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Minutes - Water Resources - 10/15/2001 DRAFT WATER RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD FINAL MEETING MINUTES October 15, 2001 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Robert Fiehweg, Jeannette Hillery, Vicki Naber, Gil Barth, and Cal Youngberg STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Ned Williams, Robin Madel, secretary AGENDA ITEM 1 Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:13 p.m. AGENDA ITEM 2 Approval of August 20, 2001 Meeting Minutes Jeannette Hillery motioned to approve the minutes from August 20, 2001. Vicki Naber seconded. The vote was 3-0 in favor of the motion. Cal Youngberg and Gil Barth abstained because they were absent from that meeting. AGENDA ITEM 3 General Citizen Participation There was none. General Citizen Participation was closed. Water Resources Advisory Board Full Minutes October 15, 2001 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM 4 A. Matters from the Board The Board discussed the Greenways Master Plan and Skunk Creek CEAP and provided Gil Barth, the WRAB Greenways representative with some comments and questions to take to the Greenways Advisory Committee (GAC) meeting on Wednesday October 17. The GAC members are as follows: WRAB - Gil Barth TAB - Alison Richards OSAB - Linda Jourgensen PB - Tina Nielsen PRAB - Ed von Bleichert The majority of the comments were about the Skunk Creek CEAP rather than the Greenways Masterplan. Vicki Naber asked if the property owners along the Skunk Creek own the creek as well. Ned Williams said that the property owners own the land around the creek and that the city would have to obtain easements to construct a trail and do maintenance. Cal Youngberg asked about getting the property owners involved in maintenance. Williams said that the city is trying to get restrictions in place for how close to the creek property owners can build. Naber asked about the flood threat associated with Skunk Creek. Williams said that the middle section of Skunk Creek is being mitigated but the other reaches have already been mitigated. Gil Barth asked about re-channeling and the new stream profile given the preferred alternative for Skunk Creek. Williams discussed the proposed stream profile. Cal Youngberg said that the GAC should strongly consider focusing on maintenance of what has been built already. Jeannette Hillery made the suggestion to incorporate Phase II Stormwater Quality Management principles into the Skunk Creek design. Williams discussed what the city is doing in preparation for Phase II regulations. Williams said that the city is already performing limited sampling and monitoring and will submit a permit in 2003. The city has joined with other communities in the watershed to try to achieve a watershed approach to stormwater management. It is not clear whether the state will allow a watershed approach for permitting purposes; however, the Watershed Approach to Stream Health (WASH) program will provide education in a regional manner. All the board members agreed that the Greenways Master Plan was an excellent report and was very informative. Gil Barth announced that he had changed employment and gave his new employment info. Water Resources Advisory Board Full Minutes October 15, 2001 Page 2 Jeannette Hillery announced meetings being held by the Colorado Water Quality Control Division to learn more about water quality issues facing downstream users, like concerns expressed by farmers about the proposed Lafayette-Boulder pipelines. Vicky Naber asked if there would be more water in Boulder Creek this winter now that the city owns Barker Reservoir. Ned Williams said that the stream flow would be consistent with the in- stream flow program flows that have been maintained over the last few years. Jeannette Hillery distributed brochures and calendars dealing with watershed protection from the League of Women voters. B. Matters from the Staff Ned Williams discussed the second reading of the proposed 2002 budget at the City Council meeting on October 16, 2001. He said it was likely that the budget would be approved. Ned Williams discussed the City Council's first action for proceeding with the bond for Lakewood Pipeline. Williams said that the city had pre-qualified five contractors for the project and that they've received three bids that were all within the budget. On November 13, the bidding will open on revenue bonds and they will ask the City Council to authorize acceptance of the revenue bonds. The construction contract will be awarded the next day. Construction will begin in the spring. The pipeline replacement will extend from approximately one mile east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway and will continue almost to the intersection of Sugarloaf Road with the Betasso Treatment Plant. They discussed timing of this work versus the rehabilitation work on the pipeline from Barker to Betasso. Ned Williams discussed the Bear Canyon Creek Floodplain re-mapping study. The Planning Board and the City Council approved the study. The city has determined that removing a box culvert that is just downstream from the property at Gilpin which is in the High Hazard Zone will remove that property from the HHZ and will cost the city approximately $18,000-$20,000. Gil Barth asked about a property on Sumac that is in the floodplain of 4-Mile Creek. Ned Williams explained what is going on with the city and that property. Williams said that the city purchased the property, will annex it into the city and hook it up to city water and sewer lines. The city will obtain the necessary easements for future improvements, then decide whether to sell it or keep it. The property has a driveway that crosses 4-Mile Canyon Creek that will have to be re-routed. Ned Williams gave an update on Eben Fine Apartments, which are now in deconstruction. After the salvage work is completed the remaining structure will be demolished. Williams said as far as he knows there were no issues with relocation of the residents. Ned Williams gave an update on the fluoride in drinking water issue. The issue has taken a back seat to water quality safety since the September 11 attacks. Cal Youngberg asked about the history of fluoridation in Boulder. The ordinance was passed in the 50's but it was voted on in Water Resources Advisory Board Full Minutes October 15, 2001 Page 3 the 60's. Williams said he was not able to access the records explaining why it was taken to a vote. Jeannette Hillery asked if the city had gotten many phone calls expressing concern about drinking water safety. Williams said that he has received some calls but that the concern is low because it is difficult to get anything into a municipal water supply in a large enough quantity to be harmfiil. Ned Williams announced a study session with the City Council on January 29, 2002. The session will cover the city's floodplain regulations and will provide an update on the South Boulder Creek Floodplain study. He said the session would focus on whether the city wants to further refine their floodplain regulations or make them more restrictive. Hillery said that it appears that although the difference in actions taken to achieve 500-year versus 100-year flood mitigation appears minimal, the cost difference is tremendous. Robin Madel asked about setting up a tour. The board decided that they would like to visit Sombrero Marsh on October 31 at 8 am. AGENDA ITEM 5 Discussion of Future Meeting Dates and Agenda At this time there are no agenda items set for the November 19, 2001 regular meeting. AGENDA ITEM 6 Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: November 19, 2001, 7:00 p.m., regular meeting, at the City Yards Lunchroom, 5050 East Pearl. Minutes approved by Date Water Resources Advisory Board Full Minutes October 15, 2001 Page 4