2010-05-26 Planning Board MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
May 26, 2010
Chair Bowman called the meeting of the Edmonds Planning Board to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Public
Safety Complex, 250 — 5th Avenue North.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Michael Bowman, Chair
Philip Lovell, Vice Chair
Todd Cloutier
Cary Guenther
Kristiana Johnson
John Reed
Valerie Stewart
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
Kevin Clarke (excused)
READING/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
STAFF PRESENT
Rob Chave, Planning Division Manager
Brian McIntosh, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director
Frances Chapin, Cultural Services Manager
Renee McRae, Recreational Manager
Rich Lindsay, Parks Maintenance Manager
Noel Miller, Public Works Director
Jerry Shuster, Storm Water Manager
Rob English, City Engineer
Karin Noyes, Recorder
BOARD MEMBER JOHNSON MOVED TO EXCUSE BOARD MEMBER STEWART FROM THE MAY 12TH
MEETING AND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MAY 12, 2010 AS AMENDED. BOARD MEMBER
CLOUTIER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF AGENDA
No changes were made to the agenda.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Al Rutledge, Edmonds, said he still has not received information from Mr. McIntosh about adding an extra sign at Hickman
Park. He said Mr. McIntosh thought he was going to review the recording of the City Council meeting, but he did not
receive the tapes from the City staff. He noted that Mr. Clarke is absent from the Board meeting for the seventh week in a
row. He asked why Mr. Clarke is allowed to remain a Board member.
Mr. Rutledge recalled that he attended a Board meeting a month ago where the City Attorney provided information about the
proposed code amendments to address homeless shelters and temporary homeless encampments. He noted that the City
Attorney had agreed to provide the Board with additional information. He questioned how the issue could be forwarded to
the City Council on June 7"' when the Board has not yet received the City Attorney's response.
Mr. Rutledge said he attended a recent Snohomish County Council Meeting where they discussed a proposal to ban
fireworks in unincorporated areas of the County. The proposal was voted down 3 to 2. He recalled that about five years ago,
Council Member Gary Nelson proposed a similar ordinance. He encouraged the County to research the history of past
actions regarding this issue.
PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES QUARTERLY REPORT
Mr. McIntosh reported on the following park items:
• 761b Avenue West/75`b Place West Walkway — The new walkway from just south of Meadowdale Beach Road to north
of the new park is now finished and provides walkability to a neighborhood that was previously a very dangerous stretch
of confined roadway. For the first time, it is now possible for pedestrians to journey safely by sidewalk from downtown
Edmonds to the City limits and beyond to Meadowdale Beach Park.
• Haines Wharf Park — Haines Wharf Park is currently under construction, but the opening has been delayed due to
numerous challenges with slope and soils. It is now taking final shape and will provide wonderful views from all points
in and above the park. It will be a unique park and provide something for everyone.
• Edmonds Interurban Trail — It is anticipated that construction of the trail will start in late summer. Engineering plans
are at 90%; and if it stays on course with the current schedule, the 1.37 miles project should be completed by early
December. The project will provide the last link between Everett and Seattle. It includes renovation of the Ballinger
Station and a small pocket park to offer interpretive information and history. The design of the pocket park will be
somewhat old fashioned to match the Ballinger Station. The City received grant funding to complete the project.
• Old Milltown Plaza — This is a small project, but it has proven difficult to get going. Much of the mature vegetation,
trees and existing fountain will remain and some of the amenities being added will be benches, planters, and a small
covered area. Issues related to providing water and electricity to the site have delayed renovation.
• Shell Creek Purchase — In the fall of 2009 the City acquired two important parcels in the Shell Creek Valley north of
Main Street and opposite Yost Park/Wade James Theater. This upper reach of Shell Creek is an important riparian
corridor.
• Hickman Park — This park was completed and dedicated in the summer of 2009 and has been a very popular and busy
park ever since. As hoped, it is being well -loved and has become a destination for walkers and a gathering place for
families and the neighborhood.
• Former Woodway High School Development — The City has been working with the Edmonds School District for a
number of years to redevelop this site as a regional athletic facility. They have applied for grants, but they have not
received funding to date.
• Westgate Elementary School — One of the community objectives of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan is to
partner and assist in the development or upgrading of playgrounds and recreational amenities used by the community
within City boundaries. Matching funds for local school sports field upgrades and playground improvements is the best
way for the City to invest in these projects. In April, the City Council signed an interlocal agreement authorizing
$25,000 for the Westgate Elementary School playground improvements. These funds will become part of the Westgate
PSO Playground Committee's match of voter -approved School District Capital Partnership matching funds. The total
project costs are budgeted at $190,000. This is the City's seventh partnership project with the district since 1996.
• Yost Pool — To enable the pool to remain open in the midst of 2009 budget cuts, a community of citizens came forward
to raise over $55,000 in one month. This will be enough funding to keep the pool open in 2010, as well. The pool is
expected to open on June ls`. It has been repainted and looks great, and they are looking for another great season.
• Aquatics Feasibility Study — This study was completed in 2009 and presented to the City Council. However, the City
Council has not yet taken action on the study.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 2
• Edmonds Marsh — Parks staff is working with Friends of the Edmonds Marsh, which is made up of citizens and citizen
scientists who are knowledgeable about habitat restoration. They are working with the Port, the City, People for Puget
Sound and other entities to develop a plan to expand and restore functional estuarine habitat within Edmonds Marsh and
protect the remaining wildlife by engaging the community to preserve, steward and enjoy the natural asset. Their major
goal is to daylight Willow Creek, and the project is getting a large boost with the installation of a box culvert at Marina
Beach Park in conjunction with the double tracking project that is just getting underway. Their next step will be to
scope and fund a feasibility study to plan marsh enhancements and daylighting.
