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Home My WebLink About2017-11-16 Stormwater Management Oversight Committee Summary Minutes Storm Water Management Oversight Committee 1 MINUTES: Thursday, November 16, 2017 Special Meeting Community Meeting Room 1:00 PM Committee Members Present: David Bower, Peter Drekmeier, Marilyn Keller, Hal Mickelson, Dena Mossar, Bob Wenzlau, Richard Whaley Committee Members Absent: None Staff Present: Maybo AuYeung, Phil Bobel, Pam Boyle-Rodriguez, Shari Carlet, Rajeev Hada, Michel Jeremias, Karin North, Julie Weiss, Call to Order: 1:04pm Oral Communications: None New Business Phil Bobel started the meeting. This is the first meeting of the newly established Stormwater Management Oversight Committee. This Committee is responsible to review the previous fiscal year’s expenditures of the Stormwater Management Fund, to review the next fiscal year’s proposed budget, and to provide oversight on the programs funded by the Stormwater Management Fees. 1. Introduction of Committee Members and Staff Members Each committee member introduced themselves on their background, interests, and past experiences in stormwater management: Marilyn Keller – Served on the board of Canopy and City of Palo Alto Utility Advisory Commission. Richard Whaley – Served on the Storm Drain Oversight Committee, especially interested in South Palo Alto drainage plan and the fund budget. 2 November 16, 2017 David Bower – Served on the Storm Drain Oversight Committee and the Stormwater Ballot Measure Campaign Committee. Most interested in increasing number of filtration systems and bulb outs throughout the city. Dena Mossar – Served on City Council. Reason of joining the committee is to represent the public to oversee the city in spending money properly. Peter Drekmeier – Works for the Tuolumne River Trust, served on the Storm Drain Oversight Committee. Interested in Groundwater, Indirect Potable reuse of purified water, especially interested in Green Stormwater Infrastructures. Bob Wenzlau – Environmental Engineer, Chair of the Stormwater Ballot Measure Campaign Committee. Interested and participated in discussion on basement dewatering issue, shallow groundwater system in Palo Alto, balancing in-flow and out-flow of groundwater and stormwater by developing metrics, current hardscape in the city by tracking in GIS the trending of Green Stormwater Infrastructures, comparing cost on infiltrating water and dewatering. Wenzlau also shared the Mexico City rooftop rainwater purification system for drinking water with the committee. Hal Mickelson - Served on the Storm Drain Oversight Committee. Impressed by the Southgate project where GSI is applied to area with no previous storm drain system. Special interest in Fund budgeting, Municipal budget and finances in general, also suggested meetings on special topic as such. Phil Bobel mentioned this oversight committee will have more frequent meetings throughout the year, to involve different special topics and established sub committees if needed. Staff members introduced themselves on their responsibilities, a separate document referencing the details is available online. 2. Update on Green Stormwater Infrastructure Framework Drekmeier asked about the involvement of the committee on the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan. Bobel mentioned the Plan is not due till 2019, and Pam Boyle-Rodriguez is the lead on this task and prepared a presentation. Boyle-Rodriguez presented on GSI: - Regulator is requiring municipalities to transition from Gray infrastructure to Green infrastructure - GSI can include built-in overflow where excess stormwater can flow to nearby stormdrain 3 November 16, 2017 - Southgate project is a green neighborhood project, and received an award from APWA on site design. - First Green Street in Palo Alto is planned to start construction in spring at the Charleston/Arastradero Road project, incorporating curb cut with GSI, landscaping, pedestrian and bike lane etc. This project is one of the Safe Routes to School, and embraced by the federal highway administration because of the community benefits while incorporating GSI. - The Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (MRP) is what Palo Alto need to comply in, it provides guidelines to ensure stormwater is the only thing going down the storm drain. - A GSI Framework was completed by staff in 2017. A GSI Plan has to be completed in 2019. - Permit requires municipalities to o Identify funding mechanism and legal/implementation mechanism o Identify baseline and impervious surface area reduction target for 2020/2030/2040 - (Jeremias) GSI is an inter-departmental interest, which is not driven only by Public Works but Transportation and other groups, they turn to us for suggestions and guidelines in GSI. - By installing GSI of certain size, the city could receive credits in reducing PCB and mercury. - The GSI plan has to be approved by City Council by 6/30/2019, and submitted to the State board by 9/30/2019. - Staff will involve the committee in the process of creating the GSI plan and welcome input from the public. - A planning meeting is scheduled in January with consultants and staff. Question raised and other discussion during presentation: 1. Drekmeier: How does Southgate look today during the storm event? Carlet: There are bioretention features at Southgate, there is some ponding and overflow, the system is designed for filtration, and for overflow to spill out into the next system in a series that follow the gutter flow. 2. Whaley: Is Mariposa flooded today? Carlet: There is no GSI feature installed, staff did not visit Mariposa. 