Sedgwick County staff urge reinstating stormwater advisory board, propose countywide regulations and funding study

Lynn Packer, Sedgwick County director of public works and county engineer, and Susan Erlewine, director of environmental resources, told commissioners at the July 22 staff meeting that Sedgwick County needs a countywide approach to stormwater regulation and a dedicated funding source to address recurring flood damage.

The recommendation follows a review of the county's flood history, including the 1998 "Halloween" storm that produced about 10 to 12.6 inches of rain, caused almost $40 million in damage and required about 5,300 evacuations, and prior major floods dating back to the early 20th century. Packer said the county will bring an updated stormwater resolution to the board in August that would update census references and expand stormwater quality and quantity regulations to unincorporated portions of the county.

Packer told the meeting, "we're going to update our stormwater resolution" to reflect the new census and to apply regulations countywide in unincorporated areas. He said staff also recommends reinstating the Stormwater Management Advisory Board (SMAB) to coordinate regional planning and funding discussions with cities and smaller communities.

Why it matters: county staff said flooding is a regional problem because watersheds drain from northwest to southeast; actions in one jurisdiction affect downstream communities. Susan Erlewine outlined contamination and public-health risks from runoff, including algae blooms and mosquito breeding in standing water, and warned that sediment and pollution from 56 historic landfill or dump sites and hundreds of contaminated sites could be mobilized during floods.

Details and background: staff recounted earlier SMAB work and studies. Packer said SMAB was formed Oct. 31, 2007, and that earlier surveys and watershed inventories identified many candidate projects. A 2010 survey reported that roughly 90% of respondents supported a countywide stormwater maintenance approach and were willing to pay a modest monthly fee; earlier project lists identified 64 projects at about $217 million (2009) and 78 projects exceeding $550 million (2017) before updates. Packer said some communities such as Derby have already completed or started some identified projects.

Funding options discussed: commissioners and staff reviewed several revenue options: property tax (not currently on the table), sales tax, and utility-style fees such as an equivalent residential unit (ERU) or a solid-waste-type fee. Packer said smaller cities that do not hold NPDES Phase 2 MS4 permits currently do not have the annual reporting and public outreach requirements; he proposed coordinating permit-related services and public education credits to reduce the administrative burden on small towns.

Commissioner discussion: Commissioner Howell and other commissioners emphasized voter approval for a dedicated revenue source, saying a ballot measure would give the public a choice and provide a stable local match that could improve competitiveness for federal grants. Justin Wagner, county councilor, said staff will research legal options and what must be done to place a funding measure on the ballot.

Next steps: county staff will place an updated stormwater resolution on the August agenda to (1) update the census reference and (2) apply county stormwater regulations to unincorporated areas. Staff recommended reconvening SMAB to revisit project lists, update priorities and design a funding approach that supplements — not supplants — city-level programs. Commissioners asked staff to return with funding scenarios, estimated revenue by approach, and outreach plans for cities and residents.

Ending: No formal vote was taken at the staff meeting. Staff said the resolution will appear in the next board agenda and that further public and intergovernmental outreach will follow if the board directs staff to proceed.