• Street Tree Plan Review — The City Council has recommended a review and update of the Street Tree Plan element of
the City's Streetscape Plan. Staff will review the plan in the next month and discuss recommendations with the Planning
Board on July 14. A public hearings before the Board has been scheduled for August l ld'.
• Petangue — A petanque court is being installed at the Civic Center Playfield. This is an outdoor bowling game, which
originated in France in the early 20th century and evolved from early Greek and Roman games. The new court can also
be used for a similar game of bocce.
• Underwood Park Pontoon — General Construction of Seattle donated an inert concrete pontoon to the Underwater Park
for habitat enhancement. It last saw service as a floating wing wall at the Lopez ferry dock. The pontoon took the place
of the tug Triumph, which was scuttled in the park in 1999 but has since disintegrated and disappeared. The pontoon is
sitting on the remaining Triumph engine block and ecology blocks that keep it propped off the bottom. This enables it to
provide refuge and habitat for sea life. Park stewards have been "decorating" the pontoon since scuttling it to provide
additional habitat diversity. The site became instantly popular with divers. Locating the new facility further away from
the ferry dock helps fulfill the City's commitment to Washington State Ferries and the Department of Natural Resources
to develop interest points further north away from the ferry dock.
• Dayton Street Plaza Renovation — This project is ready to advertise once it is determined there is sufficient funding to
complete it this year. The park has been in place since the 1960's at the southeast corner of 2nd and Dayton Street.
Funding for the project comes from the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation, the Hubbard Foundation, and Edmonds in
Bloom.
Ms. Chapin reported on the following items:
• Citywide Wayfinding and Gateway Sign Program — The firm, Forma, followed the recommendations that were
adopted in the 2006 Streetscape to develop a "family" of wayfinding and gateway sign standards for the City. While the
signs would be fabricated by the City, the project has been postponed due to lack of funding. However, she noted that
new parking signs were installed in the downtown earlier in the year.
• State Route 99 International District Enhancement Project — The bid documents have been prepared and are
awaiting final review by the City Council and the Washington State Department of Transportation before the project is
advertised. Staff anticipates that construction will begin this summer or fall and be completed by the end of the year.
The project is funded by a Federal grant for highway enhancement to create a gateway on the Highway 99 strip that is
currently identified as the International District. Components of the project include artist -made lighting elements and
banners that will identify the area as the International District. There will also be some small graphic elements on the
street signs.
• Bus Rapid Transit Stops — The Edmond Arts Commission oversaw selection of artist Robert Horner and installation of
the "personalization" pieces at three bus rapid transit (BRT) platforms in Edmonds. The work was completed at the end
of 2009.
• 41h Avenue Arts Corridor — The Implementation and Funding plan for the 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor was completed
in the fall of 2009. The project was funded with $50,000 budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program and a matching
grant of $50,000 from the Federal Preserve America Program. The grant was extended a year to allow for use of the
remaining funding to install a custom sign regarding the corridor at the corner of 4th and Main. The sign is currently
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 3
being designed and will show the location of a number of historic buildings on the corridor. The City has also applied
for a second grant to fund artist -made interpretative signage for the corridor. If successful, this matching grant will
provide $24,000 of the total project cost of $48,000. If the grant is not awarded, the tourism project will be implemented
on a smaller scale.
• New Flower Basket Poles — The Arts Commission received a donation from the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation to
develop a prototype artist -embellished flower basket pole that will be completed this summer. When the flower baskets
are not hanging from the pole, there will still be something interesting and different for people to look at. Jean
Whitesavage and Nick Lyle have been hired to come up with several designs for the prototype.
Mr. McIntosh announced that 2009 program revenues were at an all time high (about 11% over budget). The recreation staff
is gearing up for summer camps/programs, the pool opening and special events. They are also planning for the upcoming
fall quarter. He particularly noted the following upcoming events:
• The Edmonds Cemetery Board will sponsor the annual Memorial Day Program at the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery on
May 31st at 11:00 a.m. The Board does an outstanding job with this event, and last year's event was attended by about
600 people.
• The Arts Commission will sponsor the annual Write on the Sound Writers' Conference on October 1st through P. Over
the past 25 years, the quality of this event has improved immeasurably, and it is now nationally recognized.
Mr. McIntosh reported that the City received a donation from the Snohomish County/Camano Association of Realtors to
create a scenic identifier, which will be located at Marina Beach Park. The display will identify prominent landmarks such
as the Olympic Mountains, Whidbey Island, Kitsap Peninsula, and Admiralty Inlet. It will also identify the individual peaks
and their names and elevations. The artwork is complete and the panel is being manufactured. It will be installed this
summer.
Vice Chair Lovell referred to the new walkway that was constructed south of Meadowdale Beach Road to the north of the
new Haines Wharf Park. He noted there is a temporary construction fence where the walkway crosses the creek at the
intersection of 76th and Meadowdale Beach Road. He asked if this fence would be replaced with a permanent fence to
address safety issues. Mr. Lindsay agreed to research the fence and provide a response to Vice Chair Lovell.
Vice Chair Lovell asked if the small pocket park that is included as part of the Interurban Trail Project would allow dogs.
Mr. McIntosh said that because the park is intended for people who use the trail, dogs would be allowed. However, they
must be on a leash. He noted that the park would have a sign to make this clear.
