HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-07 Stormwater Management Oversight Committee Summary Minutes2 October 7, 2021
Stormwater Management
Oversight Committee
Minutes
Thursday, October 7, 2021
1 pm to 3 pm
Special Meeting
****BY VIRTUAL TELECONFERENCE ***
https://zoom.us/join Meeting ID: 990 9847 5635 Phone: 1(669)9006833
Pursuant to the provisions of California Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20,
issued on March 17, 2020, to prevent the spread of Covid-19, this meeting
will be held by virtual teleconference only, with no physical location.
Agenda posted in accordance Government Code Section 54954.2(a) or
54956.
Committee Members Present: Catherine Perman, David Bower, Hal Mickelson, Dena
Mossar, Marilyn Keller, Bob Wenzlau
Committee Members Absent: Ron Owes
Staff Present:
Karin North, Pam Boyle Rodriguez, Michel Jeremias, Vicki Thai, Rajeev Hada, Jamie
Perez, Loretta Olmos
PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public who wish to participate by computer or phone can find
the instructions at the end of this agenda. To ensure participation in a
particular item, we suggest calling in or connecting online 15 minutes before
the item you wish to speak on.
Call to Order (5 min)
• Mickelson: Call to order at 1:06 PM.
Oral Communications (5 min)
Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda. A
reasonable time restriction may be imposed at the discretion of the
Committee Chair.
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• No public comment.
Old Business (5 min)
1. Approval of Minutes from the June 3, 2021 Stormwater Management
Oversight Committee Meeting (5 min)
A. Keller: Two minor corrections.
B. Mossar: Move to approve minutes with changes incorporated.
i. Seconded by Mickelson.
ii. No objections. Minutes approved.
New Business (90 min)
2. Staff Update on CIP Projects (25 min)
A. Jeremias: Review of current 2017 Ballot Measure CIP projects and
progress on upcoming projects.
B. Loma Verde Ave project completed and three other projects
(Corporation Way & E Bayshore, W Bayshore & Fabian Capacity
Upgrades, W Bayshore & Fabian Pump Station) currently in
progress. Planning and prioritization of projects affected by location
and section of the storm drain system. Construction may be
completed in segments for these projects. Additional outside factors
include funding and construction costs.
a. This is a pay-as-you-go project. We believe we will be able to
fund these projects but it is a matter of timing and it may
extend beyond the 15 years of the ballot measure.
b. We have borrowed money in the past and are paying that
back in the current ballot measure. Some constraints have to
do with staff capacity, don’t have enough staff to complete all
the projects at once. Projects are staggered.
C. Jeremias: Overview and highlight of recurring projects are included
in the Storm Drainage System Replacement and Rehabilitation
Project. Projects to improve flow to outfalls, pump stations, etc. in a
rainfall event.
D. Hada: Update on Corporation Way and West Bayshore Road Pump
Stations and System Upgrades including acquiring easement from
Google to install pump station facilities on their property for these
projects.
a. Comment regarding getting easement from Google it is not
that unusual, depends on the project. If project is located in
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public right-of-way, no easement is required. For some
infrastructure projects that affect adjacent properties, the City
has acquired temporary easements in the past. It happens
with Utilities more often for example with transformers
located on private properties because they can’t be out in the
street.
b. Pump stations, and all City systems and facilities, are
designed for a 10-year storm. A 100-year storm and when we
talk about sea level rise, that is beyond the capacity of the
system. Since it’s a wet utility, don’t have to worry about
flooding as much. The components of this facility will be
elevated and raised to meet the elements of 100-year flood
event. As far as actual pump capacity, we are adding
redundancy in these pumps. For example, assuming sea level
rise and/or a flooding event were to happen, these pumps
would run continuously and would be alternated on and off.
c. Adobe Creek appears to drain into the basin that has tidal
gates. With climate change and sea level rise, we’re talking
about a basin that is already separated or controlled against
sea level rise. Could you clarify the hydraulic model of Adobe
Creek given setting it drains into? It takes in a lot of flows
from Palo Alto and probably Mountain View and other creeks
and drains into the flood basin. There’s a separate project
with the Army Corps and Valley Water related to sea level rise
and potential levee alternative designs to protect flood basin
from flooding and therefore protecting neighbors in Palo Alto.
