Six Year Stormwater Comprehensive Plan

City of Mountlake Terrace Six Year Stormwater Comprehensive Plan Prepared for: City of Mountlake Terrace 23204 58 th Avenue W Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Prepared by: Otak, Inc. Joe Simmler, PhD Maureen Knutson, PE 10230 NE Points Drive, Suite 400 Kirkland, WA 98033 Otak Project No. 31088 September, 2008

City of Mountlake Terrace Six Year Stormwater Comprehensive Plan Final Report Submitted to: Mike Shaw, Stormwater Program Manager City of Mountlake Terrace Department of Public Works 6204 215th St. SW Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Prepared By Otak, Inc. Joe Simmler, Ph.D. Project Manager Maureen Knutson, PE Regulatory Compliance Engineer Larry Grimm, PE Project Engineer Laura Ruppert, PE Water Resources Engineer Jessica Collins, EIT Water Resources Engineering Designer

Acknowledgement City of Mountlake Terrace Six Year Stormwater Comprehensive Plan Final Report City Council Major Jerry Smith Major Pro Tem Laura Sonmore Councilmember John Zambrano Councilmember Kyoko Matsumoto Wright Councilmember Michelle Robles Councilmember Rick Ryan Councilmember Michelle Angrick City of Mountlake Terrace City Manager s Office John Caulfield, City Manager City of Mountlake Terrace Department of Public Works Mike Shaw, Stormwater Program Manager Curt Brees, Director Don Sarcletti, Recreation and Parks Director City of Mountlake Terrace Department of Administrative Services Scott Hugill, Director

Preface This document, entitled Six Year Stormwater Comprehensive Plan Final Report for the City of Mountlake Terrace, has been prepared to develop an updated Stormwater Management Program to address the City s regulatory compliance and capital improvement needs. The intent of the document is to create a vision for the City to ensure its stormwater infrastructure and program planning occurs in a manner that is consistent with the expectations and priorities of the City. This comprehensive plan allows the City to identify and prioritize the City s stormwater needs, set priorities, and secure the corresponding funding, staffing, and equipment as identified in the following Stormwater Management (SWM) implementation plan. In developing this plan, the City wishes to responsibly address its current regulatory compliance obligations that include: the Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan (PSWQMP), the Swamp Creek Total Maximum Daily Load for fecal coliform, the Lake Ballinger Total Maximum Daily Load for phosphorus, and the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit (Permit). The City has recently added the additional, voluntary stormwater obligation of participation in the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed Forum 1 inter-jurisdictional planning process to reduce flows and enhance water quality within the McAleer Creek Watershed. Funding Acknowledgement: Funding for this study has been provided by the City s Stormwater Utility Fund. 1 The legal name of this Forum is the Hall Lake, Hall Creek, Echo Lake, Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum. For this report the Forum is referred to as the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum.

City of Mountlake Terrace Surface Water Management Program Table of Contents Acknowledgements Preface Section 1 Project Overview...1 Introduction Background Purpose Methodology and Analysis Summary of Approach, Results and Recommendations...8 Introduction: Development of the City s SWM Plan Structure and Format of this Report Findings and Results Phase I Regulatory Requirements Phase II City s Existing SWM Program Phase III Capital Needs Assessment Phase IV Regulatory and Program Gap Analysis Phase V Funding Analysis and Options Section 3 Results and Recommendations...32 Programmatic Overview Funding Overview Staffing Overview Section 4 Public Review / Input Process...35 Public Outreach Process List of Tables Table 1 Summary of SWM Related Regulatory Requirements...10 Table 2 Summary of City s Annual SWM Program: Activities, Costs, and Staffing..12 Table 3 SWM Updated Capital Improvement Program Summary...21 Table 4 Results of the SWM Regulatory and Program Gap Analysis...24 Table 5 Option #1 Summary...28 City of Mountlake Terrace i

Table 6 Option #2 Summary...29 Table 7 Option #3 Summary...29 Table 8 Proposed SWM Program Budget, Annual Stormwater Rates, Projected Revenues, and Program Costs for Option #3...30 Table 9 Summary of Recommended SWM Program for the City of Mountlake Terrace...32 Figures Figure 1 Watershed Map...2 Figure 2 Stormwater Program Analysis Process...4 Figure 3 NPDES Phase II Permit Requirements and Milestones...9 Figure 4 City of Mountlake Terrace Organization Chart...14 Figure 5 City of Mountlake Terrace Six Year Capital Facilities Plan: Project Location Map...22 Appendices Appendix A Technical Memorandum #1: Stormwater Regulatory Requirements Appendix B Technical Memorandum #2: Existing Surface Water Management Program Appendix C Capital Improvement Program Appendix D Technical Memorandum #3: Surface Water Management Program Gap Analysis Appendix E Technical Memorandum #4: Financial Alternatives City of Mountlake Terrace ii