Vice Chair Lovell said he was pleased to hear that there is enough money to keep Yost Pool open in 2010. Chair Bowman
asked if this was because more people stayed home and used the local facilities last year. Mr. McIntosh pointed out that use
of all City parks increased in 2009, as did the recreation program.
Vice Chair Lovell recalled that the Citizens Economic Development Commission (CEDC) is currently working towards
creating a vision for the City. He suggested there may be some opportunities for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services
Department and the CEDC to work together on common programs. He suggested that part of the vision for Edmonds will
likely feature the waterfront and art opportunities. Board Member Johnson reported that the CEDC's Strategic Planning and
Visioning Subcommittee is trying to focus on putting together a strategic plan that will balance all the competing programs
within the City and place them in some sort of relative order based on importance. The group intends to present a proposal
to the City Council, asking that they fund a consultant to help them complete this work. Vice Chair Lovell agreed that the
City's Strategic Plan is intended to achieve the vision. However, the CEDC is also working to create a new type of
"branding" to attract people outside of the City. Board Member Johnson noted that the CEDC also has a Tourism
Subcommittee. Ms. Chapin advised that she and Stephen Clifton provide the staff support for both the Tourism
Subcommittee and the Strategic Planning and Visioning Subcommittee.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 4
Board Member Stewart complimented the staff for making the City special by beautifying the parks. She also thanked Ms.
Chapin for celebrating the arts and Edmonds' history. Mr. McIntosh pointed out that Rich Lindsay and his staff provide the
beautiful flowers and landscaping throughout the City.
REVIEW EXISTING CITY DONATION AND MEMORIAL PROGRAMS
Mr. McIntosh recalled that the last time he came before them, Board Member Stewart suggested that staff review the existing
city donation and memorial programs. He referred to the document titled, "City of Edmonds Donation Opportunities," which
outlines the City's funds and programs that are equipped to accept donations and gifts on behalf of the citizens of Edmonds.
He reviewed the list as follows:
• Gifts Catalog Fund 127 — This fund provides opportunities for the public to donate monies that are used for site
specific amenities such as benches, viewing scopes, bike racks, etc. This program has provided benches throughout the
downtown and is expanding to include the new Haines Wharf and Hickman Parks.
• Memorial Street Tree Fund 118 — This fund was established for voluntary contributions to enhance Edmonds City
streets by planting street trees in conformance with the Edmonds Street Tree Plan.
• Youth Scholarship Fund 122. This is funded by donations from the general public as well as funds from the proceeds
of programs and events such as the Celebration of Lights, Day Camp Carnival, Belly Flop -Cannonball Contest, Santa
Raffle, and the Wenatchee Youth Circus.
• Arts Commission Scholarship Fund 117-300 — The Arts Commission funds scholarships for youth pursuing higher
education for a career in the performing or literary arts through proceeds from the writers' conference and private
donations. The fund has been in place for more than 20 years, and it scholarships to between 35 and 50 youth each year.
• Park Trust Fund 136 — This fund is supported by donations from the general public. Monies can be allocated to one of
three parks programs: Flower Program, Environmental Education/Beach Ranger Program, and Yost Pool. In 2009
partial funding for both the Flower Program and Yost Pool came from this fund.
• Cemetery Maintenance Trust Fund 137 — The purpose of this fund is to provide long-term care and maintenance of
the cemetery. Revenue comes from a percentage of sales and services and other designated donations. It started as a
partnership between the City and the Hubbard Trust Foundation. The starting amount was $100,000, and there is now
over $800,000. The Cemetery Board has done a great job managing the fund. They also work with groups and
individuals and will consider special projects such as the new sign donated by the Rotary Club and a memorial bench
donated by the Veteran's Administration. He pointed out that there is still a lot of space at the cemetery.
• Public Art Donations Fund 117-200 — The Arts Commission receives donations from time to time for special projects
and for public art acquisition and maintenance. Artworks are considered for acceptance by the Arts Commission.
Donations for major public art installations have contributed significant works to the City's art collection.
• Edmonds Police Foundation — The Police Foundation is a community -based organization that assists the Police
Department in education and citizen involvement. They also fundraise and accept contributions for specific and general
purposes.
• Edmonds Fire Safety Foundation — The group is also community based and encourages donations to acquire tools and
provide training to enhance emergency services within the community.
• Sponsorships — Special events are funded by obtaining sponsors. Sponsor funds cover the cost of the annual egg hunt,
sand sculpting competition, outdoor movies, and belly flop/cannonball competition. Sponsors also offset costs of the
Puget Sound Bird Fest, the Watershed Fun Fair, etc.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 5
Mr. McIntosh concluded his report by stating other forms of charitable gifts from the public will always be considered. The
Rotary Pavilion at City Park is an example of a partnership project paid in large part with donations of cash and labor. The
City is occasionally approached to consider gifts of real property and they may accept these gifts under certain conditions.
For example, Hutt Park was gifted to the City in 1980, and Yost Park was gifted to the City in the 1920's.
Board Member Stewart said it is helpful to see what opportunities are available for citizens to take advantage of. She asked
how a citizen could learn about these valuable options, such as a link on the City's website. Mr. McIntosh agreed that a link
could be added to the website. He acknowledged that while the funds are all included in the City's budget books, not a lot of
people will look in this document to find information about donation opportunities.
