Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Bill on Ordinance 3132 Related to Water Supply and Fire Hazards Amending Ordinance 3131 - 080315 CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND Agenda Bill: AB15-065 City Council Meeting Date: August 3, 2015 Agenda Item: VI. A. X Regular Business Meeting Study Session Date Submitted: 7/29/15 Other: (specify) Department: Public Works Contact: Ken Clow Phone: 4379-5090 ..................................................................................................................... SUBJECT: Ordinance 3132 Related to an Emergency Related to Water Supply and Fire Hazards; Amending Ordinance 3131 ..................................................................................................................... CATEGORY: BUDGET IMPACT: Consent Resolution Amount Budgeted: $ X Ordinance Staff Report Expenditure Amt: $ X Business Proclamation Contingency Req'd: $ TBD _Contract Approval FYI Supplemental Req'd. Other Dept/Budget Code: Public Hearing (Legislative, unless otherwise noted). Strategic Planning Implementation ..................................................................................................................... SUMMARY STATEMENT: On July 20, 2015, the City Council deliberated and took action to approve Ordinance 3131 declaring an emergency related to water supply and fire hazards. Included in the Ordinance was the City of Port Townsend Drought Contingency Response Plan. As part of the ordinance approval Council directed the staff to revise the Drought Response Plan to incorporate more aggressive conservation measures earlier in the drought response timeline. Specifically Council directed that Stages 1 and 2 of the approved Drought Response Plan be consolidated into a new first stage and Stages 3 and 4 be combined into a new second stage, effectively directing certain water-use restrictions to go into effect immediately. The principal change in the new Stage 1 will be the initiation of an alternate day outdoor watering restriction based on even/odd addresses and dates. This stage sets a 10%reduction as the goal for City water use and Port Townsend Paper Corporation has a goal of a 16% reduction. The new Stage 2 incorporates the previously approved stages 43 and 44 into a single stage and sets an overall goal of a 20% reduction in water use. The final stage, now Stage 3, remains essentially the same. As with the currently approved Drought Contingency Response Plan this new version is to be a living document subject to revision based on the most current information relating to on-going water usage, actual and predicted weather conditions, stream flows, water quality, and other unforeseen conditions. Additionally, Council directed staff to prepare a Fire Response Plan. The proposed Plan is attached. Staff also is asking for two additional amendments: First, to authorize the use of Contingency Fund, Account 102-000-510-100-41 for abatement of fire hazards. The City will use all reasonable methods to recover the funds from the property owner. Second, PTMC 1.20.130 provides for a detailed administrative hearing process in response to a notice to correct. Because of the emergency, staff recommends suspending these provisions, except for the one providing for an informal meeting. Property owners will get due process one of two ways. They can ask a judge to review the City's order. Or, if they don't comply, the City will initiate a court action for abatement. In both cases, the City's decision will be reviewed by a judge. Staff believes this is necessary to achieve Council's goal of immediate abatement of fire hazards. The following is the Summary Statement from the July 20, 2015 City Council Meeting agenda bill: On May 21, 2015, Governor Jay Inslee declared drought conditions throughout the State of Washington, citing the fact that "...mountain snowpack is at record lows, and many streams and rivers are flowing at record-low levels." The Washington State Department of Natural Resources and East Jefferson Fire and Rescue have initiated an outdoor burn ban in Jefferson County The City' Public Works Department has determined that stream flows in the City's water supply are less than a third of normal for this time of year. The US Forest Service Special Use Permit (SUP) for the operation of the Big Quilcene River municipal diversion mandates a minimum instream flow of 27 cfs below the Big Quilcene diversion if naturally available. Flow is measured below the diversion with a USGS maintained stream gage. Diversions are reduced to maintain 27 cfs instream below the diversion and water from Lords Lake is used to augment the total supply based on the daily demand. At a flow of 27 cfs the Big Quilcene River diversion will be shut off The Little Quilcene River water right and SUP requires maintaining a minimum instream flow of 6 cfs. Diversions are adjusted as necessary to sustain flow below the diversion. Draft Drought Contingency Response Plan. Staff asks Council to declare an emergency related to the water supply and for fire hazard. This would give the City Manager the authority to implement water conservation measure, and to take rapid action to deal with fire hazards. ................................................................................................................... ATTACHMENTS: 1. Ordinance 3132 2. Ordinance 3132 Exhibit A—Revised City of Port Townsend Drought Contingency Response Plan 3. Ordinance 3132 Exhibit B —Fire Response Plan ..................................................................................................................... CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: N/A ..................................................................................................................... RECOMMENDED ACTION: Move to Waive Council Rules and Adopt Ordinance 3132 Related to an Emergency Related to Water Supply and Fire Hazards; Amending Ordinance 3131. ..................................................................................................................... ALTERNATIVES: Take no action. Refer to committee or staff for further action. Postpone action.