Lacey presents stormwater strategic plan; identifies projects, pollutant concerns and potential rate recommendations

City of Lacey staff presented the draft Stormwater Strategic Plan to the Planning Commission on June 10, outlining required permit-driven work, candidate capital projects, public outreach and a concurrent financial analysis that could include proposed utility rate adjustments.

Royce Young, the stormwater permit coordinator, described the plan's development with Herrera Environmental Consultants, a review of the 2020 stormwater plan, and updates to levels of service. Staff said the plan separates required permit compliance from recommended services intended to meet long-term city goals for pollutant reduction and stormwater management.

Staff listed accomplishments since the last plan: an updated stormwater design manual; roughly 1,400 private facility inspections; 172 staff trained on illicit discharges; 752 spill cleanups; outreach to about 2,000 residents and hundreds of volunteer stewardship hours. Royce emphasized the need to convert legacy infrastructure built before modern standards through retrofit projects.

The presentation named specific pollutant and treatment issues. "6PPD-quinone is an additive from tires that degrades and enters runoff; when salmon encounter that runoff they can stop swimming and die before spawning," a presenter said, urging bio-retention and treatment projects. Staff also noted the state ban on certain PFAS-containing firefighting foams and explained the city must coordinate notification and cleanup procedures when such foams are used. For PCBs, staff outlined two steps: city procedures for city-owned building demolition/washdown and education for private building owners and contractors.

Staff explained map and data requirements in the plan: tree canopy mapping, mapping of overburdened communities, and mapping of outfalls 24 inches and larger. They also said the redevelopment threshold triggering stormwater controls has been lowered from 5,000 to 2,000 square feet of impervious surface, expanding the number of projects subject to requirements.

Consultant site visits identified candidate capital projects and deficiencies: failed liners at wet ponds (28th Court NE; Shady Lane), Hawk Ridge dry wells needing upgrade, a stormwater lift station needing generator and equipment improvements, catch-basin additions and upsizing on portions of Lacy Street, Clear Brook drainage reconfiguration, Rutle Road wetland capacity upgrades, and localized flooding fixes at Glen Mary Drive, Bell Air/Impala, Wedgewood Manor and Pison Lake Drive.

Staff said they converted the project list and staffing needs into a gap analysis for FCS Group to build a nine-year financial model and that draft proposed utility rates should be available by the end of June or early July for review before the public hearing. The plan is in a 60-day public review period that began June 18 and runs to July 20; staff requested any first-round comments be submitted by June 23 so they can be incorporated into the public hearing packet. The public hearing has been moved to July 22 and staff expects to bring materials to the City Council work session on July 28.

Commissioners asked about localized flooding near Corporate Center Drive and how catch-basin clogging, leaves or lack of cleaning might contribute; staff recommended reporting clogged basins to operations and maintenance for inspection. Commissioners also asked whether projects listed from the 2013 plan were compatible with the Phase 2 permit; staff said many older facilities need restoration or liner replacement to meet current permit treatment requirements.

The plan and story map are available on the city website; staff encouraged residents to review materials and submit written comments during the public review window.

The Planning Commission will consider the plan at a public hearing on July 22 before forwarding any recommendation to the City Council.