Rain Gardens Campaign Will Give a Huge Boost to Stormwater Management

Campaign wants 12,000 rain gardens in Puget Sound

A Stewardship Partnership/WSU Program will get "raingardens"  going in a big way in Puget Sound Region.

Raingardens are a simple concept, but they take some thoughtful preparation and design to be effective and attractive for your yard or business. But, they can make huge difference in the impact to drainage in your city.  And, they are just what the doctor ordered to fix Puget Sound and our other important waterways.

The Associated Press • Published April 19, 2011 http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/19/1622478/campaign-wants-12000-rain-gardens.html

SEATTLE – A campaign is underway to install 12,000 rain gardens in Puget Sound to curb stormwater pollution and protect waterways.

• www.12000raingardens.org (weblink)

The nonprofit Stewardship Partners and Washington State University Extension announced the effort Tuesday.

Rain gardens are landscape features designed to capture and filter polluted stormwater runoff from rooftops and driveways. Campaign officials say these 12,000 rain gardens will soak up about 160 million gallons of polluted runoff each year.

The campaign will offer homeowners, city and county agencies and businesses free workshops and tours on rain gardens.

Stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution in Washington state. When rain falls on roofs, parking lots and driveways, it washes oil, grease, dirt, heavy metals and other pollutants into rivers, lakes and bays.

Here is  a "before and after" example of how a rain garden can enhance your yard and do the work of removing excess stormwater that might otherwise run into your local stream.. These projects work most effectively when several neighbors  coordineate to create a cluster of raingardens.


This is the problem:

And this is the solution:

Completed Raingarden Project in Puyallup

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Online:

Rain Garden Campaign: www.12000raingardens.org

for a free Raingarden Handbook to download.

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/19/1622478/campaign-wants-12000-rain-gardens.html#ixzz1K6x6ZJhU

Cormorants at Thornton Creek Park Six

Cormorants Taking up a Post at Thornton Creek Park Six this week.

Cormorant visits Beaver Pond at Park Six
photo credit - Ruth Williams

Just a few blocks away from Northgate is an amazing wildlife habitat. It is Thornton Creek Park #6, located at the intersection of 8th NE and NE 105th.
Beavers have converted this site into an incredibly effective wetland/drainage retention pond. And it has also become a remarkable wildlife refuge. Many species besides beavers utilize the site including, racoons, fish and dozens of birds large and small. Heron, wooducks, merganzers and many others are often sighted. Beyond the wildlife habitat , the beaver ponds provide valuable other
benefits for downstream flood prevention and water quality.

"Save the Sound, Build a Raingarden" Workshops Coming Up

Two Upcoming Workshops will teach LID Techniques. LID means Low Impact Development.
Green Roofs, Raingardens, Natural Drainage Strategies such as "Bioswales" and water catchment systems can be attractively integrated in to yards and landscaping to improve surface water impacts, reduce flooding, improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

Environmental Science Center is offering two useful 
workshops for remodelers and gardeners.

Native Plantings and pervious pavement installed
on Shoreline's Green Street project at 17th Ave NE

Title: Low Impact Development for Remodlers: Transforming Existing
Lots through Zero Storm Runoff and Improved Sustainability.

Date & Time: February 24, 2011, 12:00p - 1:30p
Where: Best Western Executive Inn - Vashon Room  - 200 Taylor Ave
Seattle, WA 98109

In this workshop, cutting edge green remodeling contractor, Jon
Alexander, will discuss improving sustainability and decreasing storm
runoff in existing lots by reducing imperious surfaces, using rain
gardens and bioswales, rain water collection, green roofs, soil
improvements and pin foundations.
Advanced registration required, RSVP to: programs@envsciencecenter.org
or call 206-248-4266


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Swales and Restored Wetlands at Cromwell Park in Shoreline

Title: Save the Sound: Build a Rain Garden
Date & Time: March 15, 2011, 6:00p - 8:00p
Where: Burien Community Center - Shorewood Room - 14700 6th Ave. SW,
Burien WA 98166

At this workshop you will learn how rain gardens help soak up
rainwater from downspouts, driveways, and sidewalks while protecting
our local waterways. You will also learn your soil type during the
class and receive a FREE rain garden manual and other helpful
materials.  There will be opportunities to gain further hands-on
experience by helping create a rain garden later in the spring and
fall.

Advanced registration required RSVP to: programs@envsciencecenter.org
or call 206-248-4266

SEPA Process - An Explanation and Why It Matters for Shoreline

S.E.P.A. - A Tool for Communities to Control Impacts of Development and Projects? Or Something to Be Ignored by Citizens or Written Off by Local Government?