3. Wenzlau: What is maintenance of bioretention like? Carlet: Leaves debris is a main reason that causes flooding, Park’s landscaping contractor maintains the sites twice a month by vacuuming leaves and sweeping permeable paver. 4. Bower: What is considered early implementation of GSI? Carlet: Southgate and Charleston/Arastradero are pre-GSI plan projects, they are considered early implementation. 4 November 16, 2017 5. Wenzlau: Is lead a priority pollutant from streets and stormwater? Boyle-Rodriguez: Not according to the MRP permit, MRP identified PCB, mercury, trash, pesticide, and sediment. Lead and other heavy metal is not showing up in large quantity in the bay the same way as the other pollutants. As we monitor the GSI features installed, heavy metal will be monitored 6. Claire Elliot (Public comment): Grassroot ecology received SCC water District grant to put in low tech small scale GSI projects. Funding for maintenance of GSI however is an ongoing challenge. 7. Drekmeier suggested to include staff from other workgroups to committee meetings to identify opportunities for GSI in future CIP, and use part of the fee revenue to help fund these features if applicable. Jeremias: Staff is already working with other groups (streets, transportation, planning) to implement and provide guidelines in how to include GSI in future projects. Bobel/North: Open to inviting city staff to committee meetings to hear member’s suggestions and concerns; while committee members could also attend city staff meeting to provide input for the GSI plan drafts. 8. Wenzlau: What is the scope of GSI implementation requirements for private land and city land? Boyle-Rodriguez: The GSI plan requires all development or redevelopment projects that are at least 10,000 sq. ft. on both public and private land to install GSI features. As a City, we can change these standards in our city’s GSI plan to include more sites by requiring GSI at smaller sites after further research and discussions. Hada commented on some redevelopment sites smaller than 10,000 sq. ft. have included GSI features to mitigate the quantity of runoff after redevelopment. 3. Update on Current and Planned Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Projects Michel Jeremias updated the committee regarding the Matadero Pump Station project which is the last project of the old Storm Drain Fee. Jeremias showed a map of the Pump station and pictures of the completed wet well, the existing pump, the electrical building built and the generator put in place. The site built below the FEMA base flood elevation, therefore this project is also to raise the structure. Rajeev Hada explained that the structure is being built based on future FEMA map draft on base flood elevation, however we have not received the final version from FEMA at this time. Maybo AuYeung provided background on the current Stormwater Management Fee, where the current fee at $13.65 provides funding for two components (1) Base components for engineering, maintenance and repair, 5 November 16, 2017 existing debt services, etc., and (2) Projects and Infrastructure components for projects, green infrastructures, etc. 13 projects were listed in the Ballot Measure and a map illustrating the locations of the projects is available online. Wenzlau asked about the color legends on the map, are they all identified to be at the same priority level. Jeremias explained that the 13 projects listed are the critical projects that we need to proceed with. Bobel added that, the first 4 CIPs are among those projects identified as high priority, and a few other low priority projects did not make the list. Wenzlau suggested to compare the full list from the Storm master plan to the selected projects listed on the ballot. Staff explained the 4 projects are selected to start at an earlier stage based on locations (low point area along Adobe creek) and the funding available, for which they are prioritized at the same level. 4. Election of Committee Chairperson and Vice Chairperson Dena Mossar moved to nominate Hal Mickelson to be the committee Chair. Peter Drekmeier seconded. All in Favor. Chair Mikelson asked if anyone wishes to be the Vice Chair, Mossar said yes. Bower asked Wenzlau if he is interested, Wenzlau rejected. David Bower nominated Dena Mossar to be Committee Vice Chair. Richard Whaley seconded. All in Favor. Adjournment: 2:20pm by Chair Mickelson