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Staff outline salmon‑recovery grant, LID code review and property buys for fish passage
Summary
Public works stormwater coordinator Jesse Medrow described a Department of Commerce salmon‑recovery grant that will fund a low‑impact development code review, updates to the small‑projects drainage manual, tree‑canopy goals for stormwater, and acquisition of two properties for future fish‑passage projects.
Jesse Medrow, the city’s stormwater coordinator, told the planning commission Normandy Park won a Department of Commerce 'Salmon Recovery through Local Planning' grant to support a comprehensive review of the city’s low‑impact development (LID) code and related materials. "We were successful in securing that grant through the Department of Commerce," Medrow said.
Medrow said the grant will fund a review of LID code to align city standards with the state Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington, a modernization of the small‑project drainage manual (currently in an outdated PDF format), and development of tree‑retention goals focused on stormwater benefits in public spaces and rights‑of‑way. He emphasized this work applies to publicly owned trees used for stormwater management, not private‑property tree limits.
Medrow also reported the city acquired two properties — one across from the swim club and another north of it — with grant assistance to secure riparian land on Walker and Sequoia creeks and Miller Creek. The long‑range vision includes replacing a fifth passage barrier with a bridge and removing four culvert fish‑passage barriers to improve salmon access, but Medrow stressed construction is grant dependent: "That is completely grant dependent...we've been very successful for the design of that bridge...but now we've hit some hurdles with federal funding and state funding to get grants to construct the bridge across 12th."
When asked about parking and public access for a proposed salmon‑viewing path, Medrow said the project is intended as passive open space with no new general parking other than a possible ADA stall; people would likely park at City Hall and walk to the viewing area.
Medrow told commissioners many related projects are designed and 'shovel ready' but are awaiting construction dollars; the city is exploring state funding alternatives because some federal opportunities may be limited.
The commission discussed historic and local concerns about tree regulation on private property; staff emphasized the current grant scope focuses on tree canopy goals for stormwater management in public areas and policy goals rather than private‑property tree ordinances.
