WRIA 14 PLANNING UNIT MEETING

 

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Shelton Civic Center

Shelton, WA

 

Meeting Summary

 

Attendance:

Government Members Present:

Theresa Parsons, City of Shelton

Pam Bennett-Cumming, Mason County

Phil Wiatrak, Dept. of Ecology

Jeanne Kinney, Thurston County

Ron Gold, Mason County PUD # 1

 

 

 

Government Members Absent:

Squaxin Island Tribe

Port of Shelton

 

Other Planning Unit Members Present:

 

Terri Jeffreys, Realtors

Warren Dawes, SWPSWC

 

Others Present:

 

Susan Gulick, Technical Project Mgr/Facilitator

 

 

 

 

1.      Finalize Updated Operating Procedures/Membership List

q       The Planning Unit adopted the revised Ground Rules and Membership List.

 

2.      Step C of the Instream Flow Grant

q       The Planning Unit discussed numerous options for the final phase of the instream flow grant, including:

ü       Gathering fall data on small streams (gauging and/or fish passage data);

ü       Conducting follow-up work based on the recommendations from the Northwest Land & Water report on hydraulic continuity;

ü       Conducting a build-out analysis for the 20 year planning horizon, with a breakout by sub-basin;

ü       Assessing the impacts of an expansion of the Allyn UGA.

q       Susan will contact John Konovsky and discuss these ideas.

q       A final decision will be made at the next PU meeting.

 

3.      Public Outreach Strategy for the Watershed Plan

q       The Planning Unit discussed various methods of informing the public about the watershed plan prior to adoption.

q       The PU agreed that PU members attending meetings of civic groups to present an overview of the plan is a good idea.  A short, simple PowerPoint presentation needs to be prepared (approximately 5 or fewer slides) that all PU members could use.  A handout of the draft recommendations should also be prepared.

q       Public meetings in Shelton and Allyn were also discussed.

q       This topic will be discussed in more detail at the next Planning Unit meeting.

 

4.      Budget Proviso

q       The legislature appropriated money for additional work on water storage pre-construction/planning and/or water conveyance work.

q       If a Planning Unit member would like to submit a proposal for this money they should bring the concept to the next Planning Unit meeting.

 

5.      Watershed Plan

q       A link to the draft plan has been distributed.  Comments are due to Susan by Wednesday, September 28th. 

 

6.      Storage Report

q       A link to the draft storage report has been distributed.  The consultants will be giving a presentation on the draft report at the Sept. 28th Planning Unit meeting. 

 

7.      Response from Ecology on Plan Deadline

q       Ecology has replied to the Planning Unit’s letter on the plan deadline. They are requiring all work done under the supplemental grants (storage grant and instream flow grant) to be completed by December. 

q       The plan deadline is still technically December, but Ecology will allow the Planning Unit to continue to work toward plan adoption after that date so long as progress is being made. 

q       All work on the plan has to be completed within the funds of the original watershed planning grant (the base grant).

 

8.      Upcoming Meetings

q       The next Planning Unit meeting will be on Wednesday, September 28th from 1:30-4:30.  PLEASE NOTE that the meeting is starting one hour earlier than normal due to a very full agenda.  The agenda will include presentations on stormwater from Ecology and DOT experts, a presentation on the draft storage report, public involvement for plan adoption, finalizing Step C of the instream flow grant, and final decisions on the water storage/conveyance grant money.

q       Beginning in October, Planning Unit meetings will be held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays from 10-12.  All meetings will be in the morning time slot.