Section 1 Project Overview Introduction The City of Mountlake Terrace is located approximately 14 miles north of City of Seattle, within south Snohomish County. The City borders the Cities of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park to the south, City of Edmonds to the west, the City of Lynnwood to the north, and the City of Brier to the east, as shown in Figure 1. The City s population is about 20,810 and covers an area of approximately 4.0 square miles, with 75 percent of the City zoned as residential. The City s natural drainage amenities include: Lake Ballinger, which is located to the southwest within the City limits. McAleer, Hall, and Lyon Creeks either drain or pass through the City. Hall Creek discharges to Lake Ballinger within the City limits and leaves as McAleer Creek and drains to the east through the City of Lake Forest park and into Lake Washington. First incorporated as a City in 1954, Mountlake Terrace has become an established, growing and vibrant city. Today, the City is known for its beautiful mountain views, quiet residential neighborhoods, beautiful parks, trails, lake, first-class schools and close proximity to employment centers, such as the cities of Seattle, Bellevue, and Everett. Background To manage its stormwater, the City needs to address its local facility needs, as well as comply with the requirements of the State s Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan (PSWQMP), the requirements of the Federal Clean Water Act and the Department of Ecology s (Ecology) National Pollution Discharge Elimination System and State Waste Discharge General Permit for Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewers in Western Washington, hereafter referred to as the Permit. The City has been proactive in addressing its Stormwater management by continually funding the program and capital project needs. Funding initiatives over the last several years have included: Financial forecasts have projected the use of loans to support the SWM Program. A series of rate adjustment have also been adopted by the Council adjusting the SWM rate up to $7.37 in 2012. In June of 2008, the City Council indicated a preference for another graduated rate adjustment reaching $9.70 in 2014. City of Mountlake Terrace 1

Scriber Lake Creek Hall Lake Hall Creek Swamp Creek Subbasin 52Nd Ave W 66Th Ave W Hw y9 9 212Th St SW 5 220Th St SW 48Th Ave W 44Th Ave W 220Th St SW 73Rd Pl W 228Th St SW Lyon Creek 236Th Lake Ballinger Way S 56Th Ave W Cedar 58Th Ave W McAleer Creek Subbasin 236Th St SW Lyon Creek Subbasin McAleer Creek 244Th St SW NE 205Th St Cedar Way Legend City Boundary Subbasin Boundary Streets Streams Otak Proj. No. City of Mountlake Terrace Update Snohomish County Washington Mountlake Terrace Watershed Map 31088 Date 0 850 1,700 August 2008 Feet Figure 1

Section 1 Project Overview Purpose In June 2007, the City hired Otak, Inc. (Otak) to update its Stormwater Comprehensive Plan (SWCP). The intent of the project was to review the status of the City s existing surface water management (SWM) program and compare it with the requirements of the PSWQMP and the Permit, document the City s other water resource related commitments and obligations, and estimate future local needs and regional regulatory compliance requirements. The City intends to use this study to plan, develop, fund, and implement the City s Six-Year SWM Program, including an expanded six-year capital improvement program, in order to meet existing and future surface water related requirements, and its other associated local and regional drainage obligations over the next six years. Methodology and Analysis The analysis of the City s SWM program was conducted in five steps or phases: Phase I Outline regulatory requirements, milestone dates, and investigate consequences for non-compliance. Phase II Document the City s existing SWM Program, describe capital facilities needs and current activities in terms of levels of staffing, funding and equipment. Phase III Locate and assess existing flooding problems, identify capital and maintenance needs, and form an updated SWM Capital Improvement Program (CIP) with established priorities, costs and schedule. Phase IV Identify gaps in the City s existing program in comparison to regulatory requirements and identify activities, staff levels and costs for full compliance; and Phase V Review funding options to finance needed enhancements to the City s stormwater program, and suggest a recommended funding strategy to successfully implement the recommended SWM Plan over the next six years. This SWM planning process was documented in a series of technical memoranda, with each step building upon the previous steps to develop a comprehensive analysis of the City s SWM Program. For example, the spreadsheet developed in Phase II to document the City s existing SWM program became the technical basis for the gap analysis in Phase IV, and the funding analysis in Phase V. The flow chart in Figure 2 shows the overall SWM planning process and the various technical memoranda products for each major task. City of Mountlake Terrace 3

Section 1 Project Overview Figure 2 Stormwater Program Analysis Process Summary of Approach, Results and Recommendations The City s intent throughout this planning process was to address both capital improvement program (CIP) project needs and to meet regulatory compliance and other SWM obligations. The results of the SWM needs assessment, or gap analysis, has indicated the need for additional funding through rate adjustments and/or loan proceeds. Three financial alternatives to fund SWM program activities and CIP projects were evaluated and presented to the City Council. Phase I SWM Regulatory Requirements The objective of Phase I, the review of SWM regulatory requirements, was to document the regulations and obligations that apply to the City. This analysis included identifying and summarizing the requirements, milestone due dates, reporting requirements and consequences of non-compliance. Applicable SWM regulations and obligations that were identified included requirements under the Permit, the PSWQMP, the Underground Injection Control Rule, the Endangered Species Act, WRIA #8 Salmon Conservation Plan, Water Quality Improvement Plans (TMDLs) for both Lake Ballinger and Swamp Creek, as well as the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed Forum. Findings The results of the Phase I analyses are documented in Technical Memorandum #1 as shown in Appendix A. City of Mountlake Terrace 4

