fauntleroy.net 

FAUNTLEROY WATERSHED COUNCIL Meeting #12 - July 10, 2003 - Fauntleroy Church Hall, 2nd Floor

DRAFT NOTES
Attendees Watershed residents: Dennis Hinton, Steev Ward, Judy Pickens, Luli Weatherwax, Christine Nack Fauntleroy Church: Randy Sleight Seattle Public Utilities: Martha Burke, Kathy Minsch, Chris Woefel Seattle City Council: Margaret Pageler (Chairwoman, Water and Health Committee)

Facilitator: Judy Pickens Scribe: Randy Sleight

Notes 1. Introductions The roster circulated for updates.

2. Approval of minutes and agenda The minutes and agenda were approved as distributed and posted.

3. Agency news/action requests City of Seattle Update of 1995 Drainage Comprehensive Plan Margaret Pageler provided a broad overview of the issues surrounding the need to update the cities comprehensive drainage plan and the affect stormwater has on burdening the wastewater treatment plants from combined flows in the north and central parts of the City of Seattle. City is looking at other approaches for stormwater control: · ESA listing of Chinook salmon provided impetus for improved science and additional investment in studying cause and affect on species and habitat assessment. · Developed habitat conservation plan for the Cedar River Watershed · Low Impact Development techniques were implemented in north end of the City, with Longfellow Creek being targeted for a major LID effort in the south end. · Groups started looking more closely at nearshore marine habitat areas, especially at the mouths of creeks. What does this unique habitat mean in the life cycle of aquatic species? · Developed plans on what needed to be done in the areas that were landslide prone to minimize erosion and sediment transport to creeks or to protect properties from slope movement · City sponsored design charettes, education efforts to maintain good water quality and to emphasize salmon friendly gardening At this point Margaret along with Judy introduced the next guest speaker Martha Burke who works for Seattle Public Utilities and is embarking on the public process to update the 1995 Comprehensive Drainage Plan. Martha explained that this effort is tied to the City of Seattle's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit as a Phase 1 permittee under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The CWA has a number of component parts of the permit some of which are listed below: · Identify programs to protect water quality to streams, lakes and wetlands · Develop and implement regulatory programs to control site runoff from new development and redevelopment · Perform on going operation and maintenance using Best Management Practices(BMP's) · Outreach and educate the citizens · Provide for emergency response planning for spills and clean up control Martha outlined some of the policy issues that might affect future capital projects and provide a framework to prioritize improvements given the current and potential rate structure scenarios. She also pointed out that always evolving stormwater regulations at the federal and state levels continue to affect the city. Everything from cleaning up lead, copper and zinc to phosphorous loading near lakes. Temperature affects or thermal pollution is also a new topic that must be looked at on how this may impact habitat of aquatic species. Thermal barriers and first flush impacts are potential impacts that must be assessed. Actions:Fauntleroy Watershed Council will provide some written input and participate during the 1995 Comprehensive Drainage Plan Update.

Chris Woefel (SPU) outlined updates on the Kilbourne Park invasive issues, basically that Mark Meade has indicated that the Conservation Corp will attempt to save the trees via removing the ivy, knotweed and other notable invasives via a triage process. Bob Kellor had indicated that we should move the Teen Challenge for invasives removal to Thornton or Taylor Creek systems in that the current steep slopes are unsuited for this type of event next to Fauntleroy Creek. The erosion control solutions on Cambridge Street SW are still in the studying phases to assess the various causes and remedies and to find a cost effective or reasonable solution fix to the erosion and trail damage problem. The large woody debris replacement project is moving forward to improve the pool/riffle ratios in the creek this summer.

Action: Fauntleroy Watershed Council will continue to monitor joint Parks and Seattle Public Utilities Joint commitment to correct the erosion control problems at the end of Cambridge Street ( see Meeting No. 10 minutes March 2003)

4. Creek and Mouth Updates

Judy Pickens provided an update on the pet waste study and indicated that Dept. of Ecology (DOE) representative Lisa Olsen was interested in this study where pre school or kindergarten children are documenting the severity of the pet waste problem in the Fauntleroy Park and Upper Watershed. Prior studies have implicated pet waste as a contributing factor in the stench in the cove as well as high e-coli counts and a sulpher like smell down near the ferry dock in prior years. This effort of the children may provide both a good educational experience and valuable baseline data for a small urban creek. Work is also on-going to assess the proper orientation of large woody debris near the mouth of the creek and to fix some logs that may be causing the creek to move. Mouth stabilization remains a major concern, the Ferry System never followed through on their prior commitments to creek protection thus a multi agency assessment was necessary to improve the current poor situation at the mouth with sand/sediment and log build up. Kathy Minsch updated the Council on her coordination efforts with Bill McMillan of Washington Trout to improve the above described poor/blockkage situation.

Steve Ward gave a report on smolt monitoring and trapping efforts that he and Tom Linde were involved with. It appeared that the potential exists that small fry are being eaten by the large fry, possibly since the sources of available riparian food supply were limited to the creek.

5. Natural Neighborhoods Update Kathy Minsch gave a short report on the success of the Natural Neighborhoods program and feedback from the course evaluation forms. It was a positive response by the community, but surprisingly one third of the workshop attendees did not know about Fauntleroy Creek. Now 35-40 folks were recruited to be new lawn care practitioners.

6. Announcements/for the good of the order Randy announced that we should hold on the trails master plan strategy pending receipt of the revised maps and updated maps that would reflect the trail and creek locations properly tied to the Parks efforts. However, Randy related a personal story of "test driving the trail for the elderly" his 84 year old father Richard was asked for his input after hiking down it. He said "Give us a natural bench about half way down and a hand rail on that last steep set of steps before the bridge". This is the temporary bridge at the Church/Park boundary, this sounded like a reasonable request so it is noted here.

The Fauntleroy Fall Festival is between October 2-7th this year. Also, Randy announced that the Church has recently adopted a stewardship goal to protect the environment or acting as stewards of God's world.

o Next meeting: September 11,2003 7:00 pm @ the Fauntleroy Church Hall .  The meeting adjourned at 8:45PM.