to save paper - will be marching in the city Parade. 6. Next meeting 18 June. 7. Adjourned at 9:15.