Section 1 Project Overview Phase II City s Stormwater Management Program The objective of Phase II, the existing program review, was to document existing activities, services, staffing, and levels of funding in light of regulatory requirements and existing commitments. This analysis allowed the City to take credit for existing activities that meet the Clean Water Act s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II permit objectives and identify areas where new or enhanced activities are needed. The analysis is based on data and documents received from the City, the results of a Stormwater Questionnaire, interviews with the Stormwater Program Manager, and the criteria presented in the City s Permit, as issued by Ecology on January 17, 2007. Findings In reviewing the City s existing stormwater program, it is clear that the City has already taken significant steps to come into compliance with many of the aspects of the Permit requirements and its other regulatory obligations; however, the review also revealed many areas for enhancement. The results of Phase II are documented in Technical Memorandum #2 as shown in Appendix B. Phase III Stormwater Management Capital Needs Phase III, updating the Six Year CIP, was a five step process including: prioritization of existing CIP needs, field assessment of high priority problem areas, development of solutions, preparation of project cost estimates, and review and approval by the City. The City s Stormwater Program Manager provided Otak with a list of over thirty City identified problem areas for consideration for the City s CIP program. The list included recommended solutions for the eight highest priority projects. Otak reviewed the City recommended solutions, recommended modifications as needed, and prepared cost estimates for these top eight CIP projects. Project cost estimates included the estimated construction cost, engineering/legal/ administration, construction management, and permitting costs. Project priority and costs were then used to formulate a prioritized Six- Year CIP Program, which allowed annualized capital costs to be projected. Findings Results of the Phase III analysis are documented in the Capital Improvement Program Memo as shown in Appendix C. Phase IV Stormwater Gap Analysis Phase IV or the gap analysis, documents the City s existing SWM Program and compares it to the required activities, as described in the City s Permit and the City s other SWM related obligations, including CIP and program administration. The existing program was City of Mountlake Terrace 5

Section 1 Project Overview defined as the activities and staffing levels in place during the 2007 calendar year, as this is the most recent year with complete budget, staffing and cost data. During this phase of the analysis, the City was given credit for its current levels of staffing, funding, equipment, ordinances, and technical expertise in estimating how close the City is to fully implementing each required activity. Findings The resulting gap analysis identifies the strengths and shortfalls in the City s existing SWM program and identifies the additional activities and resources required for full compliance through 2014. Results are presented in a multi-year implementation plan that reflects the various permit due dates and ensures that the City meets its other regulatory obligations. Note that when the initial gap analysis was conducted, the timeline corresponded to that of the City s Permit. During the financial analysis, the City extended the timeline to 2014 to match its capital improvement planning. In order to develop regulatory compliance costs for 2012-2014, a five percent inflation factor was applied. The SWM Gap Analysis shows that the City s SWM Program currently performs many of the required activities. A number of new and/or expanded activities, however, will need to be undertaken over the next few years to achieve full compliance with regulatory obligations. The results of Phase IV are documented in Technical Memorandum #3 as shown in Appendix D. Phase V Stormwater Financial Plan The Phase V financial analysis looked at the adequacy of existing revenue sources by comparing projected future SWM Program costs to projected future SWM program revenues. Where a shortfall was projected, sources of additional revenue were evaluated and options developed for consideration by the City Council. This analysis was completed as a joint effort between Otak and City staff. Otak identified the additional funding needs for the City to be in compliance with the Permit and other regulations. (See Technical Memorandum #3 for additional details.) The City developed the financial analysis, including regrouping the program costs into the City s preferred budgeting categories, using a combination of loans and stormwater utility revenues. The City also modified the three financial options (and corresponding rate adjustments) developed by Otak by modifying the anticipated expenditures and adjusting the capital project implementation schedule. Findings Based on an evaluation of the three financial three options the City Council indicated a preference for option three, with loan proceeds and rate adjustments to support all regulatory compliance funding needs and additional CIP projects including television City of Mountlake Terrace 6

Section 1 Project Overview inspection of storm pipes, the Hall Creek Culvert Replacement Project, and Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed Forum regional coordination through 2014. This Preferred Option proposed a series of annual rate adjustments starting in 2009, culminating in the rate of $9.70/ERU/month in 2014. The results of Phase V are documented in Technical Memorandum #4, which presents all three financial options including associated loan proceeds and rate adjustments for each option for the six-year planning period (see Appendix E). City of Mountlake Terrace 7

Introduction Development of the City s SWM Plan As presented in Section 1, the development of the SWM Plan for the City of Mountlake Terrace followed five phases of analysis and evaluation: Phase I Regulatory Requirements Phase II City s Existing SWM Program Phase III Capital Needs Assessment Phase IV Program and Regulatory Gap Analysis Phase V Funding Analysis and Options The results of each phase of the planning analysis are presented below. Structure and Format of this Final Report This document is the final report and constitutes the City s Six Year Stormwater Comprehensive Plan. It has been intentionally written in Executive Summary type of format, with the technical documents appended to the back. Each activity, or phase, is presented below in a sequential format, as they were conducted during the SWM analysis and planning process. Specific internal reports, presented as a series of technical memoranda, and other SWM related products have been presented in the Appendices. Please refer to these documents for additional details. The four technical memoranda mentioned above are included as appendices to this report, along with the SWM Capital Improvement Program and the June 12, 2008 Power Point presentation to the City Council. A short overview of each phase of the SWM planning process and analysis is presented in Section 2, followed by the Results and Recommendations in Section 3, which includes the recommended SWM Plan, and a summary of the public involvement process in Section 4. Findings and Results Phase I Regulatory Requirements Objective: To review existing and future regulatory criteria, as well as regional and local responsibilities, in order to list and evaluate all the City s stormwater related obligations. Products: Technical Memorandum #1: Review of Stormwater Regulatory Requirements (see Appendix A.) City of Mountlake Terrace 8

