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Council approves citywide natural‑lawn care campaign to meet stormwater permit requirements
Summary
Council voted 5–1 to authorize a citywide community‑based social marketing campaign to meet NPDES stormwater permit outreach requirements, using an Ecology grant and about $20,000 of city stormwater operations funds for local impacts. Staff will begin outreach and materials for spring 2026 implementation.
The Snoqualmie City Council voted 5–1 on Nov. 10 to approve a citywide "natural lawn care" behavior‑change campaign, a component of the city's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permit obligations.
Project engineer Patrick Fry and deputy director Philip Bennett described two consultant‑supported options developed with Herrera Environmental Consultants: a citywide campaign (the preferred option), estimated at about $81,000 total, and a reduced, targeted pilot program for a neighborhood basin at about $73,000. Fry said the program would include a demonstration lawn, a web page, mailers, social media outreach, a basin‑vs‑basin pledge competition (branded in materials as the "Falls to Sound" pledge), and community demonstration events.
"Short of it is about $81,000," Fry said, and noted that the city receives a biannual Ecology grant (roughly $130,000) that can fund permit implementation; staff estimated the net hit to the city's stormwater operations budget at roughly $20,000 after grant funding and prior allocations.
Council debate focused on cost and reach. Some council members favored the citywide option for broader reach and equity; others urged caution because of rate pressure on utilities and recommended the smaller targeted pilot to reduce immediate local costs. Mayor Pro Tem and multiple council members emphasized the program is a required component of the permit cycle and could serve as a test for future permit periods.
Outcome and next steps: Council approved the citywide option by a 5–1 vote. Staff will execute the agreement with Herrera, begin producing outreach materials and a demonstration site, coordinate with the ROA and Ecology, and aim to implement outreach and events in spring 2026.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 3474; topfinish SEG 3975
