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Minutes for the October 17, 2007, Stormwater Management Board meeting.
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STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Date: October 17, 2007
Location: Huntington Building
Conference Room #105
900 West Monroe
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Opening: Chairman Alec Farmer called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m.
In Attendance marked in bold
Members:
Dewaine Beisner
Don Culpepper
Michael Daniels
Alec Farmer, Chair
Jerry Farris
Betty Shaw
John Street
Gene Vance, Vice-Chair
Jon Wilbanks
Nathan Young
Dennis Zolper
Officials & Staff:
Doug Formon - Mayor
Tony Thomas - Project Administrator
Erick Woodruff - Public Works Director
Otis Spriggs - Director of Planning & Zoning
Kelly Panneck - Chief City Engineer
Craig Light - Assistant City Engineer
Teddy Hooton - Floodplain Administrator
Janice Patton - Administrative Assistant
Others:
None
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Minutes for the September 19, 2007, Stormwater Management Board meeting (Attachment)
Motion was made by Vance to approve the minutes and seconded by Zolper. The minutes were unanimously approved.
B. Minutes for the October 10, 2007, special called Stormwater Management Board meeting (Attachment)
Farmer had questions regarding Page 2, paragraph 5. The Board and staff discussed the granting of variances. No changes were made to the minutes. Motion was made by Vance to approve the minutes and seconded by Zolper. The minutes were unanimously approved.
III. NEW BUSINESS
A. Process for Public Statements and Notices by the Board
The proposed language by the Board was included in the Internal Rules and Regulations under the section for Open Meetings. Additional language was approved under 1.4 Board Announcements.
B. Statement of Financial Interest for Board Members (Attachment)
Farmer directed all Board Members to complete the Statement of Financial Interest by January 31, 2008, and file it with the City Clerk.
IV. PENDING ITEMS
A. Approval of Internal Operating Rules and Regulations (Attachment)
The Board and staff had a brief review of changes made at the previous meeting. The Board decided to make the first and second paragraphs of Re-hearings combined into one paragraph. A few other typographical changes were made to the Rules and Regulations. Motion to approve the Rules and Regulations, as amended, and recommend approval by City Council was made by Zolper. Motion was seconded by Street and unanimously approved. The Internal Operating Rules and Regulations are hereby adopted by the Board. The Board requested staff to enter the document in Legistar for approval by the Public Works Committee and then City Council.
B. Proposed Procedures for Certification
The staff will include the recommended procedures in conjunction with the review of the Ordinance.
C. Review of Stormwater Management/Drainage Ordinance
Staff handed out a copy of the Ordinance for review.
Section 1.5 - Panneck requested additional language to require prevention methods for structures that fall within the 100-year flood zone. Hooton addressed the International Building Code Section 1805.3.4 Foundation elevation. There was discussion between the Board and staff regarding main floor elevation and basement floor elevation. The FEMA elevation certificate indicates the lowest floor has to be base level. Commercial buildings may be below the base level, but they have to be flood proofed. The Board does not want to tell someone they cannot build a house with a basement. An engineer would have to be involved with the building of that basement to make sure it does not flood. This issue will be tabled and discussed at a later date.
Section 1.6 Definitions:
K. Drainage Compliance. Panneck requested the title be changed to Approval Letter. This is what the Engineering Department refers to as the compliance letter. The Board asked if the definition was currently listed in the Ordinance. This will have to be investigated by staff. The Board agreed to change the title to Approval Letter.
L. Drainage Easement. Panneck requested the end of the first sentence be amended. It was decided by the Board to delete “and adjoining utility.” The end of the first sentence will now read “for drainage purposes.”
Q. Frequency. It is unclear what this definition actually means. Panneck questioned the purpose of this definition. The Board and staff were unsure if the definition was used throughout the document. Panneck suggested using better terminology to define the word.
R. Grading Permit. The Board and staff agreed to revise the definition to include compliance of drainage plans and the Stormwater Prevention Pollution Plan.
DD. Retention Facility. Panneck is not sure why a retention facility is addressed. He stated that it is not used in the document.
FF. Stormwater Drainage Design Manual and Floodplain Compliance Guidelines. Panneck requested that the reference to the manual be reduced down to a shorter title. He proposed the title of “Stormwater Drainage Design Manual” and suggested it be referred to as the Drainage Manual throughout the document. Hooton explained that the Floodplain Compliance Guidelines are something they have to have for the CRS program. If there isn’t a document with the Guidelines in the title, then they will not be included in the CRS program. With this manual, the guidelines are included. There is a two page chapter included in the manual that is titled Floodplain Compliance Guidelines. It was agreed to change the title of the manual.
HH. Structure. Panneck asked if it was necessary to define a structure as any object constructed above or below ground. After discussion among staff and the Board, it was decided to leave the definition as is.
Section 2.4B has a grammatical error that will be corrected.
Section 2.5 - Panneck stated that the issue of public ownership has continually been coming up. Maintenance of ditches is a good example. If the City actually maintains a ditch along a subdivision, they are considered to be accepting the subdivision. He believes this would be a good time for the Board to address this issue. Street stated that the City Attorney informed them if work is done on a street or ditch in a subdivision, the City accepts the street or subdivision and therefore is required to do maintenance. Panneck said the City staff needs a mechanism where they can use the one cent sales tax to pay for the drainage improvements.
Farmer preferred that the Internal Rules and Regulations and Ordinance be submitted to the Public Works Committee and Council at the same time. Therefore, it was decided that the Rules and Regulations will not be entered into Legistar for approval until the Ordinance is finalized.
Regarding the issue of maintaining tributaries and ditches for clean-up, Farmer asked the staff to present considerations to the Board. There are lingering issues regarding when a property is accepted into the City. The Board suggested that these issues be addressed when the Board and staff review Best Management Practices procedures. The issues will be tabled for now. The staff will submit some cleaner language for 2.5B(1).
Section 3.2 - Panneck requested this section be stricken. There is no need for pre-preliminary plans to be reviewed. The plans should be submitted as preliminary plans. The Board agreed.
Section 3.3 - Staff stated that the drainage plans are being submitted with the plat, and then submitted again with the preliminary plans. In most cases, staff is requesting changes to the plans for them to meet compliance. There was discussion at great length regarding when the drainage plans have to be submitted. Panneck suggested that staff come back with recommendations of what they are looking for.
Section 4.1E - Panneck stated that the release rate requirement is actually from 2-year to 100-year storms. This section and others list specifics from the Drainage Manual. Light stated that if there are changes made to the Drainage Manual in the future then the Ordinance will have to be amended. Vance agreed that the Ordinance should reflect back to the Drainage Manual. Any changes to the drainage manual would have to be approved by the Board. Zolper said that any sections in the Ordinance that were cut and pasted need to be taken out.
Farmer suggested having a special called meeting on October 31, 2007. The Board agreed to have the meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The only item on the special meeting agenda will be the revisions to the Ordinance.
V. STAFF REPORTS
None
VI. PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
VII. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn was made by Zolper and seconded by Street. Chairman Farmer adjourned the meeting at 10:05 a.m.