Board Member Stewart said it is good to see that there are numerous options for public donations of cash. She said she
believes these opportunities fit well within the City's vision for the future. She suggested it is important for the City to keep
an open mind and consider other requests, as well. She advised that her husband, Craig Stewart, a professional fundraiser,
has indicated he would be willing to meet with the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services staff or attend the Board's retreat
to talk about options for creating more avenues for bringing money into the City. She shared the following statement from
Mr. Stewart:
"The City is basically missing an opportunity by not having a strategic plan that incorporates philanthropic
goals/objectives /opportunities which have been identified by the City. There are projects that might have "naming
opportunities," such as playfields, new or renovated buildings, public/private partnerships around the delivery of
social services (Boys and Girls Club, low-income housing, food banks, health clinics, etc). The best example I can
think of is the University of Washington, which is a public entity and a city within a city of sorts. Look at the private
support they get from corporations, foundations, and individuals. Also, there are numerous opportunities for
private landowners to gift property to the City and restrict its use to land conservation or a public park, etc. Yost
Pool offers a unique opportunityfor fundraising. But my point is that it all needs to be coordinated and embedded
in a plan. "
Board Member Stewart expressed her belief that when people are confident the City knows where dollars are going and the
community values are well articulated, people will come forward with donations to enhance the City. She noted that this
happens in other communities throughout the country. With someone who is skilled enough to talk to people about the
various opportunities, people will be willing to participate. She suggested the Board and staff have a continued discussion
about expanding the opportunities for donations.
INTRODUCTION OF THE DRAFT 2010 WATER SYSTEM COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND STORM AND
SURFACE WATER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES
Mr. English announced that the draft 2010 Water System Comprehensive Plan Update and the draft 2010 Storm and Surface
Water Comprehensive Plan are available on the City's website. He explained that updates to both plans started about a year
ago, and it has been a year's effort to compile information and go through the analysis to update the plans. They are now
coming to a point where they are ready to introduce them to the Planning Board and then conduct a public hearing on June
9t'. The plans would then be presented to the City Council in late June, with a public hearing in early July.
Draft 2010 Water System Comprehensive Plan
Tom Lindburg, Project Manager, and Heek Yong Kang from Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc. were present to review the
draft plan with the Board.
Mr. Lindburg advised that the State requires that every public water system have a comprehensive plan. The purpose of the
plan is to analyze the City's water system, identify improvements for the City's capital improvement program, meet current
regulatory drinking water regulations, review water rates and charges and make recommendations, and ensure existing and
future customers are provided with a safe and reliable supply of drinking water and fire protection. Key elements of the plan
include water demands, policies and design criteria, water source and quality, water system analysis, operation and
maintenance, water system improvements and a financial program.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 6
Mr. Lindburg advised that the Washington State Department of Health requires that the City's Water System Comprehensive
Plan be updated every six years, and the last update occurred in 2002. Upon completion of the plan and acceptance by the
City Council, the plan would be forwarded to the Department of Health for review and approval. It would then be presented
to the City Council once again for final adoption. He explained that the draft update incorporates a number of new
regulatory requirements such as the Drinking Water Regulations, which were updated in 2004 and 2009. In addition, the
Department of Health updated their design guidelines in 2009, the Municipal Water Law was adopted in 2003, and the Water
Use Efficiency Rule was adopted in 2007.
Mr. Lindburg provided a summary list of the items contained in the plan. He advised that, once completed, the plan will be
one document the City can use internally for planning water improvements and as a resource on the water system. The draft
plan describes the system and identifies the population numbers that were used as the basis for the demand projections. It
addresses both historic and future demands and provides policies and design criteria. He explained that each element of the
plan was carefully analyzed to identify the City's current deficiencies and needs, as well as future opportunities for
improvement. The Water Systems Improvement chapter will be used by the City to formulate their upcoming Capital
Improvement Programs, and the Financial Program chapter addresses the financial aspects of the water utility.
Mr. Lindberg reviewed the major work elements associated with the draft plan. He explained that data collection was a
daunting task, and the City staff did a great job of collecting the data needed for the plan update. This provided the
necessary historic information to identify how much water the City has used in the past and project future water demands.
He summarized the current system status and key findings as follows:
• The City provides water service to more than 10,050 accounts. The service area covers about 80% of the City limits.
• The City currently receives 100% of its water supply from the Alderwood Water District, with Seattle as the backup
supply.
• The overall amount of water supplied to the system declined from 3.65 million gallons/day (MGD) in 2003 to 3.07
MGD in 2008. The population of the City actually increased during this time period.
• Water usage declined from 111 gallons per day (GD) to 104 GD per person since reported in the last plan. This can be
attributed to conservation, the City's sustainability element, and the water utility the City has had in place for a number
of years. The City is currently involved in the Everett Conservation Program, which is something the new Water
Efficiency Rule is targeting.
• It is anticipated that overall water demand will increase between 12% and 21 % at the end of the 20-year planning period.
The actual increase will depend on additional customer conservation efforts.
• Water system leakage is a component of the Water Efficiency Rule. If the City cannot meet the target, they will be
required to produce an additional plan component to identify how they will reduce leakage further. The City's current
data shows that they meet the Department of Health regulations.
• Much of the City's current water system consists of undersized water mains that are reaching the end of their useful
service life and need to be replaced.
Mr. Lindberg reviewed the future water system needs and noted that the plan identifies a 2010-2016 Capital Improvement
Program (CIP) that totals $20.1 million per year. He advised that water main replacement will account for 87% of the 20-
year CIP. Pipe replacement projects are planned for one percent of the system per year. This assumes a 100-year economic
life forecast for cast or ductile iron water lines. He noted that rate adjustments would be needed to fund maintenance of the
water utility and the CIP. He said the plan recommends an additional full-time employee (FTE) for GIS support at 1/3 FTE
for the water utility.