For Adobe Creek, during typical storm event, flows drain into
basin, basin has shut tide gates that keep bay waters out.
When bay water recedes during low tide, tide gates naturally
through gravity allow flows collected to drain into the bay.
E. Thai: Overview of and project updates for Storm Drain Replacement
and Rehabilitation, 13 different locations for pipe replacements and
lining. The main purpose of project is to preserve and improve
integrity of storm system and keep it running. Because project is
not centrally located, planning methods for public outreach and
communication. In process of approving construction contracts.
a. Anytime you cut into the street a street cut fee is required.
Based on the trench width of project.
b. Jeremias: For some projects with street resurfacing, we may
be able to get by with a temporary asphalt pavement on top
of the trench that would last up to 2-3 years, then the streets
group would use the money we give to them to restore the
entire width of the street versus us restoring the trench. The
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street cut fee has number of factors including we might be
cutting into a recently paved road or cutting into a road to be
resurfaced entirely in the future, and those fees from us and
other groups will go into paying for those restorations.
c. The project is funded by the stormwater fund. The
Stormwater Management Fund is broken into different pieces.
This is about a third of the ballot measure funding for
rehab/replacement. The money accumulates and we spend it
when we have enough funds or as needed for projects that
are higher priority.
d. Budget review will occur in a future meeting
F. North: City Council decided all meetings could be virtual until
January 1st. Potential for SWMOC to continue meeting virtually in
the future.
a. Mickelson: Are there any objections to continuing to meet on
a virtual basis in the future?
b. No objections.
3. Staff Update on GSI Implementation Project and Field Visit Site Findings
(30 min)
A. Boyle Rodriguez: We have kicked off implementation of the GSI
Plan. Overview of work with consultants and next steps for GSI Plan
for next few months.
B. Havens: Introduction of Geosyntec consulting team working with
the City.
C. Constantinescu: Introduction of LWA consulting team working with
the City.
D. Havens: Overview of GSI types and presentation of visuals of GSI
installations and inspirations.
a. Mickelson: In gray model, you are capturing the water to put
it in system to be applied to gray water uses; in green
stormwater it’s going back into the soil and potentially back in
the stormwater control system we have?
b. Havens: Yes, typically we think of gray stormwater
infrastructure as the pipe network that takes water off the
street that lets it flow away from areas that could flood.
Typically no capture for water reuse or treatment, sometimes
there will be gray storage or detention to allow for some flood
management. With green stormwater infrastructure, there is
vegetation and soil focusing on the water quality and benefits.
The water is filtered through the process to remove oil or
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other urban pollutants.
c. Mickelson: If we made no changes to the way we thought
about this 10 years ago, did we have a gray system?
d. Havens: May have been some GSI pre-10 years ago but
there’s been quite a bit more implemented over the past 10
years and hopefully still more to come.
e. North: Yes, previous traditional method was through gray
water systems. Pipes underground with capture systems
getting water out of streets to avoid flooding and ponding.
Now with new regulatory requirements, we need to remove
pollutants out of the water.
E. Havens: Overview of tasks in progress as part of 3-year GSI Plan
implementation project scope.
a. Wenzlau: Hope that as deliverables can be shared in private
sector projects to help/benefit commercial and residential
development.
b. Boyle Rodriguez: Yes, we are looking at sharing handbook
and maintenance monitoring manual after we’re able to test it
out with City projects. If it can be used it will result in more
standardization of GSI measures.
F. Havens: Overview of GSI measures visited by City staff and
consultants for evaluation and lessons learned. Lessons Learned
included issues related to bioretention design, other facility design
such as impractical access and elevation issues, and
bioretention/bioswales.