Methodology and Approach: The first step in the SWM Program Analysis was to review the PSWQMP and Permit, and identify the required program activities and implementation milestones that the City would need to meet in order to be in compliance with federal and state laws. Cities with a Permit must meet various milestones and submit annual reports to Ecology showing compliance and documenting progress toward full implementation of the permit from 2007 through 2011, as shown in Figure 3. Note that for the purposes of this study, the City requested a six-year planning period. Figure 3 - NPDES Phase II Permit Requirements and Milestones As documented in Technical Memorandum #1, the requirements of the Permit and PSWQMP are similar. Many of the 14 elements of the PSWQMP overlap with one or more of the various Permit elements. However, there are four activities, including the identification and ranking of problems, watershed or basin planning, creation of adequate local funding, and SWM Program (SWMP) monitoring that are in addition to those of the Permit. These will require additional attention by the City and have been included in the following regulatory gap analysis, presented in Phase IV. The Permit is divided into 11 major individual SWMP elements, as shown in Table 1, with a total of 56 sub-elements on specific requirements. Each sub-element has its own requirements and milestones that are documented in the Regulatory Requirements and Milestone Dates spreadsheet presented in Technical Memorandum #1. In some cases, a single activity may cover requirements in multiple categories and these cases have been noted City of Mountlake Terrace 9

in the analysis. (Technical Memorandum #1 with the Regulatory Requirements Spreadsheet is attached to this document, as Appendix A.) Additional regulatory requirements and agreements beyond the PSWQMP and the Permit also affect the City s SWM Program. These include the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Rule, the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the WRIA #8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan, the Swamp Creek TMDL, the Lake Ballinger TMDL and the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum Regional Watershed Coordination. Requirements for these regulations and activities were incorporated into the spreadsheet as Other SWM Related Regulatory Requirements, as shown in Table 1. Table 1 Summary of SWM Related Regulatory Requirements Elements of City s SWM Program NPDES Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit 1. Public Education and Outreach 2. Public Involvement and Participation 3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination 4. Controlling Runoff from New Development, Redevelopment, and Construction Sites 5. Pollution Prevention and Operation and Maintenance for Municipal Operations 6. Program Implementation 7. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) 8. Monitoring 9. Swamp Creek TMDL 10. Lake Ballinger TMDL 11. Reporting Other SWM Related Regulatory Requirements 12. Underground Injection Control Rule 13. Endangered Species Act (ESA) 14. WRIA #8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan 15. Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan (PSWQMP) 18. Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum Regional Watershed Coordination* *Element added in Phase IV Findings and Results The results of the regulatory compliance analysis, included in Technical Memorandum #1, are presented in the form of a tabular listing along with an evaluation of each of the City s various regulatory requirements. A detailed description is included for each specific City of Mountlake Terrace 10

requirement of the NPDES II Permit and the PSWQMP, along with the other SWM-related obligations of the City. This list of Permit regulatory obligations were compared with the various SWM activities within the City s existing SWM Program, as documented in Phase II, and contrasted with the resulting needs or gap analysis presented in Phase III. Phase II City s Existing SWM Program Objective: To document and evaluate the City s existing SWM Program. Products: Technical Memorandum #2: Existing Surface Water Management Program (See Appendix B.) Methodology and Approach: Phase II in the SWM Program analysis documented all the existing activities the City is currently conducting related to surface water and stormwater. Initial information was collected through a kick-off meeting, site visit, and use of a Stormwater Questionnaire that was filled out by the City s Stormwater Program Manager. The City also supplied Otak with a substantial amount of information in response to its initial data request list. This included the City s biennial 2007/2008 budget, operations and maintenance practices, education program information, and stormwater utility information. Follow-up phone interviews were also conducted with the Stormwater Program Manager. The information collected, documenting the City s existing activities, was formatted and summarized according to the minimum requirements of the PSWQMP, Permit and other SWM obligations. Technical Memorandum #2 presents the results in the form of a narrative together with the Existing SWM Program Spreadsheet, and is attached to this Executive Summary document as Appendix B. A summary of the City s existing SWM Program, as reflected in the City s 2007 budget, is presented in Table 2. City of Mountlake Terrace 11

Table 2 Summary of City s Annual SWM Program: Activities, Costs, and Staffing 2007 SWM Program Amount FTE Operation and Maintenance $292,754 3.15 Lake Ballinger TMDL $5,000 0 WRIA #8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan $5,700 0 Capital Projects $505,567 0 Additional Activities (including SWM Program Overhead) $770,540* 1.25 Total $1,579,561 4.40 *Equipment Materials and Supplies: $183,143; Program Overhead: $158,381; Professional Services: $164,400; Administration: $145,589 City s Existing SWM Program Subsequent to the initial existing program analysis, and as part of the gap analysis, some of the administrative staff time was reallocated out of Additional Activities and redistributed across several other elements to better track costs and to reflect work performed by staff that was not specifically allocated by the budget for permit-related activities. In actuality, findings of the analysis of the City s existing SWM Program revealed that it was broader than the budget implied. The City s SWM Program was evaluated against the following elements and findings are summarized below: Public Education and Outreach Public Involvement and Participation Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Controlling Runoff from New Development, Redevelopment, and Construction Sites Pollution Prevention and Operation and Maintenance for Municipal Operations Program Implementation Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Monitoring Swamp Creek TMDL Lake Ballinger TMDL Reporting Underground Injection Control Rule Endangered Species Act (ESA) WRIA #8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan (PSWQMP) Capital Projects Additional Activities Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum Regional Watershed Coordination The current level of staffing includes 4.40 FTE, including 0.10 FTE in Administration, 0.15 FTE for Public Works Director, 1.0 FTE for the Stormwater Program Manager, and 3.15 City of Mountlake Terrace 12