Mr. Lindberg explained that the next step in the process is to begin the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) process.
He announced that a public hearing has been scheduled before the Planning Board on June 9th, and the draft plan would be
introduced to the City Council on June 22 d. It is anticipated the City Council would hold a public hearing on July 6th, and
then the plan can be submitted to the Department of Health and adjacent water purveyors. Once the Department of Health
has completed their review (approximately October), the plan will be brought back to the City Council for final adoption
(approximately November).
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 7
Board Member Guenther referred to the Fire Flow Analysis Summary in Table 76 of the draft plan. He said it appears the
City's existing system does not meet the target fire flow rates. Mr. Lindberg explained that the table shows a select number
of representative areas in the system and indicates that the existing fire flow for those areas does not meet the required target.
However, another table was provided to show that fire flow targets would be met as planned improvements are made in those
areas. Board Member Guenther summarized that there are places in the system that do not meet the requirements for fire
flow. Therefore, some projects may not be able to obtain a Letter of Availability from the fire district to certify that adequate
water service is available to support development. Mr. Lindberg agreed that a developer would not receive a building permit
until drinking water and sufficient fire flow is available for the site. The developer may be required to pay for improvements
to address the problem. Board Member Guenther asked Mr. Lindberg to share some of the reasons that the current system
cannot meet the fire flow requirements. Mr. Lindberg said that because most of the existing water mains are old, they are
typically smaller that what is currently required for fire flow. There are numerous 6-inch water mains throughout the City,
and these must eventually be replaced with larger pipe.
Vice Chair Lovell asked if the maintenance and replacement projects identified for funding in the plan were based on
priorities. He reminded the Board that the City's overlay program identifies a cycle that does not meet current practice
standards. That means that overlay projects will be deferred to the point that the roadways will deteriorate significantly. He
asked if the same is true for the proposed water main replacement program. Mr. Lindberg agreed that if the City were to
defer replacement of the water mains until later, they will eventually reach the point where more and more breaks will occur.
He explained that while breaks are common in water systems, deferring the replacement program will result in more frequent
breaks, which can be more costly to repair than the actual replacement. Vice Chair Lovell said he understands that the
proposed program of replacing 1 % of the water mains per year is based on the fact that the new materials are supposed to last
for up to 100 years. However, he expressed concern that the City's existing system is old and may need to be replaced at a
faster rate. Mr. Lindberg pointed out that the proposed plan prioritizes the replacement projects based on need.
Vice Chair Lovell said that from reading the executive summary it appears that most of the reduction in water usage is the
result of fixing the leaks and not necessarily from efforts taken by the City and citizens to conserve water. He recalled that
the Board is currently addressing the issue of sustainability for the City as a whole. He invited the consultant and staff to
share their ideas for enhancing or improving water conservation, which is a component of sustainability. Mr. Lindberg
responded that the proposed plan addresses conservation by both the user and the provider. A component of this effort
includes fixing leaking water mains and doing leak detection. He reminded the Board that the Water Use Efficiency Rule
mandates that cities and citizens do all they can to conserve water.
Board Member Stewart noted that the projects identified in the plan are costly, and she questioned if they would be paid for
by the customers. Mr. Lindberg answered that the financial program would fund projects mainly through revenue bonds.
The rates paid by customers could be adjusted to enable the City to repay the revenue bonds. In addition, a portion of the
projects identified in the CIP will be funded by new connection fees. He summarized that the City must pay for what is
already in place but also address the near term improvements that are identified in the plan.
Board Member Stewart asked if the consultant or staff have given any thought to charging a higher rate to individual users
who exceed a certain amount of water on a daily basis. This money could be placed in a fund to enable the City to offer
incentives to customers who do more to conserve. Mr. Lindberg said the City is currently considering a different type of rate
structure. At this time, all customers pay the same rate. However, a common rate structure that is used to encourage
conservation involves charging customers a higher rate for water usage that exceeds a certain amount. He agreed that this
type of rate structure tends to make people think twice about their water use.
Noel Miller noted that the financial chapter of the draft plan has been completed and posted on the City's website. The
Board Members would each receive a copy of the chapter prior the hearing on June 9`h
Draft Storm and Surface Water Comprehensive Plan
Mr. Shuster explained that the Storm and Surface Water Comprehensive Plan is an element of the City's overall
Comprehensive Plan and guides the operation of the City's storm and surface water utility by identifying and proposing
solutions to known flooding, water quality, and habitat problems. It presents an operation and maintenance plan and capital
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 8
improvement plan, as well as a financial plan for addressing maintenance and capital improvement needs. It also details the
actions necessary to ensure compliance with applicable Federal, state and local requirements, especially the Department of
Ecology's Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit. He explained that, unlike wastewater from homes,
stormwater is not treated prior to being discharged into the streams and Puget Sound. The permit contains a set of
regulations municipalities must comply with to improve the quality of the stormwater discharge.
Mr. Shuster explained that because Edmonds is primarily a built -out City, most of the identified issues are a result of
uncontrolled runoff from past development, aging infrastructure, regulatory mandates, and a sub -standard stormwater
infrastructure that was acquired in areas annexed from Snohomish County over a number of years. He explained that prior to
the first stormwater code in 1977, all stormwater was piped into the nearest stream or creek, and the City is still suffering the
consequences of this action.