G. Constantinescu: Maintenance done by crews that maintain other
areas of the City. Recommend more training provided or that a
dedicated crew established for the maintenance of GSI areas
because of differences in maintenance requirements/practices for
these areas. Maintenance is not a one-size-fits-all for GSI areas,
working to address this in the Maintenance and Monitoring Manual.
a. Wenzlau: Always want City to be aware of where the plumes
are because of concern for groundwater pollution. For
performance measures, a metric presenting how many
gallons or what percentage of the stormwater we’re actually
accomplishing through GSI would be helpful. Encourage
overall generation of GSI metrics that could be shared.
b. Boyle Rodriguez: Will be sharing work on GSI specifications in
December. Started working on flow charts to help staff and
consultants identify where GSI can be installed and what type
of measure might be best implemented. Talked about
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creating maps to identify different criteria about the City
including where groundwater contaminated plumes are, trying
to get more detailed information about soil type where we can
infiltrate to groundwater. Will share that with you in
December.
c. Havens: Yes, we could develop draft maps by then.
d. Mossar: As you evaluate sites for future GSI, knowing how
much water you’re retaining and getting back into the ground
is an important factor. For example, a green roof is a small
area that collects water but another facility may collect from a
much larger drainage area. Per Bob’s point, we need to know
the cost associated with capturing the water to know which
strategy is the most cost effective.
e. Boyle Rodriguez: Appreciate that point. We’re looking at
funding opportunities and methods to track costs but no data
right now. Hope to have a much better sense of that in
future.
4. Staff Update MRP Permit (25 min)
A. Boyle Rodriguez: The current permit extended and draft of new
permit recently came out for public review, released to cities for
comment for a 60-day period. We will be providing comments in
writing in collaboration with Santa Clara County in November.
Hearing in February for permit adoption, effective July 2022.
Proposed requirements may have significant resource impacts.
B. Boyle Rodriguez: Overview of progress on current requirements and
draft permit requirements for new/redevelopment and impervious
surface impacts, enforceable trash reduction, and PCBs and
mercury reduction.
a. The abatement falls upon the current owners. We would look
at historical records to identify areas using PCBs in the past.
Start sampling on surrounding street and if PCBs found, we
talk to owners to obtain permission to sample on property.
Based on results, submit those findings to the regional control
board as needed who would issue a notice for abatement and
come up with some type of remediation plan.
C. Boyle Rodriguez: Overview of other requirements including bacteria
controls, discharges associated with unsheltered populations, cost
tracking, and asset management.
a. Permit can change until it’s adopted. Once the permit is
adopted in February that’s when we can have a better idea for
forecasting the financial and staffing impacts.
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5. Rain Barrel Program (10 minutes)
A. Boyle Rodriguez: To make the program less complicated, worked on
streamlining the program with this pilot. Entered into an agreement
with Rain Water Solutions (RWS), company that sells rain barrels,
to reduce price. Program is open to everyone and available to
employees. Distribution event is planned for December 4th. Barrel is
50 gallons and made from 100% recycled plastic and is $80
compared to $134 on the Wayfair site.
a. Wenzlau: Bought one on Monday. Went through the Santa
Clara Valley process to get qualified for the rebate. One thing
to consider in the confirmation maybe, slightly confusing as to
how to apply the purchase back to the rebate.
b. Boyle Rodriguez: We are working on steps to follow for clarity
and will be posting those. Those will be sent out in the email.
Committee Member Comments and Announcements (10 min)
• Wenzlau: Overview of Neighbors Abroad project on Art and Sustainability
with the idea that Palo Alto and our sister cities would partner with an
artist. In Oaxaca we have an artist working on a project that speaks
largely to themes of water. In Palo Alto, artists would work on murals. I
wanted the Committee to be aware of this initiative. This could be another
channel to introduce themes of green infrastructure.
o Mickelson: So for this Committee, the objective is for us to have the
awareness of this initiative?
o Wenzlau: Yes, there isn’t an ask at the moment. Information is
important to be shared with staff and the Committee.
• Bower: Over the last few months with my reintroduction to the
construction world, it is astounding how costs have increased. Important to
be aware of this for the future.
Tentative Agenda Items for Future Meetings and Review Action Items (5 min)
• North: The next meeting is December 2nd and we are probably going to
talk about the preliminary budget.
• Mickelson: The meeting is December 2nd from 1-3 PM. You can submit or
add agenda items through email.
Adjournment
• Mickelson: Motion to adjourn?
9 October 7, 2021
o Bower motions, Wenzlau seconds.
o Meeting adjourned at 3:11 PM.
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