HomeMy Public PortalAboutJuly 2014 SAC MinutesWatertown Stormwater Advisory Committee (SAC) minutes
July 17, 2014 4:00 pm @ Watertown DPW conference room
In attendance: Ernesta Kraczkiewicz, Steve Magoon, Chris Hayward, Matt Shuman, Nancy Hammett,
Anita Roy Dobbs, and David Stokes
Absent: Mary Haley
Matt Shuman, the newly -hired Town Engineer, was introduced and welcomed to the Committee.
I. Acceptance of June 19, 2014 Minutes
The minutes were reviewed and approved, pending minor changes.
II. Brief Reports
A. Status of DPW Hiring: Steve reported that interviews are continuing for the Administration
and Finance position.
B. Status of SAC Page on Town's Website: Anita reported that the WaertownStormwater.org
domain name has not yet been purchased, but Joe Mahoney, the Town's IT Manager, will
purchase it this coming week. Anita will post the existing description of the SAC (handed
out for comments), with updated list of members and a corrected address for the DPW.
Matt Shuman will be added to the list of members. Any comments or corrections should be
sent to Anita.
Anita also handed out for comment a draft outreach piece on stormwater. This document,
once edited to incorporate comments, will be posted on the website and also sent to the
Tab. Comments should be sent to Chris. Once Chris has incorporated edits, David will send
to the Tab for publication.
Matt handed out information on storm preparedness.
Action items: All SAC members should provide comments on the SAC description (to Anita)
and the education piece (to Chris). Once finalized, both documents will be put on the
website (Anita) and the education piece will be sent to the Tab (David.)
C. Collaboration with Belmont Stormwater Working Group: Nancy attended the group's June
meeting, which included a presentation on climate impacts and municipal readiness
planning for Cambridge and Boston. She suggested that this would be a good topic to
include in a possible water -focused education series planned for the fall, in collaboration
with the Council Public Works Subcommittee.
There was a discussion of potential opportunities to collaborate with Belmont on public
education related to driveway paving and stormwater-friendly landscaping. This might
include a landscaping faire, educating landscaping companies, a vendors' expo, and/or
speaker events. David suggested that Watertown might need to initiate this effort and
invite Belmont and other towns to participate. On driveway paving, people need
information on paving options and how to find service providers. It was agreed that the
SAC should not endorse specific contractors, but should educate both the public and paving
contractors on the options. These ideas should be considered later, in the context of the
SAC's larger outreach & education plan.
D. Science and Media Literacy Curriculum Pilot Project [David Stokes]: David reported that
there was limited progress on this effort since the June meeting. The group involved had a
good brainstorming session before school ended, and identified 6-8 specific tasks. He and
Anita will be meeting soon and will contact the teachers in August, when they will decide
which projects to undertake this coming school year and fill in the details.
David will also be looking for grant opportunities for education activities. No specific
budget needs for this education effort have been determined yet.
E. Comprehensive Plan Comments re Stormwater and Education Piece
Steve received no comments on the draft comments on stormwater aspects of the
Comprehensive Plan, distributed at the June 17 meeting, so he will submit the comments on
behalf of the SAC. See item B above re Educational Piece.
F. Status of Initiative for Meeting with Neighboring Towns: Ernesta reported that Cecilia will
present this proposal to the Public Works Subcommittee for their endorsement. Matt
recommended adding Lexington to the list of towns with whom we might arrange meetings
(previous list includes Belmont, Arlington, Waltham, and Newton.)
V. New Business: Athena Health Garage Proposal
The question was raised about whether the SAC should comment on the Athena Health plans for a
new garage. The plans would allow reduced surface parking and a possible green roof. Ernesta
was asked to speak on behalf of the SAC at the Town Council meeting when the relevant zoning
amendment will be discussed, to express the SAC's general endorsement of green infrastructure
and reduced impervious surface parking in plans for the campus.
III. Erosion and Sediment Control and Post -Construction Ordinances:
Discussion of Comments from Town Engineer
A delay in Town Council's first reading of the two outstanding ordinances was requested, since the
last SAC meeting, to allow time to consider the Town Engineer's comments and recommendations.
Prior to the meeting, Matt Shuman circulated a memo presenting his comments on the two
ordinances, along with marked -up drafts of the ordinances with proposed changes.
There was an extensive discussion of these comments, and an agreement to continue the
discussion at the SAC's next meeting in August.
Matt presented his comments and the rationale for the changes he is recommending. The
following issues were discussed:
• Recommendation to move sections involving details of implementation into Rules &
Regulations - for the Post -Construction (PC) ordinance and perhaps for the Erosion and
Sediment Control (ESC) ordinance as well -- rather than leaving in the ordinances
themselves. This will allow the DPW more flexibility to adjust these details as it gains
experience with implementation, without having to have Town Council review of detailed
procedural changes.
• Integrating the PC ordinance more closely with the DPW's current practice (requiring 100%
retention of stormwater on -site, to the maximum extent practicable), along with providing
more transparency and detailed guidance for achieving this standard. Matt handed out a
new written statement of the DPW's Site Plan Review On -site Drainage Requirements, dated
July 16, 2014.
• Applying the PC ordinance to all projects that are subject to DPW Site Plan Review. For the
next meeting's discussion, Matt will provide more information on the types of projects that
require such review, to support decisions about what types of projects should and should
not be included in the scope of the PC ordinance (driveway widenings? teardowns?).
• Bringing all projects that require zoning Site Plan Review into the scope of the PC ordinance.
These projects already require review that includes provisions relevant to stormwater which
are currently vaguely -worded.
• Options regarding reduced or simplified requirements for smaller or lower -impact projects.
We could expand the jurisdiction of the PC permit, as suggested above, and then in Rules &
Regulations provide requirements specific to particular types of projects, rather than relying
on a threshold for Simplified Permit requirements based primarily on size of disturbed area
(as the current draft PC permit does.}
• Other proposed changes: (1) Adding a volume standard as well as a peak flow standard,
and (2) additional exemptions for maintenance of stormwater BMPs (see marked -up PC
ordinance).
• The proposed expansion of the scope of the PC ordinance, and additional, more stringent
performance standards, increases the challenges of coordinating review by the
Conservation Commission of stormwater requirements under the Wetlands Protection Act
and Ordinance with review conducted by the DPW under the proposed ordinances. Further
discussion of this topic is needed.
The following information was requested by SAC members, to inform further discussion of changes
to the proposed ordinances at the August meeting:
• Specific list of the types of projects that are subject to DPW Site Plan Review and zoning Site
Plan Review
• Examples of how DPW and Conservation Commission review of stormwater provisions has
differed in some past applications
• An analysis of the characteristics of past building permit applications (e.g. a distribution by
size) (Chris will check on what data the GOTMS data system provides).
• A clean copy of the draft ordinances incorporating Matt's comments, along with the
marked -up versions.
IV. Planning for Implementation of New Ordinances: Scope of Work for support materials for
residents and small businesses
Not discussed — pending completing the revised draft ordinances.
V. Other Business
Faire on the Square is scheduled for Sat. Sept 27. It was agreed that the SAC will apply for a
table at the Faire again this year. David will submit an application for a table and be reimbursed
for the cost by the DPW.
Next meeting — August 22, 2014 at 8:30 AM — availability of the Watertown DPW Conference Room
or alternative meeting location to be confirmed. The normal meeting timing was altered for August
to accommodate conflicts with vacations.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:15 pm.