Utility Advisory Committee

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Utility Advisory Committee Contact: Andy Haub 360.570.3795 Wednesday, January 7, 2015 5:40 PM City Hall, Room 207 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Curtz called the meeting to order at 5:40 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: 11 - Chair Thad Curtz, Committee Member Chris Ward, Vice Chair Margaret Drennan, Committee Member David Dunn, Committee Member Steve Fossum, Committee Member Carol Law, Committee Member Jennifer Sievert, Committee Member Loralei Walker, Committee Member Dever Kuni, Committee Member Carole Richmond, and Committee Member Michelle Barnett OTHERS PRESENT Evergreen State College Masters in Public Administration Program Students David Quinton and Bonnie Rose Community Planning and Development Department Senior Planner Todd Stamm Public Works Department Water Resources Senior Planner Laura Keehan 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 15-0023 Approval of November 6, 2014 UAC Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved with one minor edit. 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS Thurston County's Storm and Surface Water Advisory Boardmember Tom Holtz spoke about the need to adopt consistent Low Impact Development (LID) standards, which makes a clear goal for the watersheds in Thurston County. He said the Board is recommending the County Commissioners adopt the State of Washington Department of Ecology's Best Management Practice T5.30 and suggests Olympia do the same. Chair Curtz agreed it is a good idea to collaborate with other jurisdictions on the standards. Ms. Keehan said she has attended two meetings of the interjurisdictional workgroup on LID. They are working together to have similarity and City of Olympia Page 1 Utility Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes January 7, 2015 consistency between the neighboring jurisdictions regarding LID. 6. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM UAC AND STAFF UPDATES Mr. Haub stated there are currently no vacancies on the UAC. Terms expire March 31, 2015 for four members (Jennifer Siever, Michelle Barnett, Carol Law and Loralei Walker) and they will need to re-apply. He distributed a handout that details re-application instructions for those members. Committee Member Walker asked if the new wellfield is online. Mr. Haub reported it is online and is now the primary water source for Olympia. Committee Member Walker said she has noticed the aerators in her sink are clogged and wondered if it's related to the new wellfield water. Staff explained the clogged aerators are most likely due to sediment in the water line because of two recent water main breaks in her vicinity (west Olympia). Mr. Haub announced results of the recent citizen survey are available and agreed to send Committee members a link to the survey results. The survey was adminstered by Elway Research Inc. Survey topics included desirability of Olympia as a place to live; importance, expectations and performance of specific City programs and services; and satisfaction with City communication and public involvement. Staff presented survey results to the City Council this week. Mr. Haub distributed a handout with an update and finances of the Habitat Stewardship program. This item is a current workplan request of Committee member Sievert. Chair Curtz expressed surprise on learning none of the additional funding for aquatic habitat was going to actual purchases of conservation easements or property. He said his sense of the UAC's discussions of this issue over several years were that the Committee repeatedly urged the desirability of such acquisitions, and spent little, if any, time considering alternative uses of additional funds such as planting trees and the other things it’s being spent on. 6.A. PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATE Planning Commissioner Carole Richmond gave an update on Planning Commision meetings. She announced Todd Stamm is the interim staff liaison to the Planning Commission. Prior staff liaison Amy Buckler is now assigned to work on the Downtown Strategy. Senior Planner Stacey Ray will become the regular Planning Commission staff liaison in April 2015. Ms. Richmond announced the formal adoption of the Comprehensive Plan by City Council in December 2014. She explained that focus now shifts to the Comprehensive Plan's Action Plan which will carry out the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission is also working on developing and finalizing their work plan for 2015-2016. Areas of focus are low impact development, the Action Plan and the Critical Areas Ordinance. The Planning Commission will hear briefings from staff/other City of Olympia Page 2 Utility Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes January 7, 2015 presenters for the Downtown Strategy. These briefings will occur in the first half of 2015 and will assist the Planning Commission in scoping and developing the Downtown Strategy (in collaboration with the Council during 2015). The briefings will include the topics: 1) Transportation and parking, 2) Understanding natural constraints (including sea level rise), and 3) Economic challenges and opportunities. The Planning Commission will also assist the Council with the downtown community renewal area process. The Commission and Council will determine blighted areas/buildings in the downtown core and will look at opportunities for the City to invest in public/private partnerships. 7. BUSINESS OF THE EVENING 15-0024 Low Impact Development Code Revisions Water Resources Engineering and Planning Manager Eric Christensen briefed the Committee on City efforts in implementing Low Impact Development (LID). As part of the Western Washington Phase II National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program, the City must revise the Olympia's Municipal Code to make LID the preferred method for new development by the end of 2016. The UAC will receive several briefings on this topic this year and eventually will give a recommendation to the Planning Commission and Council. There was discussion of creating a LID subcommittee within the UAC. UAC members decided all Committee members will read the LID issue papers and send feedback to staff. The Committee agreed to try this approach and modify after the first round if necessary. A suggestion was made to possibly have staff create a survey (through "Survey Monkey") for UAC members to provide feedback, which will be easier for tabulating the results for staff and also keep them in a similar format. The report was received. 15-0025 Finalize UAC 2015-2016 Work Plan and Officer Elections Water Resources Program Assistant Lindsay Marquez presented the draft work plan for April 2015 - March 2016. UAC members and staff submitted requests for inclusion in the work plan. Committee members and staff discussed and made adjustments to the timing of certain items. Staff will forward the work plan to the General Government Committee for review at their February meeting. The work plan will then be referred to the full Council for approval in March, 2015. The Committee unanimously approved the 2015-2016 Work Plan as amended during the meeting. Chair Curtz was nominated for Chair, and Committee Member Drennan was nominated for Vice Chair in 2015. City of Olympia Page 3 Utility Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes January 7, 2015 The Committee unanimously approved the appointment of officers as nominated. 8. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m. City of Olympia Page 4