FTE in Maintenance Crews. Figure 4 is the City s organization chart relative to the SWM Program. For this analysis, one FTE equals one full time staff equivalent at 2080 hours per year. Public Education and Outreach The City is actively participating in public education and has a voluntary water quality monitoring program for Lake Ballinger. At this time, these costs are small and were incorporated into administrative costs. These two programs are major strengths of the City s existing stormwater program. Public Involvement and Participation Public involvement and outreach programs are vital to the success of stormwater management and compliance with the new Permit requirements. There is an increasing realization that government programs with limited resources cannot do the job alone and that citizens share the responsibility of finding, funding, and implementing solutions to local stormwater problems. It is important to keep the public informed about program goals, objectives, priorities, available resources and strategies. Currently, the City relies on such groups as the Lake Ballinger Community Association for public involvement relating to water quantity and water quality issues at the lake. City staff have attended meetings between stormwater managers of the five cities in the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed and have also attended public meetings held to discuss lake related issues. Public input has been through the public comment phase of the meetings. The City may want to create broader citizen opportunities for input into the Surface Water Management Program development and implementation. In addition, the City is addressing its NPDES Permit requirements to make its Surface Water Management Plan and Annual Report available to the public on its web site. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination While the City has taken steps to address illicit discharges through its drainage ordinance in the Mountlake Terrace Municipal Code (MTMC), it will likely need to build upon its existing regulation and activities to create a more comprehensive program of illicit discharge detection and elimination. Permit requirements explicitly identify mapping that the City will need to complete in addition to what they have already accomplished for the conveyance system and facility mapping. An on-going program needs to be developed to detect and address illicit connections that include procedures for locating priority areas, field assessment activities, source tracking and removal, education, records management and program evaluation. City of Mountlake Terrace 13

Figure 4 City of Mountlake Terrace Organization Chart Citizens Council City Manager City Attorney City Clerk Administrative Services Director Development Services Director Engineering Services Director Recreation and Park Director Public Works Director 0.10 FTE Financial Services Manager Civil Engineer Civil Engineer Administrative Assistant 0.15 FTE Public Works Supervisor 0.15 FTE Stormwater Program Manager 1.0 FTE - Information Services - Human Resources - Accounting Development Review - CIP - Construction Inspection - City Code Enforcement Maintenance Worker II 1.0 FTE Maintenance Worker II 1.0 FTE - Spill Response - TMDLS - Surface Water Management Plan - System Mapping - Public Education Total 4.40 FTEs Maintenance Worker II 1.0 FTE - System Maintenance - Illicit Discharge H:\project\31000\31088\Reports\Executive Summary\Final\Figure 4 City of Mountlake Terrace Organization Chart.doc

Controlling Runoff from New Development, Redevelopment, and Construction Sites The City has a well-developed program for controlling stormwater runoff from new development, redevelopment and construction sites that addresses plan review, inspection and maintenance through the Community Development and Engineering Services Departments. Because the cost of development review is covered by the City s permit fee structure, there is no cost to the SWM Program for this function. The existing program meets the Permit requirements and the technical requirements of Ecology s 2005 Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington. However, the City may need to review its development review and permitting procedures to ensure they address all necessary requirements, including adequate record keeping for inspection and maintenance activities. Pollution Prevention and Operation and Maintenance for Municipal Operations The City has a well-developed Operations and Maintenance program for stormwater infrastructure that includes street sweeping, catchbasin cleaning, spot checks after minor and major storm events, and facility maintenance. In 2001, a SWM operation and maintenance (O&M) plan was developed. An update is pending and will include the City s new public stormwater facilities. The maintenance program for stormwater infrastructure accounts for roughly 19 percent of the 2007 existing SWM Program costs. Operations and Maintenance staff include a Stormwater Lead Worker, two Maintenance crew members and a portion of the Stormwater Program Coordinator; it is funded at $292,754 and annually spends 6,552 hours on stormwater-related maintenance activities, representing a total of 3.15 FTE. Program Implementation The City has made strides towards meeting program implementation requirements. The City will need to formalize a SWM tracking program and may wish to consider coordination with other local permittees to reduce future staffing and equipment costs. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) The City currently has two specific water quality related standards that it must address. A water quality standard, as defined in a TMDL for fecal coliform has been developed for Swamp Creek, as discussed below in the following Swamp Creek TMDL element. A TMDL for phosphorous for Lake Ballinger has also been developed and was issued by Ecology in 1993. However, because this TMDL is not specifically listed in Appendix 2 of the City s Permit, compliance with the Permit constitutes compliance with this TMDL. Please see the following Lake Ballinger TMDL element for details. City of Mountlake Terrace 15

