On Monday, March 6, the Area Council held its monthly meeting at the Maple Valley Fire Station at 22225 SE 231st St (NEW LOCATION) and online via Zoom. Our Guest Speakers were from the King County (KC) Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Water & Land Resources Division (WLRD) to discuss the ongoing KC Flood Management Plan Update and from the WA State Department of Ecology to provide an update on Reserve Silica Site Reclamation. Also discussed was the ongoing 2024 KC Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) Major (10-yr) Update.
KC Flood Management Plan Update
Chrys Bertolotto and Chris Brenner, both from the KC DNRP/WLRD, discussed the ongoing update of the KC Flood Management Plan, whose most recent updates were in 2006 and 2013.
Flooding is become more frequent, especially with Climate Change impacts. Flood risks include impacts to people, property, regional economy, and public infrastructure. Flooding can change the landscape, as happened locally along the Cedar River in the Dorre Don area where a new channel was formed during the February 2020 flood event.
In the Cedar River Basin over 1,600 homes are at risk of flooding. Hazards include: (1) Erosion and channel migration; (2) Flooding; and (3) Landslides and large wood debris. Strategies to reduce such risks include: protecting infrastructure, buying of properties from willing sellers, and repairing/upgrading flood facilities.
The Flood Management Plan Update will serve as a Roadmap that identifies flood hazards and risks; describes strategies and projects to mitigate risks; and defines KC policies in unincorporated areas. KC wants to ensure the Update factors in local community needs. A key emphasis will be on climate change adaptation and resilience.
A Draft Flood Plan Update, as well as a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, will be released for Public Comment in November. A Final Flood Plan Update will be forwarded to the KC Council for discussion in the first quarter of 2024. Final KC Council approval is expected in the fourth quarter of 2024. More information can be found at: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/wlr/sections-programs/river-floodplain-section/documents/flood-hazard-management-plan.aspx.
Reserve Silica Site Reclamation
Tim O’Connor and Alan Noell, both from the WA State Department of Ecology (DOE), NW Regional Office, provided their periodic update on the Reserve Silica Mine Site Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) Cleanup project just south of Ravensdale (located at 26000 Black Diamond–Ravensdale Rd).
The regulatory framework is comprised of: a landfill post-closure care permit, which requires maintenance and monitoring., and interim cleanup activities—cap improvements, groundwater and stormwater diversion, and seepage collection & treatment.
There are two MTCA areas: Reclamation Site and Plant Site (NW corner). An Agreed Order under MTCA negotiations was completed on December 16, 2019, with Potentially Liable Parties (PLPs) for the Reclamation Site. It requires the PLPs to complete a Remedial Investigation (RI) Report, Feasibility Study (FS) Report, and Draft Cleanup Action Plan (CAP)—all open to Public Comments.
Completed RI activities include: (1) Geophysical surveys which identified extent of high pH groundwater; (2) Identification of chemicals of concern which included antimony, arsenic, lead, vanadium, and associated with high pH water; (3) Soil sampling which included initial sampling (complete), delineation sampling with results pending, and background metals with results pending; and (4) Delineation of groundwater contamination.
Next steps include several activities: (1) Confirmation of delineation of soil contamination; (2) Remedial Investigation Report; (3) Initiation of Feasibility Study; and (4) Continuation of two ongoing activities—Seepage collection and treatment and Monitoring of groundwater and surface water.
For more information and a copy of DOE’s presentation please see the Area Council’s Reserve Silica webpage: http://gmvuac.org/reserve-silica/. For details on site history and all reclamation activities please see the DOE Reserve Silica webpage: https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/cleanupsearch/site/4728. This site also includes all available Reports: Site summary, Presentations, Historical coal maps, Legal documents; and Technical Reports—RI Work Plan, Preliminary investigation reports, and Supplemental work plans, and Quarterly monitoring reports.
KC Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) Update
Since the beginning of 2022 the Area Council has been coordinating a Joint Team of ten King County Rural Area Unincorporated Area Councils, Associations, and Organizations in a wide-ranging effort to provide scoping ideas, comments, and final detailed review for the ongoing 2024 KCCP Major Update (Update), now done every 10 years.
The Joint Team made several submittals to KC in February: (1) Detailed Comments on KC Executive’s “Conceptual Proposals” submitted on February 24 and (2) Proposed Changes to KC Code Title 21A.30.085 Home Occupations and Title 21A.30.090 Home Industries submitted on February 28. Each can be found on the Area Council’s 2024 KCCP Major Update webpage: http://gmvuac.org/kccp-major-update/.
The Area Council also discussed two new Joint Team proposed submittals: (1) Proposed Land-Use & Zoning Study to evaluate cumulative impacts from new mines proposed along Green River Gorge and Cumberland area to be submitted to KC ob March 10 and (2) Draft Written Testimony on the KC Growth Management Planning Council’s (GMPC’s) “Four-One Program Review” to be submitted to the GMPC ahead on its March 22 bimonthly meeting. Both were approved by the Area Council with some clarifying additions. Final approvals are dependent upon votes by all the other Joint Team organizations, then each will be submitted to KC and posted on the webpage provided above.
Information on the entire Update process and milestones can be found at the KC’s 2024 KCCP Major Update webpage is: https://kingcounty.gov/sites/depts/executive/performance-strategy-budget/regional-planning/king-county-comprehensive-plan/KingCountyComprehensivePlan.aspx.
Next Area Council Meeting
The next Area Council monthly meeting will be held Monday, April 3 from 7 – 9:30 PM at the Maple Valley Fire Station at 22225 SE 231st St (across from the KC Sheriff’s Precinct). As a hybrid meeting, people will be able to attend either in-person or virtually via Zoom.
Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (except for Holidays, when they are held on the second Monday), from 7 – 9:30 PM. Meeting announcements, Agendas, and Zoom information are published in the Voice of the Valley, the Area Council’s website (www.gmvuac.org) and local NextDoor platforms. You can also find us on our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/GMVUAC/. Each meeting begins with an open Public Comment period where anyone can voice concerns, comments, etc. to the Area Council.
Area Council Membership
Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally recognized advisory body to King County on behalf of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District. The Area Council’s works to keep the Rural Area rural. The Area Council also works regionally with other King County Rural Area organizations through both Joint Planning and its Joint Transportation Initiative.
The twelve-seat Area Council has four open seats. If you have an interest in joining, please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org or attend (either in-person or virtually) a monthly meeting and express your interest. To be eligible to join the Area Council as a member you need to live within the Tahoma School District. Residents, even those who do not live within the Tahoma School District, are eligible to become Associate Members who can serve on any Area Council Committee: Environment, Growth Management, Transportation, Public Relations, or Train Show. Each committee votes for its own Chair and Vice-Chairs and Associate Members are eligible for those positions. The Area Council welcomes your participation. For information on each of these committees please see the Area Council’s web site: www.gmvuac.org and use the drop-down menu under Committees.
