May 2, 2011 Meeting Minutes

7:00 PM
Roll Call-All here. Les had to leave early.
Review and Approve Agenda-so acted
Approval of minutes-done

Landsburg Mine Cleanup
Jerome Cruz, Site Manager, and Nancy Lui, Public Involvement Coordinator, of the WA State Department of Ecology (Ecology) discussed the status of the Landsburg mine cleanup. The property is currently owned by Palmer Coking Coal Company and formerly owned by the Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P. It is located between SE Summit-Landsburg Rd and Kent-Kangely Rd. just east of the City of Kent water supply.

Mr. Cruz provided the following timeline: The site was actively mined between 1959 and 1975. Toxic wastes were dumped into the mine trench between 1969 and 1978. The State Model Toxics and Control Act went into effect in 1989. Drums of toxic waste were started to be removed in 1991. A Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study was completed in 1996. Various Draft Cleanup Action Plans (DCAPs) have been developed since 1999 with the most recent completed in March of this year.

The Model Toxics and Control Act will govern the cleanup and several companies responsible for the dumping will be financial responsible. Groundwater has been continually monitored and no contamination has been found migrating off the site in surface water or groundwater. Also, no contaminants have been detected in soils outside the trench area. There are several contaminants that have been found in the soil inside the trench: chromium, lead, PCBs, and other toxics.

Ecology is working on a DCAP that would contain the waste disposed in the north subsidence trench area and prevent exposure to human contact and rainfall. The DCAP steps includes: (1) Fill in trench and add low-permeability cap; (2) Divert surface water; (3) Establish institutional controls on land and groundwater use; (4) Implement contingent capture and treatment (should contamination to detected in on-site monitoring wells); and (5) Monitor groundwater in perpetuity.

The Public will have an opportunity to comment on the Consent Decree and DCAP when it goes out for a 30 day comment period before it is finalized. Once approved the plan could be put into action within about a year with remedial action construction taking about 2 years and compliance monitoring in perpetuity.

For more information, click here. Members of the Public also can contact Jerome Cruz at: 425-649-7094 or Nancy Lui at: 425-649-7117. Mr. Cruz's presentation can be found on the Area Council's web site.

Future Structure for UACs
Area Council Chair Steve Hiester provided a report on the All-UAC Meeting he attended on April 11 with King County representatives. At the meeting future King County-UAC funding-relationship structures were discussed. There are several issues that have precipitated this conversation: funding of UACs (primarily for insurance and elections); advisory relationship with King County; and the lack of complete unincorporated area coverage throughout the County (e.g., there are several areas that do not have UACs).

At this time the King County Council is looking at establishing a Rural Commission that could include the current Chairs of the UACs plus others who would represent newly established Community Service Areas. The current UACs possibly could be one layer below this.

The Area Council discussed various scenarios to continue to provide service and a voice to its constituents. Many members emphasized that UACs provide the only local voice and interaction that citizens have with King County officials. Also, the UACs provide King County with comprehensive comments and recommendations on King County Code, County-wide Planning Policies, Comprehensive Plans, and other policy documents, laws, ordinances, etc.

The Area Council discussed addressing the King County Council (along with other UACs) to provide detailed insight into the useful and timely relationships between King County and its UACs and the resulting benefits to local citizens.

Black Diamond Master Planned Developments (MPDs)
The Area Council continues to be concerned with the major impacts on Rural Area citizens associated with the YarrowBay-proposed MPDs (6,050 homes and 1.15 million sq ft of commercial/business space) in the City of Black Diamond. These impacts include: massive amounts of Traffic, at least three, possibly four, new Schools, and major Stormwater Detention Facilities all in the Rural Area.

An update was given on the status of Development Agreements (DAs). On April 22 YarrowBay submitted their 3rd draft of the DAs for both the Villages and Lawson Hills MPDs. Once the Black Diamond City Staff approves the DAs, hearings will be scheduled before the City’s Hearing Examiner. It is anticipated hearings could begin in late June/early July. The Area Council will provide both Oral Testimony and Written Comments on the DAs.

On April 18 a citizens’ team met with Black Diamond City Staff and their Transportation Contractor, Parametrix, to discuss the Traffic Demand Model being rebuilt to address some of the deficiencies found last year in traffic analyses supporting the MPDs. More detail is being included in the model, but, according to the MPD Ordinances passed last September by the Black Diamond City Council, it will not be used to do any traffic analyses until 850 building permits have been issued. Parametrix estimated that might not occur until 2016.

A deficiency important to Rural Area residents is that the Issaquah-Hobart Rd and any intersections along its length, though included in the Traffic Model grid, will not be the subject of any analyses using the updated model. The Area Council has taken issue with this and submitted a letter of concern to the Black Diamond City Council.

Information on all upcoming Public Hearings will be posted on the City of Black Diamond MPD page at: http://www.ci.blackdiamond.wa.us/Depts/CommDev/mpd_page.html The YarrowBay DRAFT DAs currently are posted, along with many other MPD documents.

County-Wide Planning Policies
On April 27 Area Council members Les Dawson and Peter Rimbos offered Oral Testimony at the Growth Management Planning Council’s (GMPC’s) Public Hearing on the update of the County-Wide Planning Policies (CPPs). Specific comments dealt with approving draft language to not place Schools in the Rural Area that primarily serve adjacent Urban Development. Members of the Four Creeks UAC also testified.

Six draft policies were supported: DP-44 to: “...reduce the need for new rural infrastructure...”; DP-46 to: “Limit the extension of urban infrastructure improvements through Rural Areas...” and “...to restrict uses appropriate for the Rural Area...”; DP-48 to: “Prevent ... negative impacts of urban development on adjacent Rural Areas.” DP-49 to: “Limit public facilities located in the Rural Area to a size and scale appropriate to serve the Rural Area...”; PFS-12 to: “Prohibit sewer expansion in Rural Areas...” as this will precipitate a domino effect on development; and PFS-18 to: “Locate ... educational services and facilities that serve urban populations within the Urban Growth Area...”

The GMPC will consider action on a "final" draft at its Wednesday, June 29, meeting. For more information see: http://www.kingcounty.gov/property/permits/codes/growth/GMPC.aspx.

Ravensdale Community Meadow
Gordon Moorman announced that on Tuesday, May 10, at 7:30 - 9:00 PM at the Gracie Hansen Community Center in Ravensdale, there will be a meeting on the proposed Ravensdale Community Meadow. It has been almost two years since this project was initiated. It is now time to inform citizens about the status of Phase 1 and to discuss funding and plans for Phase 2. There will be representatives from Citizens for Rural Ravensdale, King County Parks, and Rock Creek Sports.

Council Business
1. Vice Chair: Warren Iverson was voted as the new Area Council Vice-Chair to replace departing Dave Fields.
2. King County Code: The Area Council received a response from King County's Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) to its King County Code (KCC) recommendations submitted last Fall. WLRD clearly gave much thought to its responses. The Area Council Growth Management Committee and Transportation Committee will followup.
3. King County Comprehensive Plan Update: The Public Review Draft will be available by the end of September with Public Meetings held in October and November. On March 1, 2012 the Executive-Recommended update will be sent to the King County Council for review and approval. The Area Council’s Growth Management Committee and Transportation Committee will conduct a thorough evaluation of the Public Review Draft and provide the full Area Council recommendation to review and approve before submittal to King County.

Next Regular Monthly Meeting:
Date/Time -- June 6, 2011, at 7:00 - 9:30 PM.
Location -- Sheriff’s Precinct #3 Headquarters, 231st St & SR-169 (across from Fire Station).