Mr. Shuster reviewed that the plan was last updated in 2003 prior to the effective date of the Phase II Permit that was
adopted in 2007. The plan must be updated to incorporate the new permit requirements. It is also necessary to re -prioritize
capital projects. In addition, the City's current Storm and Surface Water Comprehensive Plan contains policies on water
resources and drainage management that were written in 1985 and are now outdated. The draft plan focuses on capital and
programmatic activities to accomplish the City's goals related to flood protection, water quality and aquatic habitat. The
policies in the plan will govern the day-to-day operation of the various program areas.
To give the Board an idea of the scope of the City's Storm and Surface Water Utility, Mr. Shuster pointed out that the City
has 6,600 catch basins, which are situated in the roadways to take water off the streets. These catch basins must all be
maintained on a regular basis. They also have 138 miles of stormwater pipe, and the public works crews must sweep about
2,000 miles of roadway on a regular basis to pick up and dispose of materials that can clog the storm drains. Mr. Shuster
pointed out that the Phase II Permit also requires the City to inspect and track maintenance of both public and private -owned
and operated detention and water -quality systems. It also requires the City to have a proactive illicit discharge detection and
elimination program to find illicit discharge, as well as a public education and outreach program that is essential to the City's
effort to become sustainable.
Chair Bowman asked Mr. Shuster to provide more information about the City's illicit discharge detection and elimination
program. Mr. Shuster answered that it is difficult to identify one-time occurrences. Staff inspects the storm drains during the
summer months when there is supposed to be very little water in them. If they find something, they go up stream until they
locate the problem. They have a map of the system and a computer program that shows them how far up the contamination
goes.
Mr. Shuster advised that the plan provides an analysis of the projected staffing needs to implement the Phase II Permit
programs. It is anticipated the City will need to hire one additional full-time employee in both the Engineering Department
and the Public Works Department. The additional engineer would be responsible for illicit discharge inspections and public
education, and the additional public works employee would help with streetscape, etc.
Ms. Shuster explained that the proposed plan identifies two levels of capital projects:
Tier 1 Projects provide a basic or essential level of service from the stormwater utility and would be funded 100% by
the utility rates and bonds. The list includes projects and programs that keep the City in compliance with local, state and
Federal regulations, especially those related to the Phase II Permit. It also includes projects that address long-standing,
recurring flooding issues such as in southwest Edmonds and around lower Perrinville Creek. City-wide drainage
replacement projects are also considered Tier 1 Projects.
Tier 2 Projects are those projects that are largely beneficial to aquatic habitat and provide an enhanced level of utility
service. These projects would be funded 25% by utility rates, with the remaining 75% coming from outside sources.
Projects include the restoration of the Edmonds Marsh, daylighting Willow Creek, channel restoration on Shell Creek,
and high -flow bypass and bank stabilization and restoration on Perrinville Creek. It was noted that the Tier 2 Projects
are costly; the four projects identified are estimated to cost three times as much as the entire cost of the 17 Tier 1
Projects.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 9
Mr. Shuster reported that fees collected for the Storm and Surface Water Utility have been used for an increasing number of
items. The increase has been driven by increased population growth and accompanying development, annexing areas from
Snohomish County with inadequate drainage systems, and increasing regulatory mandates for improving water quality and
aquatic habitat in the surface waters that receive the City's stormwater runoff. He noted that the rate study has now been
posted on the City's website, and a copy would be forwarded to the Board Members.
Vice Chair Lovell referred to Page 1-15, which contains a list of 20 projects that are prioritized. However, he noted that only
three of the projects have been done, and these were done to address emergency situations in the Perrinville area. He
questioned if the City is currently pushing off replacement of stormwater lines like they are postponing roadway
maintenance. Mr. Shuster said the City is a little behind where they should be due to staffing and funding issues. The
updated plan prioritizes the projects in the current plan that have not been done, placing them higher on the list. He noted
that numerous projects have been identified for southwest Edmonds to addressing recurring flooding problems, and the
projects must be completed soon.
Vice Chair Lovell referred to the flooding issues that continue to occur on Dayton Street near Harbor Square. He noted that
given the potential for redevelopment of the properties on both sides of Dayton Street, he asked if the City has plans to
address the issue. Noel Miller said the first order of business is to complete a flood plain study to determine exactly what is
causing the flooding and identify possible options for addressing the problems. He suggested that it may turn out that a
stormwater pumping station is necessary to keep the properties dry during extreme storms. However, they will not know the
appropriate solution until the study has been completed. He noted that the study has been identified in the plan as a Tier 1
Project. Mr. Shuster added that the situation has changed significantly since the 100-year flood line was mapped in 1982,
and staff is proposing to conduct a full-fledged Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) flood plain mapping study to
delineate the 100-year flood plain. Once accepted by FEMA, the map will be used by the Planning Department when
reviewing proposed projects in this area. Chair Bowman asked if the intensity of storms has changed over the years or if
science has improved. Mr. Shuster said the situation on Dayton Street has resulted from a number of things. For example,
development has occurred upland that has put additional water into the creeks and this has caused the flood plain to rise. The
Edmonds Marsh also has more sediment in it resulting in less water capacity.
Board Member Stewart referred to the map provided in the plan to identify the location of each of the proposed projects. She
noted that Project 2B calls for rehabilitation of the Willow Creek pipe, and Project 13 calls for daylighting Willow Creek.
