### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee met on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, to consider amendments to the 2006 Birch Bay Comprehensive Stormwater Plan. The committee, acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors, reviewed a resolution to formally incorporate four sub-watershed master plans developed between 2013-2023 into the original comprehensive plan. ### Key Terms and Concepts **BBWARM District:** The Birch Bay Watershed & Aquatic Resources Management District, a special purpose district established in 2007 to manage stormwater in the Birch Bay watershed and implement solutions from the 2006 comprehensive plan. **Sub-watershed Master Plans:** Four detailed studies completed from 2013-2023 that systematically analyzed stormwater infrastructure, identified deficiencies, and prioritized capital projects for urbanized areas within the Birch Bay watershed. **SEPA:** State Environmental Policy Act - incorporating these plans into the comprehensive plan makes them available as reference documents for environmental impact analysis during project reviews. **Capital Projects:** Infrastructure improvements identified in the master plans to address drainage problems, protect water quality, and reduce flooding - 44 projects total with 14 already completed. **Water Resources Improvement Program (WRIP):** Whatcom County's six-year capital improvement program where stormwater projects are scheduled and funded based on priority rankings. **Flood Control Zone District:** A special taxing district that can collect fees and implement stormwater management projects - BBWARM operates as a sub-zone of the county-wide district. **Climate Change Factor:** An additional 22% capacity added to system designs beyond 100-year storm standards to account for more intense precipitation events due to climate change. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kaylee Galloway | Committee Chair, Council Member | | Todd Donovan | Council Member | | Mark Stremler | Council Member | | Holly Faulstich | Public Works Department, BBWARM Manager | | Kraig Olason | Stormwater Program Manager | ### Background Context The Birch Bay area has faced persistent stormwater and flooding challenges due to rapid development in a sensitive coastal watershed. After community pressure in the early 2000s, Whatcom County developed a comprehensive stormwater plan in 2006 and created the BBWARM district in 2007 with dedicated funding to implement solutions. However, staff realized the original plan needed more detailed analysis of specific sub-areas to effectively prioritize infrastructure improvements. The four sub-watershed master plans represent a decade of technical work (2013-2023) using hydraulic modeling to identify exactly where systems are undersized and flooding occurs. This information is crucial for both county infrastructure planning and private development review, as developers need to understand downstream impacts and capacity constraints when proposing new projects. ### What Happened — The Short Version Staff presented the resolution to formally adopt four sub-watershed master plans into the 2006 Birch Bay Comprehensive Stormwater Plan. Holly Faulstich explained that these plans identify 44 priority projects to solve drainage problems, with 14 already completed at a rate of about one per year. Council members asked questions about plan updates, housing cost impacts, advisory committee input, population growth assumptions, and sea level rise considerations. The committee voted 2-0 to recommend approval (Donovan was temporarily absent during the vote). ### What to Watch Next • Full County Council consideration of AB2025-171 at an upcoming regular meeting • Continued implementation of the remaining 30 capital projects from the master plans through the annual WRIP process • Potential updates to development standards based on lessons learned from recent flooding events, particularly the 2021 storm that overwhelmed systems in Birch Bay Village ---