Monitoring The City has historically not conducted monitoring, other than its volunteer sampling program on Lake Ballinger. (See the following Lake Ballinger TMDL element for details.) Recently, however, to address the requirements of the Swamp Creek TMDL, the City now collects a few fecal coliform samples on a monthly basis. Swamp Creek TMDL The 2006 Swamp Creek Fecal Coliform Bacteria TMDL Water Quality Improvement Report and Implementation Plan emphasize pollution source control activities, the development of a Bacterial Pollution Control Plan and water quality monitoring. The City of Mountlake Terrace and the City of Brier have agreed to cooperate on water quality monitoring necessary for the Swamp Creek TMDL. This agreement allows for shared costs to accomplish required water quality sampling and analysis. Sampling consists of a few monthly grab samples at locations along the Creek previously approved by Ecology. Lake Ballinger TMDL and Watershed Forum DOE established a TMDL for phosphorous in Lake Ballinger in 1993. Recent DOE studies have confirmed that the Lake is now meeting load allocations. The City will continue to monitor the health of the Lake, in conjunction with Snohomish County through the Lake Ballinger Volunteer Sampling Program. The City has budgeted $5,000 in 2007 for water quality monitoring in Lake Ballinger. In addition, stormwater representatives from Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline, Lynnwood and Edmonds, and the City of Lake Forest Park are actively engaged in regional cooperation on water quality issues in the greater Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek drainage through the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed Forum. Underground Injection Control Rule There are currently no publicly owned infiltration facilities in Mountlake Terrace and opportunities for infiltration are limited in the City. This Rule, therefore has little applicability to the City. Endangered Species Act (ESA) and WRIA #8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan The City has been participating in the planning effort for WRIA #8 salmon recovery planning. As a third tier city with no Chinook habitat areas, however, there are no on-theground projects expected by the Stormwater Division in the near term. The City will continue its existing land use review and permitting process, and public outreach and education activities. The City practices the use of organic fertilizers, mulching when possible on turf areas and maintenance of healthy soils in park and open space areas. Recommended City of Mountlake Terrace 16

stormwater management actions are expected to be addressed through the Permit program and the City s associated permit requirements. Salmon recovery planning identified for 2007 totals $5,700. Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan (PSWQMP) The majority of the required stormwater management activities of the PSWQMP are expected to be addressed through the Permit requirements. While there is significant overlap between the Permit and the PSWQMP, there are additional requirements in the PSWQMP for watershed planning, monitoring, and funding. Currently, the City is participating in watershed planning through the WRIA #8 and the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed Forum. The City will, however, need to develop a trend monitoring strategy to measure program effectiveness. Funding for this has been included in this stormwater management planning process. Existing Capital Improvement Projects/Flooding Problems The City has an ongoing Capital Improvement Program (CIP). CIP expenses identified for 2007 totaling $505,567 are funded out of Fund #419 for Engineering Services ($70,567), Storm System ($25,000), Stormwater Repair Prior to Overlay ($22,500), Lake Ballinger Watershed and Water Quality ($50,000), Reroute Storm Lines ($47,500), Replace Storm Lines ($235,000), New Storm Installations ($50,000) and Fund 412-9999 for Engineering Services Map Record Systems ($5,000). Capital improvement projects account for roughly 32 percent of the 2007 SWM Program costs. The City has experienced flooding at a few locations within its stormwater conveyance system during small to moderate storm events. On December 2 and 3, 2007, flooding occurred in many low lying areas of the Lake Ballinger watershed, causing multiple street closures. At least three homes were flooded on Lake Ballinger and six properties were flooded on Hall Creek between Lake Ballinger and 220 th Street SW during this major storm event. Capital improvement enhancements are needed to address these conveyance capacity deficiencies. The City s Six-Year capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was recently updated and prioritized by Otak to address these deficiencies. It currently includes fourteen projects, which have a cost estimate of about $2.3M. (See Phase III-Capital Needs Assessment, presented in Appendix C for discussion on the CIP including project descriptions and a CIP location map). Additional Activities (Including SWM Program Overhead) Additional activities include equipment, materials and supplies, program overhead, professional services, interlocal agreements and program administration as described below. Additional activities costs account for about 49 percent of the City s 2007 SWM Program. City of Mountlake Terrace 17

(Note that in the existing program summary, staff time for these activities is included in Additional Activities under Program Administration as is reflected here. However, in the subsequent gap analysis, staff time has been redistributed from Program Administration into the various specific program elements to give the City credit for program activities that were not allocated funds in the 2007 SWM Program Budget.) In terms of equipment, the City of Mountlake Terrace owns two pick-up trucks, one regenerative air sweeper, a portion of a vacation truck, dump trucks, rotary mower, utility van, riding mower, cement mixer, joint pick-up truck, three utility trailers, backhoe, front end loader, dump trucks, and air compressors. Maintenance and rental for SWM related activities are provided through the Equipment Rental Department with funding from the Stormwater Division of Public Works. SWM equipment maintenance and repair, equipment rental charges, small items of equipment and small tools costs for these items, as identified in the City s 2007 Budget, total $183,143. Program overhead identified in the 2007 Budget also includes such items as office supplies, insurance, billing administration and information technology, fees, taxes and assessments, and totals $158,381. Professional Services identified in the 2007 Budget includes this Stormwater Comprehensive Plan Update, GIS consulting, regulatory compliance contracting work, and totals $164,400. Program administration identified in the 2007 Budget includes administrative support and employee salaries and benefits for 1.25 FTE, comprised of the Public Works Director (0.15 FTE), Administrative Assistant (0.10 FTE), and Stormwater Program Manager (1.0 FTE), and totals $145,589. Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum Regional Watershed Coordination The City actively participates in on-going regional coordination regarding the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed. In July 2008, the City adopted an Interlocal Agreement with five other local governments establishing an official Lake Ballinger/McAleer Watershed Forum. The Forum s current focus is to conduct a joint study into the control and management of lake levels and any associated downstream impacts. Water quality, habitat enhancement and the management of peak flows are also included in the regional effort. Annual Budget and Annual Revenues SWM Utility Rates and Stormwater Capital Improvement Fees: The majority of the funding for the stormwater fund comes from two primary sources, the stormwater utility fees charged to all residents and businesses and the stormwater capital improvement fees charged to all new City of Mountlake Terrace 18

