Weekly Report – September 26, 2020

Weekend Recycling Event.  This Saturday, September 26^th, recycling at John Knox Church. This is the LAST event of the year, so please clear out your garages and bring your items to the event. Event staff will be on site from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm!

Water Resource Inventory Area 9 Water Well Permit Exempt Building Permit Regulations.  In January 2018, the Washington State Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 6091 (session law 2018 c 1). This law was enacted in response to the State Supreme Court’s 2016 decision in Whatcom County vs. Hirst, Futurewise, et al. (commonly referred to as the “Hirst decision”). As it relates to Normandy Park, the law, now primarily codified as RCW 90.94, clarifies how local governments can issue building permits for homes intending to use a permit-exempt well for their domestic water supply. The law also requires local watershed planning in 15 WRIAs, including WRIA 9, Normandy Park’s area. 

In terms of planning, cities had the option of participating on the Committee through a caucus, with one person attending the Committee meetings as the caucus representative. Black Diamond, Normandy Park, and Tukwila decided to form a cities caucus with the WRIA 9 Watershed Ecosystem Forum representative serving as the caucus representative. The caucus representative’s attendance and vote represented the participation and vote of all members of the caucus. The caucus had one collective vote on decisions that did not require approval by all Committee members. For decisions that required approval by all Committee members (adopting or amending the operating principles, final plan approval), each caucus member voted individually.

 Now, the statutorily mandated plan is about ready for review. All plan draft elements do not affect the City of Normandy Park, or any of its streams or water services.  The plan is essentially about the Green River and its extended watershed.

Local Cities Re-up for Airport Advisory Committee.  The cities of Burien and Des Moines are all officially back at the StART table (Sea-Tac International Airport Advisory Roundtable), addressing issues pertaining to the relationship between operations at SeaTac International Airport and local area health and well-being.

Comprehensive Plan Recommendations Forwarded to City Council.  Comprehensive Plan Docket recommendations made at the regularly scheduled September Planning Commission meeting will go to City Council at its regularly scheduled City Council Meeting on Oct. 13^th.  No land-use changes are recommended by the Planning Commission.

Normandy Park CARES Act Funding.  The CARES Act Local Aid program is up and running. This program offers local business owners the opportunity to apply for federal aid.  Successful applicants will be awarded up to $5,000 in the first round of $60,000 of funding availability.  First-round applications are due to the Southside Seattle Chamber of Commerce no later October 2, 2020. 

Planning Commission Tasks.  Next up for the Planning Commission: review and recommendation of formal regulations for Enhanced Service Facilities;  followed by review and recommendation of U.S. Supreme Court-mandated sign code adjustments; followed by review and recommendation of permanent flood hazard regulations.  Interim flood regulations are currently in place, securing the right for Normandy Park residents to apply for federal flood insurance.

“Planning Commission Tasks.  Next up for the Planning Commission… “