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1 15 21 1 20 21 City Amanda Wilson, Infrastructure & Development Services Manager 1123 Lake Street, Sandpoint, Idaho 208.263.3411 | [email protected] Amanda Wilson Little Sandcreek Watershed Management Plan Consider adopting the proposed Watershed Management Plan, as referenced by City Code 7-16. Purpose of the plan is to document conditions, establish goals, define actions, and provide best practices for various types of activities within the Watershed. ✔ To be included in FY22 proposed budget. See staff report for further explanation. Various Yes - 30 day notice Yes; included in Plan. ✔ ✔ CITY OF SANDPOINT AGENDA REPORT DATE: January 15, 2021 TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: Amanda Wilson, Infrastructure and Development Services Manager SUBJECT: Little Sand Creek Watershed Management Plan DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND: The Little Sand Creek Watershed consists of approximately 7,800 acres lying northwest of Sandpoint, Idaho, in Townships 57 and 58 North, Ranges 2 and 3 West. The City of Sandpoint began acquiring property within the Watershed in 1918 and currently owns 4,161 acres of the Watershed. Little Sand Creek serves as a regional source for drinking water by way of the City-owned intake system. Therefore, the City has a vested interest and responsibility to protect the Watershed in a manner that ensures water quality. In accordance with the adopted 2018-2020 Strategic Plan, the City engaged Reeve Sherwood Consulting and Point Environmental to critically review needs and define solutions and resource requirements within the watershed. Over the course of approximately one year, the City’s contracted professionals collected data, evaluated existing documents and historical information, performed assessments of field conditions, and engaged multiple stakeholders to identify goals and priorities, establish policy, and provide specific recommendations. The culmination of their efforts has been provided in the enclosed Watershed Management Plan. Multiple presentations and updates have been provided to City Council throughout this planning effort. Most recently, on December 16th, 2020, City Council adopted a new City Code, Chapter 16 – Watershed Protection and Access, under Title 7, Public Way and Property, to regulate specific activities that may harm the City's Waterworks or pollute the City's water supply. As a supplement to the new Code, City Council adopted procedures to detail the requirements for the application, review and approval process, and other terms necessary to administer permits within the Watershed. The Watershed Management Plan (WMP) was introduced to the City Council on December 16th, 2021 and published on the City’s website to provide adequate time for public review and input. Comments were received and suggested edits have been incorporated into the enclosed version. The following are excerpts from the plan’s introduction, conveying the purpose of the document, followed by the defined function and goals of the watershed: The purpose of this Watershed Management Plan is to: A. document existing conditions; B. establish and document goals associated with ownership and use of the land; C. define actions for implementing the goals; and D. provide best management practices for various activities within the Watershed. This document incorporates by appendices and references multiple other planning documents, standards, guidelines, and practices, and serves as the overarching (umbrella) for all related and applicable strategies associated with managing the Watershed. The most important function of the Little Sand Creek Watershed is to serve as a municipal, drinking water source. Consequently, the management plan has been developed with the focus on protecting this use. All other goals, while generally compatible, remain secondary to this overriding goal. The following goals are achieved by the specific objectives and further defined by the correlating actions listed within each section of this management plan. Primary Goal: To protect or enhance the quality of water generated by the Little Sand Creek Watershed and to insure an adequate and continuous supply of water, in perpetuity. This goal will be achieved by the following objectives: 1. Control and manage as much of the Little Sand Creek Watershed, as possible; 2. Protect soils from erosion, contamination, or other damage so water quality can be maintained or improved; 3. Prevent pollution; 4. Reduce the hazard of catastrophic wildfires and increasing fire protection; 5. Maximize the overall forest health and environmental stewardship; 6. Regulate activities within the Watershed to minimize human-caused risks. Secondary Goals: To provide opportunities for compatible uses of the land that are in the public’s best interest and benefit. 1. Enhance wildlife, fisheries, and aesthetic values wherever possible; 2. Engage the community in planning uses and activities within the Watershed in a comprehensive and thoughtful manner; 3. Administer a formal permit process to enable requests for various uses, including but not limited to recreation, education, and special events. In considering any new management plan, best practice is to analyze and detail the anticipated costs of a proposed new plan, as well as consider a clear strategy for enforcing the plan. Although this information has yet to be fully formulated, staff recognize the community’s desire to move forward with obtaining permits for improving existing recreational conditions within the Watershed this spring, and therefore, this WMP is being brought forward for consideration with a commitment to continue assessing the operational and organizational strategy for implementing the recommendations included in the plan. Additionally, the final step of the watershed planning effort includes the development of a Recreation Master Plan, establishing the long-term vision for recreation in the watershed and will be incorporated by appendix into this WMP. The Recreation Master Plan is included in the FY21 budget and scheduled to kick off this spring, including a robust community engagement effort, led by a qualified consultant. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommend City Council adopt the proposed Watershed Management Plan. ACTION: move to adopt the proposed Watershed Management Plan. WILL THERE BE ANY FINANCIAL IMPACT? Yes HAS THIS ITEM BEEN BUDGETED? N/A Staff will develop a detailed operations strategy to support the necessary implementation, maintenance efforts, and enforcement. The proposed annual budget will be included in the FY22 presentations. The costs associated with any future permitted activities (by others) are offset by associated fees, as adopted by City Council. ATTACHMENTS: Proposed Resolution Proposed Watershed Management Plan https://www.sandpointidaho.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2597/1417 No: 21- Date: January 20, 2021 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SANDPOINT TITLE: WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN ADOPTION WHEREAS: In accordance with the adopted 2018-2020 Strategic Plan and in order to ensure water quality, environmental stewardship, and authorized use by the public, the City of Sandpoint embarked on the development of a comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (“Plan”); WHEREAS: To this end, consultants were contracted to assist City staff with the planning efforts and, over the past year, they have collected data, evaluated existing documents and historical information, performed assessments of field conditions, developed mapping, and engaged multiple stakeholders to identify goals and priorities, establish policy, and provide specific recommendations; WHEREAS: On December 16, 2020, by Ordinance No. 1383, Council adopted new and related Title 7, Chapter 16, Watershed Protection and Access; WHEREAS: On December 16, 2020, under Resolution No. 20-059, Council approved the new Watershed Permit Procedures which supplement the new City Code; WHEREAS: On December 16, 2020, City staff and consultants provided an overview of the proposed Plan to City Council; and WHEREAS: The Plan is incorporated by reference in City Code, and its purpose is to (a) document existing conditions, (b) establish and document goals associated with ownership and use of the land, (c) define actions for implementing the goals, and (d) provide best management practices for various activities within the Watershed. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Sandpoint Watershed Management Plan, attached hereto and made a part hereof as if fully incorporated herein, is hereby approved and adopted. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: City staff is directed to develop a detailed operational strategy to support the implementation costs and enforcement of the Plan. Shelby Rognstad, Mayor ATTEST: Melissa Ward, City Clerk Little Sandcreek Watershed Management Plan January 2021 Prepared For: The City of Sandpoint Idaho 1123 Lake Street Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 Prepared By: Michael Zenthoefer (Point Environmental, LLC) Oregon City, OR 97045 541-207-8441 [email protected] & Randy Reeve (Reeve Sherwood Consulting, LLC) Shelton, WA 98584 541-231-9475 [email protected] Table of Contents Definitions .................................................................................................................................................... iii 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Watershed Management Goals and Objectives ........................................................................... 2 1.1.1. Primary