This was originally posted to: Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee

GIPAC July 11, 2016 DRAFT Informal Minutes

 

Notes from GIPAC meeting, July 11, 2016

Present:  Nancy Fox, Hal Rooks, Michael Brown and Gary Curtis, Emeritus

Absent:  Allen Bush, Patty Rose, Stella Spring, Steve Orsini

Members of the public in attendance: Edith Walden, Sally Stapp, Dianne and Doug Neilson, Dana McCarthey, JoAnne and Michael Gray, Mike Simons, Barb and Mark Ohms, Phyllis Bravinder, and Ralph Mendershausen, and Susan Rooks, who volunteered to serve as note-taker.

Quorum was not met and therefore an informal, informational meeting was held with GIPAC members and members of the public. 

Chairperson Nancy Fox opened the meeting at approximately 6:40 p.m.  She stated that because there was no quorum, no decisions would be taken.  She welcomed the guests who were attending because of recent of differences regarding the building envelope restrictions that GIPAC had supported as amendments to the 2016 Skagit County Comprehensive Plan.

Report of the Treasurer, Hal Rooks:  Hal reported that the regular account held $3,315.97 and that the special account holding the bequest of Roz Glasser held $10,487.22.  He explained to the guests that the Glasser bequest was restricted to the restoration of shoreline vegetation.

Nancy then requested input from GIPAC members and the audience on possible uses for the $50.00 "Citizen-of-the-Year" award to GIPAC from the Guemes Island Property Owners Association (GIPOA).  Nancy had several suggestions on how to appropriate the funds:  place in the operating budget; add to the Glasser bequest; use for public outreach efforts; donate to a cause consistent with the GIPAC mission such as the San Juan or Skagit Land Trust.  She noted that no final decision could be made because the meeting lacked a quorum.

Consensus following discussion, including input from Guest Doug Neilson, was that the funds should be used to further education regarding GIPAC’s efforts.  This information will be conveyed to the GIPAC board and they will make the final decision as to the disposition of the funds at a future meeting.

Guest Phyllis Bravinder pointed out that a Guemes group was putting together a welcome kit for new property owners and suggested GIPAC add explanatory materials to the package.

Guest Dianne Neilson suggested that the County have information regarding the building restrictions detailed in the Comp Plan placed on their website or in a handout.

Michael explained that budget constraints limited the County’s ability to provide information.

Edith Walden provided a detailed summary of the comprehensive plan process and the history of the development of the Guemes Subarea Plan and GIPAC’s role.

Nancy pointed out that GIPAC had a long history of working on the Comprehensive and Sub-area Plans and that GIPAC was not simply fabricating issues; that there were sound reasons behind GIPAC’s recommendations.

Some suggestions for how to educate and inform Islanders—especially those who don’t live on the Island—included public workshops on the weekends, when more non-residents might be able to attend; materials available at the County for prospective buyers and those seeking permits; and holding a special seminar for realtors and builders.  

Guest Michael Gray suggested that people who don’t live on Guemes but who own property should receive emails informing them of developments.

Guest JoAnne Gray stated that she found all the acronyms confusing (GIPAC, GIPOA) and suggested we try to spell out organizations’ full names. She also stated that the onus was on homeowners to keep up-to-date on Island developments.

There was discussion among participants regarding email addresses and how to develop a database.  At the conclusion of the meeting, all the guests shared their emails with GIPAC and asked that the documents discussed at the meeting be forwarded to them.  They also asked if it was OK to forward these materials and were told “yes”.

A guest asked about the building envelope specified in the subarea plan, saying he is concerned that it will simply produce repetitive, cookie-cutter houses that all look alike.  Nancy Fox provided important clarification to the group, explaining that the drawn envelope was not a mandated shape; it simply provided the parameters within which a new structure could be built. [Comment:  this was a key point in the meeting, and the guests appeared much relieved at this information.  GIPAC will need to aggressively educate and reassure property owners on this issue.]

Nancy then suggested the group address critical water issues, including rain water collection.  She then asked Hal to present his memo presenting options for a 2017 Comprehensive Plan amendment regarding potable rainwater catchment (attached below).  Option B in the memo explained how San Juan County handles a number of catchment issues that Skagit County is beginning to wrestle with.

Nancy then presented a memo with several additional possible GIPAC Comp Plan Amendments for 2017 (attached below). 

Hal briefly explained the process for annual amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, which stretches out over a year.  Skagit County has just finished the 2016 Comp Plan amendment cycle and is beginning the 2017 cycle.  Proposed amendments have to be filed with the County by the last day of July, 2016 for consideration in early 2017.

Mark Ohms asked why the County doesn't require well drillers to check with them before drilling a well. 

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:25 p.m.  The meeting was cordial and informative.  The focus was on solutions, not complaints.

Attachment 1.

July 11, 2016

 

GIPAC Comp Plan Amendment Request for 2017

 

Option A:

Amend Drinking Water Code (existing SCC 12.48.250) to encourage rainwater collection systems for potable water on Guemes Island and make such catchment systems the preferred water source on the north end of the Island.

 Need clear/easily understood definition of "north end of Island" if we expect County to try to implement this.

Change definition of "adequate water supply" (existing SCC 12.48.250) from 350 gal/day to either 150 gal/day or 200 gal/day.  Reason: most Guemes homes do not use 150 gal/day, and a catchment system built to produce 150 gal/day is much smaller than one needing to produce 350 gal. 