development at the rate of $245 per ERU. The utility was established in 2000, and in 2005, the rate was adjusted to $69.96 annually ($5.83/ERU/month) for single family residences, or equivalent residential unit (ERU). For commercial properties the rate is determined by applying the appropriate runoff contribution factor to each ERU based on the percentage imperviousness on the property. Annual Revenue: An estimate of annual revenues was calculated based on the information provided in the 2007 budget information. The total annual revenue generated from utility rates and capital improvement fees was projected to be $890,328. This estimated amount of annual utility revenue together with investment interest of $31,728 and $1,500 in estimated other revenue provides a total of $923,611 to fund the City s 2007 SWM operating and capital needs, in addition to the existing SWM fund balance, which totals an additional $508,549. Findings and Results The Phase II analysis showed that: The City s current SWM utility rate of $5.83/ERU/month brings in about $891K in annual revenue, and is dedicated to the funding the City s annual SWM Program. The current level of staffing includes 4.40 FTE, including 0.10 FTE in Administration, 0.15 FTE for the Public Works Director, 1.0 FTE for the Stormwater Program Manager, and 3.15 FTE in Maintenance Crews. The City s current major program strengths are in the areas of: public education and outreach, storm system mapping, controlling runoff from new development, maintenance activities, capital improvement program, Lake/Ballinger McAleer Creek regional watershed coordination, Swamp Creek and Lake Ballinger TMDL compliance, and salmon recovery planning. Areas that need enhancement include: public involvement and participation, monitoring, illicit discharge detection and elimination, training, program tracking and record keeping. The amount and cost of needed CIP in 2007 is $506K and will depend on the City s ability to manage internal design and construction of projects on an annual basis. SWM Staff allocated for CIP support is included under administration. Existing program challenges include: and expanding CIP needs versus available funding, meeting and funding of Permit regulatory requirements, and coordination required to support the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek regional watershed planning efforts. City of Mountlake Terrace 19

Phase III Capital Needs Assessment Objective: To update the City s list of capital facility needs, identify new projects, define/update costs, and establish funding, design and construction priorities and schedule. Products: Six-Year Capital Improvement Program Memorandum (See Appendix C) Methodology and Approach Capital Needs Assessment During large storm events, Lake Ballinger lakeside homes flood, causing costly damage to homeowners. On December 2 and 3, 2007, flooding occurred in many low lying areas of the Lake Ballinger watershed, causing multiple street closures. At least three homes were flooded on Lake Ballinger and six properties were flooded on Hall Creek between Lake Ballinger and 220 th Street SW during this storm event. The Lake reached an elevation of 280.6 feet, a record high since 1981. (The normal lake level is set by a weir in the outlet of the lake, which is set at 277.6 feet in the summer and at 276.5 feet in the winter.) The City recognizes that capital improvement enhancements are needed to address the conveyance capacity deficiencies that contribute to flooding in Lake Ballinger and Hall Creek. As part of the SWM planning process, the City s CIP needs were reviewed and evaluated and an updated Six-Year CIP Program was formulated. The CIP projects were aimed at eliminating or significantly reducing flooding problems within the City boundaries, which occur on a frequent, if not annual, basis. Otak conducted qualitative field assessments of eight problem areas selected by the City. The City provided Otak with recommended modifications and solutions, Otak prepared project cost estimates for these top eight prioritized CIP projects. Each project was analyzed to determine available alternatives to correct identified problems and to identify the most appropriate solution in terms of function, cost, and short-term effects on the public during construction. Project cost estimates included the estimated design and construction costs, engineering/legal/administration, construction management, and permitting costs. The project cost estimates were reviewed and approved by the City. Findings and Results In addition to the eight high priority CIP projects, six additional projects from the City s earlier CIP list were included in the updated Six-Year CIP Program. The City provided the City of Mountlake Terrace 20

