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STATE OF WASHINGTON
County of Jefferson
IN THE MATTER OF
ADOPTING A JEFFERSON COUNTY
SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
AND IMPLEMENTING A
SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
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} RESOLUTION NO. 74-06
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WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan, Environment Element,
Watershed Management and Habitat Recovery Strategy recommends that Jefferson
County develop a Surface Water Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, Jefferson County has developed a Draft Jefferson County Surface
Water Management Plan dated 12/14/2005 that provides information, analysis, and
recommendations to guide the development and implementation of a Jefferson County
Surface Water Management Program; and
WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners conducted three public
workshops to discuss the Draft Surface Water Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, Jefferson County has conducted a public outreach program to inform
County citizens about the Draft Surface Water Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners conducted a public hearing on the Draft
Surface Water Management Plan on October 9,2006 and took public testimony; and
WHEREAS, the notice of the Board of Commissioners public hearing was made
in the Port Townsend - Jefferson County Leader on September 20 and 27,2006; and,
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has considered the testimony presented
at the public hearing; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners wishes to provide guidance to the
County Administrator and County Departments for developing and implementing a
Surface Water Management Program;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOL VED as follows by the Board of
Commissioners in and for the County of Jefferson:
Resolution No. 74-06
Re: Adoption of the Jefferson County Surface Water Management Plan
I. The Draft Jefferson County Surface Water Management Plan dated 12/14/2005 is
hereby adopted as the Jefferson County Surface Water Management Plan. The Plan
shall guide the development and implementation of a Jefferson County Surface Water
Management Program.
2. The Environmental Health Department is hereby designated as the lead County
Department to plan and implement the Jefferson County Surface Water Management
Program and to coordinate Program activities with other County Departments and
with local, State, and Federal agencies, Tribes, community organizations, and
individual citizens.
3. The Environmental Health Department shall use the guidance in the Surface Water
Management Plan to develop options for adequate, stable, and equitable revenue to
fund surface water management activities. The Department shall present these options
to the Board of Commissioners for its consideration.
Approved and adopted this27thday of November 2006~
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
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Patrick M. Rodgers, Member
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~;;llivan, Mem er '-
ATTEST:' -
()W;vL~~ el1lc
~lie Matt es, CMC
Deputy Clerk of the Board
Page 2 of2
JEFFERSON COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
P.O. Box 2070
1322 Washington Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
(360) 385-9160
Frank Gifford, Public Works Director
Monte Reinders, RE., County Engineer
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Jefferson County Board of Commissioners
John Fischbach, County Administrator
FROM:
James W. Pearson, Project Manage
DATE:
November 7, 2006
RE:
Draft Surface Water Management (SWM) Plan;
Consideration of public hearing testimony
This memo briefly summarizes and responds to testimony presented at the
Board's public hearing on October 9, 2006.
Comment:
There was not adequate public involvement in the development of the SWM
Plan.
Staff Response:
The SWM Plan reflects guidance provided in the 1998 County Comprehensive
Plan and the terms of the grant agreement between Jefferson County and the
Washington Department of Ecology that funded development of the Plan.
Prior to and during development of the Plan, the Public Works Department
(PWD) consulted County Departments, other agencies, and citizens involved in
SWM activities. These included the Environmental Health Department,
Department of Community Development, Interdepartmental Data Management
System, Jefferson County Conservation District, WSU Cooperative Extension,
and the Hood Canal Coordinating Council. During the development of the Plan,
the PWD also made periodic reports to the Board.
After the Draft SWM Plan was developed, the PWD conducted three public
workshops with the Board to discuss it. Following these workshops the PWD
Recycled Paper
conducted an extensive public outreach program to inform the public about
SWM issues and the Draft SWM Plan. The public outreach program included:
. Press releases to the Port Townsend Leader and Peninsula Daily News,
. Posting the Draft SWM Plan on the County's website,
. Providing over 100 copies of the Draft SWM Plan to County officials, agency
personnel, and citizens,
. Presentations to community groups including the:
. Brinnon and Quilcene Chamber of Commerce,
. Jefferson County Conservation District,
. Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee,
. Jefferson County Realtors Association,
. North Olympic Salmon Coalition,
. Port Hadlock Chamber of Commerce, and
. WSU Extension Water Watchers Program; and
. A public forum on the SWM Plan.
The intent of the public outreach program was to familiarize the public with the
SWM Plan so that they could provide informed comments to the Board
recommending appropriate revisions and whether or not to adopt it.
Comment:
Forest management activities by private landowners and public agencies and
administration of State forest practices regulations by the Department of Natural
Resources affect SWM. These factors were not considered in the SWM Plan.
Staff Response:
The SWM Plan specifically recognizes the importance of forest management
activities and forest practices regulations on the health of surface water
resources. The SWM Plan discusses these issues in Chapter 2 Existing and
Projected Conditions, Chapter 3 Analysis of Major Issues, Chapter 5 Policy and
Regulation, Chapter 8 Goals and Policies, and Chapter 9 Public Education Plan.
The SWM Plan recognizes that forest management in National Forests and on
State forestlands and administration of State forest practices regulations on
private forestland are outside of Jefferson County's authority. The Plan also
recognizes that forestland in State and Federal ownership, commercial
forestland, and forest cover on rural residential land affect the health of surface
water resources. The Plan recommends public education activities to inform
rural residents about the value of forest cover for protecting surface water
resources.
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Comment:
There were objections to implementing fees to support SWM activities. There
were also comments that there should be more public involvement prior to
adopting fees.
Staff Response:
The SWM Plan presents planning level expenditure projections for SWM
activities. It recognizes the need to focus limited County revenues on priority
governmental functions: County administration, law and justice, and
transportation. It also recognizes the County's commitments to social and health
services, parks, and recreation. The Plan concludes that in order to fund SWM
Program activities, it will be necessary to identify new revenue sources.
The Plan provides analysis of revenue sources that can be used to fund SWM
activities. It recommends implementing a stormwater control fee. Adoption of
the SWM Plan would not, however, authorize any fees.
In order to implement a stormwater control fee to fund SWM activities,
additional detailed analysis would need to be prepared and there would need to
be formal action by the Board of Commissioners. If the Board were to consider
implementing fees, it is anticipated there would be public involvement in this
process.
Comment:
The County should not adopt additional regulations and should not conduct
additional enforcement actions.
Staff Response:
The Surface Water Management Plan considers Jefferson County's existing
regulatory program that is implemented through the Unified Development
Code. It also recognizes that most people when provided with sound
information, technical assistance, and appropriate incentives will choose to use
surface water resources wisely and protect them from degradation. The Plan
therefore recommends that the Surface Water Management Program emphasize
public education and technical assistance, rather than additional regulation. The
Plan does not propose implementing additional regulations.
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