Board authorizes county to "nest" under city MS4 permit application; administration to return with cost-sharing plan

County administration briefed commissioners on the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program and a proposed agreement to nest the county’s qualifying facilities under the City of Traverse City’s MS4 permit application so the county can meet the Aug. filing deadline and avoid separate application work.

Administration said three county-owned sites inside the city meet the MS4 definition and that nesting would allow the county to share the city’s application prepared by Spicer Group. The county’s proportional share of the consultant contract and initial application costs was not finalized at the meeting; staff estimated the county’s cost would be substantially less than $25,000 but could not provide an exact figure pending Spicer Group’s scope and cost-share calculation.

Commissioners asked that administration bring the final dollar figure and a cost-sharing intergovernmental agreement back to the board for approval; staff confirmed a cost-sharing intergovernmental agreement will be prepared and returned to the board. A motion authorizing the county to nest under the city's MS4 application and directing administration to present a spending proposal passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: MS4 participation establishes ongoing stormwater compliance and reporting obligations. Nesting under the city’s application is intended to reduce near-term administrative burden, but it creates a shared-cost obligation that commissioners asked to review before final commitment.

The board authorized nesting and asked for a spending proposal and intergovernmental agreement to be returned for formal approval.