Photo credit - Cedarbrook Coalition

People who've been involved with monitoring the Planning Process in Shoreline for a long time are concerned about proposals to severely cut back citizen involvement in Shoreline governance. 


Are you a citizen who feels there are impacts to the environment that occur from development and other projects, but are not sure what to do about it? These "impacts" (measured by SEPA) can be included under many "elements"  such as; transportation, streams, wetlands, water quality, historical or cultural, wildlife habitat, neighborhood character and others.
Are you a citizen who values things about Shoreline that give it a neighborhood character?


SEPA definition from the Department of Ecology website -

 A state policy that requires state and local agencies to consider the likely environmental consequences of a proposal before approving or denying the proposal.

SEPA Citizens Guide -
 http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sepa/citizensguide/citizensguide.htm


Then perhaps you should pay attention to the following!


This commentary was provided by a concerned person we'll call "Citizen X":

A dramatic increase in allowable impacts and a decrease in public involvement is proposed. Protecting Public Oversight and SEPA Review: 

The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requires completion of a checklist to assure development protects neighbors and neighborhoods from unnecessary environmental impacts.

The checklist  becomes a public document that can be reviewed and commented upon to assure that all potential impacts are identified and mitigated.

Before final approval and issuance of a city building permit, local citizens are given appeal rights under the law to assure developments do not cause environmental impacts.

 The City of Shoreline is proposing to expand the size of development that is EXEMPT from the SEPA process. The reasoning given for this proposed expansion is to assure certainty in the development process. For instance:

                   • developments from 4 up to 20 units would be EXEMPT.
                   • commercial buildings from 4,000 sq. ft (+ 20 parkling stalls) up to 12,000 sq ft (+ 
                       40 parking stalls) would be EXEMPT
                   • parking lots for 20 spaces up to 40 spaces would be EXEMPT

The effect of this change would be to eliminate substantial oversight by the public in their neighborhoods and could impact an individual's property rights and property values if a development under 20 units is proposed nearby.  "Experts" with a vested interest in stimulating development processes would replace local citizen review and those who have to live with the consequences would have little recourse other than the election process (of City Councilmembers). No challenges, comments or appeals would be possible (except though Superior Court).

Don't let non-elected city officials determine the fate of your neighborhoods without allowing public input! Hold the City Councilmembers, who will vote on this issue accountable for their actions. Tell them you will watch and remember how they vote, and insist they support local citizen oversight of projects.

No other city of Shoreline's size in the region has proposed such an expansion of SEPA EXEMPTIONS. Most cities require SEPA review for ALL development without ANY exceptions.

Please help protect the environmental future of YOUR city. 

The above message brought to you as a service from Of Paramount Importance Blog.

If you are interested in preventing one more erosion of your rights as citizens of Shoreline, you are
encouraged to contact the Planning Commission @
http://www.cityofshoreline.com/index.aspx?page=171
 and/or
City Council @ 
http://www.cityofshoreline.com/index.aspx?recordid=10&page=36


Thank you for caring!
Janet

Home built too close to Thornton Creek

photo credit - TCA/SPU

Open Letter to Editors - Working for Clean Water Bill - Lets Pass This Bill, It's a No Brainer!

This important bill is now before our State Legislators. Sightline Institute's Daily has been covering this issue extensively.

"Oil's Slick Politics" by Eric DePlace

 Please send your letter to your local paper, like this -
(Should be 250 words or less for Seattle Times).

Dear Editor,

The Working for Clean Water Bill is the best chance in decades for our
State to truly make a difference for Puget Sound and other important
waterways. But now, the industries that cause the most harm are 
making excuses and asking to avoid responsibility.

It is well known that toxics like oil and fertilizers are the greatest
cause of our water quality problems, killing wildlife and making our
beaches and shellfish habitat off limits. But, as described in the
Jim Brunner article "Gas-station owners want tax overturned", oil companies
and gas station owners are now suing the State to "get out of jail
free". They want to undermine the Hazardous Substances Tax passed 22
years ago.

I have worked for over 20 years on restoration projects in the Thornton
Creek Watershed, most notably to get the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel at Northgate done.
This prize-winning project is universally seen to benefit to our urban watershed.
I've also worked in Shoreline to get LID (Low Impact Development) technologies used in our 
Aurora Phase II project, providing big water quality benefits to both Boeing and
McAleer Creeks. So I know that these are exactly the types of projects
this bill could fund, bringing many green jobs to our communities.

I hope that this bill passes and that the gas and oil companies will
accept their responsibilities. It will impose a "user fee" in effect on
the very industries that are destroying our precious water resources. It
makes sense!

Sincerely,

Janet Way
Shoreline, WA