We have asked for 150 gal/day over the past year, but that may be too close to actual usage.

San Juan County's required minimum capacity is 200 gal/day for wells.

Option B:

Amend Drinking Water Code (existing SCC 12.48.250) to encourage rainwater collection systems for potable water on Guemes Island and make such catchment systems the preferred water source on the north end of the Island.

Need clear/easily understood definition of "north end of Island" if we expect County to try to implement this.

 Adopt San Juan County's regulations for potable rainwater catchment systems on Guemes Island.     San Juan County takes an innovative and interesting approach to potable rainwater catchment, which appears to avoid a number of regulatory issues by shifting the burden for issues like water quality and quantity produced to the homeowner.  The SJ County approach has been in place for over 15 years, and the manager reports that they have few problems with it.

The SJ County drinking water program web site: http://www.sanjuanco.com/425/Drinking-Water-Program

SJ County code 8.06 provides Drinking Water Rules and Regulations:

"Rainwater catchment design meeting county guidelines (Appendix A).  If the water is intended for domestic use, the applicant must submit a design by a qualified engineer or water system designer, and record on the property title a statement that the system is alternative and a description of operation and maintenance requirements.  An owner may design a system for their own use."  http://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/809  - 8.06.140 C.3.(d) -p.10:

Per Kyle Dodd, Manager, San Juan County Drinking Water Program, there is no ongoing testing requirement once the County approves a catchment system and the initial water quality testing.  The homeowner is required to file a Declaration of Covenant for an alternative water source, which shifts the responsibility for maintaining the water quality on a catchment system from the County to the homeowner.  

A Rainwater Catchment Design Packet is provided by the SJ County Drinking Water Program here: http://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/6158

A copy of the Declaration of Covenant for an alternative water source is provided on pages 8-9 of the Rainwater Catchment Design Packet.

There is no minimum amount of potable water that must be produced by the catchment system; the design of the system is left to the homeowner and the owner is responsible if the system doesn't produce enough water. 

SJ County has been using this arrangement  for catchment systems for at least 15 years and Mr. Dodd says they get few complaints and see few problems with it.  He did comment that most users of catchment systems are seasonal residents, so their catchment systems don't necessarily have to perform year-around.

Phone numbers:

San Juan County Health & Community Services: 360-378-4474;

Kyle Dodd, Manager, SJ County Drinking Water Program: 360-370-7524

 

Attachment 2.

July 11, 2016

 

Additional GIPAC Comprehensive Plan Amendment Requests for 2017

 

  1.  Plug the “Enforcement Gap” in the Seawater Intrusion Code.

The new Seawater Intrusion Code (SCC 14.24.380) sets standards for well drilling intended to minimize impacts in areas of seawater intrusion.  However, in cases where a new well is drilled without any ties to a development permit, there is no mechanism to ensure county review prior to drilling, nor a way to apply the regulations relating to new wells. As currently written, an associated development permit is the only trigger for County review.

To ensure that all new wells on Guemes Island are reviewed and approved prior to drilling, we propose that the code be amended to require permit application and approval for any new well, regardless of whether it is proposed in conjunction with a development permit.

Note that County staff has expressed uncertainty as to whether the County has authority to require permit approval for wells; we urge the County to work with the State as needed to seek and clarify this authority.  As a point of reference, San Juan County states in its code that “A Well Site Inspection Report must be filed with San Juan County Health & Community Services (H&CS) prior to drilling all new wells” and sets out the criteria for siting and design.

 Open space protection for CaRDs

Policy 4.21 in the adopted Guemes Island Subarea Plan states: “The County should ensure that open space set aside by a CaRD subdivision is permanently protected.”  The reason for this policy is that Guemes Island is not within an urban growth area and, given the limitations of its sole source aquifer, is not an appropriate location for reserving open space for future urban development.

Unfortunately, County staff overlooked this policy in drafting the Guemes Island Zoning Overlay.

GIPAC proposes the following code language to be added to the Guemes Island Zoning Overlay (SCC 14.16.360):  new Section 8 – “Any open space designated through a CaRD subdivision on Guemes Island must be permanently preserved through the filing of a protective easement or covenant prior to final subdivision approval.”

 

  1.  Tree-cutting and clearing ordinance

The Guemes Island Subarea Plan expresses concern about the need for preservation of trees and other native vegetation in shoreline areas; see Policy 5.22 which states: “All shoreline residential development should protect and enhance shoreline vegetation in dedicated Vegetation Conservation Areas – assemblages of native trees, shrubs or groundcovers – as determined by Skagit County.”  Policy 4.7 notes that: “Removal of vegetation in landslide hazard, erosion hazard and coastal bluff hazard areas shall be minimized.”

 

At present there is no clear enforcement process to prohibit property owners from cutting down trees or clearing vegetation in shoreline areas, on steep slopes, or other critical areas such as island wetlands. 

 

GIPAC has discussed the need for a tree-cutting and clearing ordinance to protect shoreline and other critical areas on Guemes Island, and we could submit this as one of our proposed code amendments for 2017.  However, a significant amount of work would be needed to research this issue, look at model ordinances elsewhere, and develop a new code tailored to the issues faced on Guemes.  We should make this recommendation only with a commitment of time on the part of GIPAC members willing to take on this significant project.