Moratorium Support Committee Report

8.10.06

Over the last month, the Moratorium Support Committee met on July 5^th, 12^th, 19^th, 26^th and August 2^nd.  These meetings focused on the priorities established at the May 11^th meeting that initiated the moratorium.  Progress on each priority is as follows:

Priority #1. Amend current city code to incorporate BMP’s regarding erosion, storm water runoff, and vegetative stabilization during construction activities.

On July 19^th, members of the MSC met with LCOG staff in Eugene to discuss the handoff of ordinance drafts for erosion control, storm water runoff and other procedural aspects of city code needing revision.  Denise Kalakay is working on water quality aspects of our code revision, Tim Bingham is focused on storm water issues, and Denise Walters is working with Gary Darnielle on revision of the procedural aspects of our code that require updating.  The MSC has sifted through many examples of other cities’ codes and for each aspect of the ordinance revision, we handed a chosen framework to LCOG staff to work on starting July 28^th.  Drafts will be passed back and forth between LCOG and the MSC until a final draft is completed.  We will then submit drafts of work for public review, Planning Commission review and eventual City Council review and approval.  DLCD is funding the water quality work being done on our code to the tune of about $17K and our city budget will fund the procedural aspects for $8.5K budgeted in this fiscal year’s budget for ordinance revision.

Priority #2. Implementation of “Septic System Maintenance Ordinance 173.” 

Members of the MSC have lined up the first list of homeowners to be notified based on age of home and proximity to Woahink Lake .  City staff wants to wait until new database software is up and running before we make our initial contacts, which could be up to two additional months.  MSC members are ready to track responses and proof of inspection via a simple spreadsheet immediately.  One of the MSC members has given the committee an estimate of what it will cost to record hard copy data from older records in Lane County ’s files.  These files are crucial to understanding the oldest and potentially most critical septic systems to inspect.  The City Council needs to decide if we should wait two months longer or move ahead with the first group of letters to the oldest systems around Woahink Lake .  We also need to decide if it is worth paying someone to collect hard copy records from Lane County for this effort.  The estimate for this work is $6,200.

Priority #3. Adopt and implement appropriate code changes for higher standards for new subsurface waste disposal systems.

Mark Chernaik has been contracted to complete this task.  He has completed a final draft ordinance that outlines higher standards for new septic systems in Dunes City .  MSC members are making final comments.  The MSC will be advertising a meeting to take place on August 15^th to talk with builders and developers in the area that would be affected by this and other ordinance revisions.  Then, Planning Commission and City Council review.

Priority #4. Conduct an educational outreach program to alert citizens of the dangers of inadequately maintained water and septic systems, as well as practices detrimental to water quality.

A very active education subcommittee recently sent out the latest edition of the Dunes City newsletter outlining several important aspects of water quality education to all city residents.  This newsletter was almost completely funded by advertising sponsors.  The first ever Festival of the Lakes is scheduled for August 19^th and is growing.  There will be three speakers and more than 15 informational tables and we will likely get coverage by KCST.  There will be music, food, kids activities and more.  LOCG is working with the education subcommittee to either give or provide at cost, copies of their recent illustrated booklet on how septic systems operate to help us communicate septic issues to our community.

Priority #5.  Fertilizer Ordinance for Dunes City

Given Mark Chernaik’s very efficient and cost effective work on the subsurface waste disposal standards/ordinance, the MSC made the decision to have Mark work on a Phosphorus ordinance as well.  Initial drafts of his work are being reviewed and commented on by MSC members and Mark hopes to have this ordinance completed by mid-August.  Then public, Planning Commission and City Council review.

Priority #6 - Survey of lakeshores to identify storm water sources and areas in need of protective measures.

Woahink Lake completed on July 20^th.  Siltcoos Lake soon to be done if not already.

Priority #7. Documentation provided to Dunes City on the progress toward moratorium objectives.

Being accomplished through this report, meeting minutes and tapes of all meetings held at city hall every Wednesday night.