She observed that if Project 13 were accomplished first, there would be no need for Project 2B. Mr. Shuster agreed. He
explained that City staff ran a camera through the existing pipe and found significant deterioration. The rehabilitation project
(Project 2B) was included in the plan in case it takes too long for the City to obtain sufficient funding and the necessary
permits to daylight the creek (Project 13). Board Member Stewart summarized that it would be cost effective for the City to
complete Project 13 sooner so that Project 2B is no longer necessary.
Board Member Stewart inquired if the City has a staff person dedicated to grant writing. Mr. Shuster answered that they do
not. However, staff is currently working with Friends of the Edmonds Marsh in an effort to obtain grant funding to daylight
Willow Creek. The Puget Sound Near Shore group is also working with the Water Resource Inventory Area 8 (WRIA 8)
group to address the situation. City staff is trying to stay in touch with these groups. Board Member Stewart suggested the
City use volunteer help to seek out grant opportunities, and there are qualified individuals in the groups identified by Mr.
Shuster.
Board Member Stewart noted that, as proposed, each single-family home would be assessed at least one equivalent service
unit (ESU) when built, which makes sense. She said she was also pleased to see that the monthly rate would be adjusted for
single-family residences that have systems for treating rain water on site. She asked if any consideration was given to
offering help with the upfront costs associated with installing these types of improvements. Mr. Shuster said the
conversation has not yet reached this point. Right now, the monthly charge per household assumes there is 3,000 square feet
of impervious surface. He recognized there are properties in the City with a greater amount of impervious surface, and one
idea is to charge these customers a higher rate to offset their impact. Board Member Stewart asked if it is the City's intent to
assess customers based on the amount of impervious surface. Mr. Shuster answered affirmatively. He noted there are
approximately 20,000 single-family residential partials in the City, and they do not have exact calculations for the amount of
impervious surface that exists on each one. He said it is important to balance the cost of collecting this information with how
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 10
much additional revenue the City would get from charging some customers a higher rate. He said that once the inspection
program is in place, a discount could be offered to property owners who have detention systems on site that are properly
maintained. This would provide an incentive for property owners to maintain their systems.
Mr. Miller reminded the Board that all residents of Edmonds use the roadways, and it is important to understand that most of
the cost of stormwater programs are associated with runoff from the roadways. Even if a private property owner does a good
job of managing stormwater on his/her property, there are still many costs involved with managing runoff from roadways.
He explained that it is costly to install a stormwater detention system on private property in order to comply with the City's
development and stormwater codes. Therefore, using low -impact development techniques to address stormwater can often
be a more cost effective approach. Mr. Shuster added that the City's current code includes a provision that allows a property
owner to request a rate adjustment if they have special circumstances such as capturing the majority of their stormwater
runoff.
Board Member Cloutier noted the numerous people who wash their cars on the street every week and asked who would be
responsible for managing the outreach program. Mr. Shuster answered that, at this time, he is the program coordinator, and
most of the education is provided by the Parks Department via the watershed fair, etc. The City offers a car wash kit for
charity car washes. The kit can be rented free of charge and is placed in the catch basin. It collects the water from the car
wash and pumps it to the sewer system. When the City gives the charity the kit, they also give them a stack of flyers to hand
out to the public to educate them on how to do a proper car wash. Board Member Cloutier asked if this information is
available on the City's website. Mr. Shuster answered that some of it is, and he is working to provide additional information
as time allows.
THE BOARD TOOK A BREAK FROM 8:55 to 9:05.
UPDATE ON SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS
Board Member Cloutier reported that the Board's effort to identify Urban Sustainability Indicators (USI) has spread to the
Mayor's Climate Protection Committee. They have assigned their own subcommittee to work on USI's related to the
Climate Action Plan. However, instead of starting from scratch, they are working with the list created by the Planning Board
as a shopping list of potential USI's to consider. However, instead of starting with a long list of potential indicators, the
subcommittee will focus on one element of the Climate Action Plan at a time and identify appropriate indicators. They will
start with the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases, which is building energy use. They have identified the applicable
USI's and are now in the process of collecting data to figure out how to get the public to use the information. He suggested
the subcommittee's work would be useful as the Board moves forward with their USI work.
Mr. Cloutier summarized that while the Board has a lengthy list of USI's and they know where the data will come from,
having numbers available will not solve anything if they do not have a system for determining how often the data is collected
and how it will be used in future planning decisions to make a difference. He noted that creating the list of USI's was easy,
but the administrative part of the project will be more challenging. He noted that the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee
is completing their work in conjunction with City staff. He cautioned that both groups must move forward in such a way that
they do not add to the staff s workload, but use work they already do.
Board Member Reed asked if the Board would set their work aside while the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee
completes their work. Board Member Cloutier suggested the Board move forward with their work now. He noted that the
spreadsheet needs more work to identify specific information that comes from the City. However, he cautioned that
completing the spreadsheet is really just the beginning of the project. They must figure out how to apply the indicators. He
suggested the Board start with something that is not related to climate protection and follow a similar process as the one the
Mayor's Climate Protection Committee is using. He suggested they consider starting with something that is park or health
related. He recalled that at the last meeting, the Board discussed that developing a list of indicators is not their end goal.
Instead, they are trying to roll the indicators into the City's processes and that is where the Board needs to focus their
continuing efforts. He suggested the effort would involve various Board Members working with staff to collect information.
