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Scheduled For: |
March 27, 2002 |
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Time: |
4:00 to 6:00 p.m. |
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Place: |
Blaine Port Building, Marine Drive |
Download Zip File of All 2002 Summaries
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1. |
4:00 |
Public Comment Period |
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2. |
4:05 |
Review Agenda and February Meeting Summary |
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3. |
4:15 |
County Health Update on On-Site Septic - Ed Halasz |
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4. |
4:30 |
Stormwater Exemption Update - Geoff Menzies |
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5. |
4:40 |
Review Water Quality Proposal for PSRF - Geoff Menzies |
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6. |
5:30 |
Shellfish Newsletter |
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7. |
5:50 |
New Business |
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8. |
5:55 |
Next Meeting's Agenda |
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Committe Members |
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Bjorn Hrutfiord |
Geoff Menzies |
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| Janet Hansen |
Bob Williams |
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Public |
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Ami Stillings- Water Resources |
Edward Halasz - Whatcom Co. Health Dept. |
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Mark Henderson - Dept. of Ecology |
Grant Stewart - City of Blaine |
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Courtney Sterkel - Anvil Corporation |
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1. Public Comment Period
There was no public comment.
2. Review Agenda and Previous Meeting Summary
Review Agenda
Geoff Menzies reviewed the agenda.Review Meeting Summary
The committee reviewed and approved the 2/20/02 Meeting Summary.
Action Items from the 2/20/02 Meeting
Geoff Menzies sent a letter to the Department of Health (DOH) on February 22,2002 concerning data samples and classification of Drayton Harbor. DOH sent a response letter addressing the three main points. The committee reviewed the letter.Issue one dealt with a request that DOH eliminate water quality samples collected on December 29,1998, as the high fecal coliform concentrations may have been caused by the sewage/wastewater overflow that occurred on that day. DOH stated that the overflow would be unlikely to move through the marina and more than a mile to the sampling station in less than one half-hour. Heavy rainfall during the five days previous to December 29, as well as an inch of rainfall on January 9,2002, both resulted in high concentrations of fecal coliform and shows that Drayton Harbor is sensitive to periods of heavy rainfall.
The second issue dealt with a request for DOH to consider this relationship between heavy rainfall and Drayton Harbor water quality as possible grounds for modifying the classification to Conditionally Approved. This would allow the Harbor to be opened to harvesting unless the rainfall criteria, which would be determined by DOH have been surpassed. DOH noted that they would evaluate this relationship and if it proves to show predictability, a Conditionally Approved classification may be possible. The committee will be informed of the results from this evaluation when it becomes available.
The last issue dealt with a request that DOH use the water quality data that was collected at stations 4,6, and 8 during the volunteer shoreline monitoring program (July-December, 2001) in their dataset for classifying the harbor. DOH accepted these additional samples, but noted the high levels of fecal coliform on the August 22 sampling day would not help with lowering the geometric mean. These high concentrations are likely to be of human origin and must be corrected before a different/improved classification can be assigned to Drayton Harbor.
Committee members were concerned with boater waste issues due to the lack of signage in the Blaine Marina addressing pump-out stations. One committee member suggested placing more signs around the marina, directing boaters to the pump out station and a sign that would more clearly designate the pump out station. One member suggested a possible solution that is used in other states for identifying boaters who are discharging their holding tanks. A dye tablet is placed in the holding tanks of boats in the marina. Dye surrounding the boat would indicate that the tank has been illegally dumped.
One member noted that Canadians might be responsible for a good portion of this dumping, because Canada doesn't require boaters to have holding tanks on their boats. One member suggested talking to Customs to see what they are telling Canadian boaters entering U.S. waters about discharging their waste.
3. County Health Update on On-Site Septic (OSS)
Ed Halasz presented committee members with recent health inspection results. Inspections are initiated by citizen complaints usually due to soggy lawns or odors. Inspections consist of running dye colored water for at least 30 minutes to see if the dye surfaces or where the ground becomes soggy. Ed noted that most of these problems are due to faulty drainage fields and sewage systems that were made before standards were put into place.
In 2001, potential property buyers requested 15 OSS inspections. Ed was unsure how many of these 15 loan inspections turned into complaints requiring action. The County performed 11 inspections from sewage complaints and found five non-violations and six violations (five of which have been repaired, one is in the process of being repaired).
Violators have 30 days to take action to fix the problem and if this is not done, an administrative hearing is possible.
Ed also noted that, at this point, the county does not require homeowners to have their sewage systems tested or take part in maintenance programs. The county targets different watersheds every year to educate on sewage system maintenance by distributing informational flyers. One member wondered if these flyers listed signs of problems and how to fix them. Ed noted that flyers did list seven things homeowners could do to help their septic tanks and that other information could be found in the County Health office.
Members suggested that septic system inspections be required for selling homes. Committee members agreed that it might be necessary to raise this issue to the County Council. One member suggested writing a letter to Sharon Roy for clarification of inspection standards currently in place.
4. Stormwater Exemption Update
Geoff Menzies informed committee members that Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish and Drayton Harbor have been identified as special watersheds and given a stormwater special district status. Recently, a request was put forth to exempt Drayton Harbor from the infiltration and detention requirements of stormwater special districts. Geoff spoke with the County Council Planning Committee asking that Drayton Harbor not be excluded from these stormwater requirements. Guidelines and standards for stormwater infiltration and detention systems are being developed by the County's technical committee and should be completed by May 2002. To date, Drayton Harbor will remain as a stormwater special district until the guidelines/standards have been developed.
5. Review Water Quality Proposal for PSRF
Geoff Menzies provided a brief overview of the written proposal from the Puget Sound Restoration Fund for a portion of the county's budget that was set aside for shellfish protection projects. Geoff sent out electronic copies of the proposal to AC members and invited any questions or comments. Due to lack of committee members present at the meeting, a vote for support of the proposal will be done electronically. If AC members agree with the tasks of the proposal, it will be sent to Water Resources on behalf of committee members.
The proposal addressed support for the following special projects:
One AC member suggested sharing urban stormwater sampling results with WRIA 1 Surface Water Quality committee so that the committee can be more involved in the WRIA 1 processes pertaining to Drayton Harbor.
6. Shellfish Newsletter
Committee members did not address a shellfish newsletter.
7. New Business
Ami Stillings informed meeting attendees of the Drayton Harbor Shellfish Protection District Website that is being developed and her need for committee comments. Ami distributed the following list of questions asking members to briefly comment on each:
Ami also notified committee members that Geoff Menzies was chosen as Public Health Hero of the year. Committee members were invited to the award luncheon on April 3 at the County Courthouse Rotunda
8. Next Meeting's Agenda
To be determined.