The Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC) heard from Orcas East County Council Member Gene Knapp on the county stormwater funding ordinance, and from County Public Works Director Jon Shannon on the Eastsound swale assessment for stormwater runoff at the Sept. 4 monthly meeting.

With the addition of Steve Hopkins to the committee this month, and of Bob Connell last month, the EPRC now has a full complement of members.

Stormwater funding

Knapp gave an overview of the draft ordinance proposed by the County Council stormwater subcommittee, which was formed following the rejection of the previous stormwater funding ordinance last November. Knapp reported that the subcommittee had an outline draft of the ordinance, so that it could be refined in the public hearing process.

As drafted, the subcommittee’s proposal recommends a three-tier approach to stormwater funding, with assessments based on county population, on specific islands, and on UGA parcels.

Hopkins asked why the stormwater funding issue has been so difficult to tackle. EPRC member Gulliver Rankin brought out that, as an unincorporated Urban Growth Area (UGA), Eastsound has no taxing district and no stormwater utility district. Knapp concurred that there are different situations on different county islands, and that it is difficult to make “one size fit all.”

The EPRC agreed to hold an open house to facilitate public communication about the funding ordinance, and Shannon expressed his concern that time was running out to include the ordinance in the 2009 County budget.

EPRC Chair Mindy Kayl said that the open house would probably be scheduled for October.

Eastsound swale

The Eastsound Swale is a stretch of land and wetlands located just west of Eastsound’s commercial core, between Lovers’ Lane and North Beach Road. It is described in the Long Range Drainage Plan (LRDP, also called the “Rasmussen Report”) as “a significant drainage feature in the Eastsound UGA.”

The Eastsound swale is a Category Two wetland, and falls under state guidelines for development. The basic rule is that the swale’s capacity can’t be increased or decreased, based on 1991 standards.

In an overview prepared by EPRC members Patty Miller and Gulliver Rankin, it is stated, “Regulations prohibit an increase in the amount of runoff discharged to the Eastsound Swale until a wetland assessment determines that the increase in flow is beneficial to the wetland. This requirement is a strong deterrent to additional development in the upper portion of Basin Four as the options for development approval are on-site stormwater retention, construction of a wetland bypass… or an environmental assessment determining that additional runoff to the wetland is beneficial.”

Miller asked if community-based, low impact development would reduce the costs of developing the Swale, and if that approach would be better than individual solutions on private property.

Shannon replied that Miller’s questions were ones that “should be asked.”

He said that the assessment is scheduled to be undertaken in 2009, and “If the [Public Works/County] budget as proposed is approved, [the Swale assessment] is something that can happen right away.” The wetlands assessment is budgeted at $75,000, Shannon added.

The last wetlands survey was undertaken in 1989, and county wetlands expert Nick Tiffany noted that it was unknown how specifically the wetlands was defined, and also that the area was “dynamic” and changing over the years. “It’s a channel basically, that has an outfall, and that changes with the frequency of the water flow.”

John Evans, head of the San Juan Builders Association, said that it was key for Public Works to hire a person with a broad enough background to conduct an assessment of the swale, and that it was important to consider the swale as a community asset by providing a continuum of options. “If Eastsound wants a trail, tell us,” said Shannon.

The EPRC is prepared to take the lead in discussions between property owners and the builders, who have proposed assisting in the project to enhance and utilize the swale.

“The builders are looking for something beneficial, both visually and environmentally,” said Evans. Suggestions for preserving property owners’ rights while still enhancing the swale included allowing increased density on non-wetland portions of property located in the swale.

Shannon commented that “anything that has broad community support is looked upon favorably by politicians and grant funders.”

Surveys indicate that there are 40 parcels, owned by 18 property owners, located in the Eastsound Swale.

Members of the EPRC urged County officials to keep the EPRC informed if the prioritization process changes the timeline for the wetlands assessment study.

The next EPRC meeting will be held Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. in the Senior Center in Eastsound.