The Board could hold a short discussion at the retreat to identify specific USI's that will have the greatest impact to the
community such as economic development.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 11
Vice Chair Lovell observed that some of the information needed to outline a strategy to meet City goals is available from
sources other than City staff. He suggested the difficult part will be figuring out who will be responsible for collecting the
data from various sources. He noted that this process would likely involve City staff s time. Board Member Cloutier said he
envisions the Board would identify a goal they want to work towards, review the list of indicators to find those that are
applicable, provide baseline information of where they are now, make regulations that will get them to where they want to
be, and then measure over time to gauge the City's success in reaching the goal.
Board Member Stewart suggested the Board spend time at their retreat identifying priorities. They need to pinpoint some of
the high profile areas that they should look at from a sustainability viewpoint that includes economic, environmental and
social aspects. She noted that these aspects tend to overlap with each other, and it is important to make it easy to understand
and implement the City's goals and policies. The list of indicators must be balanced.
Board Member Cloutier indicated that he would update the spreadsheet, which would be available online. This would enable
the Board Members to access the most current version. Vice Chair Lovell agreed to develop a logic flow diagram for the
Board to use as they continue to discuss the list of indicators. The Board agreed to continue their discussion at their June 2nd
retreat.
REVIEW OF EXTENDED AGENDA
Chair Bowman announced that a Planning Board retreat has been scheduled for June 2nd at 6:00 p.m., and the number one
issue for discussion will be economic development. He reviewed that the Board must tie their economic development
activities to their work on sustainability. There needs to be a way to offer incentives to encourage people to do the right
thing. He recalled that Board Member Cloutier, who also serves on the Mayor's Climate Action Committee, helped him
conduct an energy analysis of his retail building. He summarized that he has never had to replace a light bulb in his new
building in Renton because he used LED bulbs that last seven to ten years. On the other hand, he had to replace 36 halogen
bulbs in his Edmonds location just this month. The LED bulbs cost much more, but they last significantly longer and use
less energy. He noted that Board Member Johnson has been attending the Citizen Economic Development Commission
(CEDC) Meetings on behalf of the Planning Board.
PLANNING BOARD CHAIR COMMENTS
Chair Bowman did not provide any comments during this portion of the meeting.
PLANNING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Board Member Stewart referred to a document titled, `A New View of the Puget Sound Economy: The Economic Value of
Nature's Services in the Puget Sound Basin. The document was put together by the Earth Economics Task Force and looks
at the Puget Sound and waterways in terms of the value of the ecological services they provide. She observed that it is
important to consider what would happen if they did not have these waterways to provide important free services. If they are
not protected, they will be required to use man-made solutions that do not last long. Restoring the Edmonds Marsh will
allow some of the ecological function back into stormwater management. She agreed to share the document with staff.
Board Member Stewart reported that she attended an urban forest symposium entitled, "Safe Trees, " which was sponsored
by the Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Washington State Department of Resources.
There was discussion about tree canopy and how to protect trees during development, and representatives from four cities
were present to explain their current codes for trees. The panel discussion was dynamic and included discussion about things
that have been tried but were not successful because they are not enforceable or measurable. It was suggested that cities take
pictures of land before it is developed and map the significant trees, and also have discussions with developers about the
value of saving the trees. The symposium was enlightening, and she would pass the information she collected to staff.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 12
Board Member Johnson reported on her attendance at the May 19th CEDC meeting. They have divided the group into four
subcommittees. While they started with a broad approach, they have now agreed to focus on exactly what they want to
accomplish. The subcommittee's provided the following reports:
Tourism: Stephen Clifton, Economic Development/Community Services Director, provided a report about the City's
2010 general advertising budget. He noted that the July edition of SUNSET MAGAZINE will feature an article about the
City of Edmonds.
Technology: This group is continuing their work on the City's current fiber optic capability. They are very optimistic,
but nothing concrete has come about to date.
Strategic Planning and Visioning: This group is looking at doing an overall analysis of the City, using an approach
called a market scan analysis. This is an effort to understand all the resources and advantages within the City of
Edmonds. They are putting together a position paper on why the City needs to have a strategic plan and what it should
include. It is anticipated this effort will involve considerable funding from the City, but they have not determined where
the money would come from. It was also reported that several staff members met with representatives from Swedish
Hospital and learned that they are proposing to commit approximately $100 million to redevelop the existing Stevens
Hospital facility. Mr. Clifton agreed to arrange a time for the Planning Board, the CEDC, and perhaps the City Council
to view the PowerPoint presentation that was prepared by Swedish Hospital.
Land Use: Mr. Chave has been pursuing a proposal for a special district study of the Five Corners and Westgate areas
using resources from the Cascade Land Conservancy and the University of Washington. The scoping of work has yet to
be determined, and this might be a good subject for discussion at the Board's retreat.
Vice Chair Lovell asked Mr. Chave to provide more information about his resources at the University of Washington. Mr.
Chave said it may be possible to get a design studio from the University of Washington to work on the neighborhood study
projects in conjunction with the Cascade Land Conservancy. Vice Chair Lovell agreed to talk with Mr. Chave after the
meeting about this opportunity. He noted that he is working with the Port of Edmonds to potentially get some studio work
done for Harbor Square.
Board Member Reed observed that when you are on the Planning Board long enough, you learn about the various rules you
are breaking, particularly regarding stormwater runoff. He said he learned things tonight that he did not previously know.
Board Member Reed said he found the presentation by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services staff to be exciting and
enlightening. He reminded the Board that they are also the Parks Board, and he said he appreciates the ideas related to
fundraising that were raised by Board Member Stewart. He said many citizens might be motivated to donate to park funds,
and he suggested the Board come up with additional ideas to forward to staff.
IE I 411111101I1401"
The Board meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Planning Board Minutes
May 26, 2010 Page 13