cost estimates for projects #1, and #9 through #14. The City s fourteen CIP projects are listed in Table 3 below. The general project locations are shown in Figure 4. Table 3 SWM Updated Capital Improvement Program Summary CIP Priority # CIP Project Title Estimated Project Cost 1 1 230 th Street SW at Hall Creek $300,000 2 46 th Ave SWN between 239 th St. SW and 242 nd St. SW Conveyance $423,900 3 52 nd Place W and 53 rd Place W at 216 th Street SW Conveyance $347,300 4 228 th Street at 40 th Avenue W Pipe Replacement $246,500 5 236 th at Lakeview Drive Replace Pipe Damaged by Root Intrusion $48,000 6 224 th Street SW at 60 th Avenue W (Reroute Conveyance) $89,100 7 46 th Avenue between 222 nd and 223 rd Street SW conveyance $182,600 8 238 th Street SW between 54 th and 55 th Avenue W $94,900 9 Install Decant Facility at the Mountlake Terrace/Lynnwood Joint Public $28,000 Works Facility 10 Hall Creek at 213 th Place W repair rockery adjacent to Hall Creek at Sellen $100,000 Construction Site 11 236 th Street SW at 65 th Avenue W replace line with root damage and pipe $234,000 separation 12 223 rd Street SW between 39 th Avenue W and 37 th Avenue W Install new $85,000 storm line 13 68 th Place W at 225 th Street SW Replace failing pipe on easement between $64,000 private homes 14 221 st Street SW at 42 nd Place W Reroute existing conveyance pipes between $41,000 homes Total Cost of Six-Year CIP Program $2,284,300 1 City provided cost estimate for this CIP. FEMA is doing a cost analysis for this project. City of Mountlake Terrace 21

212Th St SW Hall Lake Larch Way 2008 Capital Improvement Projects City of Mountlake Terrace Hwy 99 Hall Creek 73Rd Pl W 66Th Ave W 13 10 9 220Th St SW 5 6 3 52Nd Ave W Lyon Creek 48Th Ave W 7 44Th Ave W 4 Tributary to Swamp Creek 14 220Th St SW 228Th St SW Legend CIPLocations Basin Boundary Streams CityBoundary Parcel Boundary 1 236Th 58Th Ave W Cedar Way S 5 11 56Th Ave W 236Th St SW 8 12 1,000 500 0 1,000 Feet Lake Ballinger McAleer Creek 2 244Th St SW NE 205Th St Cedar Way Lyon Creek Date: August 2008 Disclaimer: The information shown in this map is assembled GIS data acquired from local government and private agencies. Otak is not responsible for the accuracy of this data. K:\project\31000\31088\GIS\mxds\CIPLocations.mxd

Phase IV Program and Regulatory Gap Analysis Objective: To list, compare/contrast, and evaluate the City s existing SWM Program (presented in Technical Memorandum #2) with the Regulatory Obligations (summarized in Technical Memorandum #1) and conduct a Program and Regulatory Gap Analysis in order to detect discrepancies identify future SWM needs, priorities, and costs and develop an implementation plan for 2008 to 2011. Products: Technical Memorandum #3 was developed using 2007 as the baseline for the existing program summary and the planning period was correlated with the 5-year cycle of the Permit (2007-2012). Note that in the following financial analysis (Technical Memorandum #4), the base line was shifted to 2008 and the planning period extended to six years (2009-2014) to better serve the City s needs and coincide with its updated Six Year CIP. Technical Memorandum #3: Stormwater Management Program Gap Analysis. (See Appendix D.) Methodology and Approach Programmatic Needs Assessment Phase IV the most significant step in the SWM Program analysis was to compare the City s existing stormwater activities to those required by the PSWQMP and the Permit. In conducting this analysis, gaps in the existing program were identified and additional SWM activities and resources were estimated for compliance. For each SWM Program Element, the required staff time was estimated and converted to full time equivalents (FTEs), according to the average staff benefits provided by the City. Equipment or material costs were added, as needed, to the labor cost to estimate the total program cost over the planning period. In addition to the Permit requirements documented in Technical Memorandum #1, the program gap analysis described in Technical Memorandum #3 also accounts for additional regulatory and non-regulatory activities which will be required for a successful SWM Program throughout the City. The additional regulatory elements include UIC compliance, ESA requirements, and commitments for the WRIA Plan, and the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed Forum coordination. City of Mountlake Terrace 23

For this analysis, the City s SWM Program was divided into 18 major elements: Elements #1-#11 are based on the Permit requirements. The requirements are outlined in detail in Technical Memorandum #1. Elements #11-#15, and #18 relate to other regulations, such as the UIC Rule, PSWQMP, Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum regional watershed coordination etc., that may affect the SWM Program. Element #16 documents the City s Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) costs and staff support required for implementation. Element #17 is entitled Additional Activities (City-Specific) and includes purchases and activities that are needed at the local level to implement a successful SWM Program. This element addresses executive support, insurance, utility overhead, repairs and maintenance. As part of the gap analysis process, the annual Phase II and Cedarway Dam Permit fees were also added into this element. In some program areas, such as Public Education and Outreach, the City is close to full compliance. In other areas, such as Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, and Pollution Prevention, additional resources are needed to implement the activities and achieve the milestones in the Phase II Permit, as described in Technical Memorandum #3. Technical Memorandum #3 summarizes the annual staffing and funding needs in each category and includes an extensive Stormwater Management Program Gap Analysis and Costs spreadsheet with detailed descriptions, milestones, staffing needs, and costs for each program element over the term of the Permit. Based on this detailed analysis, the total SWM annual funding and staffing needs are summarized in Table 4. Table 4 Results of the SWM Regulatory and Program Gap Analysis Total SWM Program Costs (rounded, in thousands) Program Categories 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total Staffing Level (FTE) 4.40 4.60 5.19 4.65 4.62 Regulatory Program Activities $335 $449 $567 $490 $495 $2,336 CIP $1,360 $206 $361 $380 $359 $2,666 Additional Activities $494 $505 $462 $444 $461 $2,366 Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Forum $23 $74 $75 $75 $76 $323 Totals $2,212 $1,234 $1,465 $1,389 $1,391 $7,691 City of Mountlake Terrace 24