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Lacey staff outline stormwater strategic-plan update, warn of new state permit requirements
Summary
City public-works staff told the Lacey Planning Commission that a 2026 update to the stormwater strategic plan is needed to meet new state permit obligations, address contaminants such as 6PPD-quinone and PFAS, and expand outreach including HOA training and an April open house.
Lacey public-works officials briefed the Planning Commission on March 11 on an update to the city's stormwater strategic plan, saying new state permit requirements and emerging contaminants will require expanded monitoring, retrofits and public outreach.
Doug Christiansen, Lacey's stormwater engineer, described the plan as a guide for the stormwater utility's programs and projects and said the city's work is driven by the Western Washington Phase 2 municipal stormwater permit issued by the state Department of Ecology. "Stormwater is the wild water," Christiansen said, summarizing the challenge of managing runoff in a developed city that averages about "50 inches" of rain annually.
Why it matters: the current permit went into effect in 2024 and runs for five years; it requires cities to implement a suite of component programs, meet specified deadlines and file annual reports. Christiansen told commissioners Lacey must implement nine primary program areas, including planning, public education, illicit-discharge detection and elimination, retrofit work in developed areas, source control and operations and maintenance.
Staff flagged several emerging issues that have been added to the permit or that local programs must now address: total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) tied to Henderson Inlet, Deschutes River and Budd Inlet; 6PPD-quinone, a tire-wear byproduct linked to coho-salmon mortality; firefighting foams containing PFAS; and PCBs in older building materials. Christiansen said the city's contribution to regional monitoring and assessment under the permit is roughly $36,000 per year, and staff are preparing the city's annual report, which is due in March.
Royce Young, stormwater program coordinator, described outreach plans including an April 6 open house and an online survey for public input. Young said the city and King County are developing a free online "qualified stormwater inspector" course that HOA board members can take; after Ecology approval, the course will issue a certificate that residents can use to show they are a qualified inspector.
Commissioners asked how staff will reach overburdened communities and how annexations affect responsibilities for stormwater assets. Young said the department is comparing county, county-health and city maps to identify communities and plans to meet residents where they are (providing translators, food or childcare where needed). Christiansen said annexations usually transfer responsibility for county stormwater assets to the city and can create liability and funding needs for upgrades.
What's next: staff said an internal draft will be available in early April, followed by public review in May—6 and a public hearing target in July. Staff will return to the commission with additional materials and an April open house date.
