
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Physical Environment $3.5 Billion HEALTH AND GENERAL HUMAN SERVICES GOVERNMENT 16% 19% LAW SAFETY AND CAPITAL JUSTICE IMPROVEMENT 13% 13% PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 39% Permitting & Environmental Review Airport & Ferry 1% Parks & Recreation Facilities 6% 1% Solid Waste & Fleet Administration Closure 11% 7% Roads 6% Water Transit Management 40% 28% Organization of the Pie Chart: The following agencies were combined to make the pie chart more readable. Roads: Roads and Roads Construction Transfers Parks & Recreation: Parks & Recreation, Youth Sports Facilities Grants, Expansion Levy, Open Space and Trails Levy Solid Waste & Closure: DNRP Admin., Solid Waste, Post-Closure Landfill Maintenance, Historic Preservation Program Water Management: Intercounty River Improvement, Water & Land Resources (SWM), Wastewater Treatment, Noxious Weeds, Flood Control District Fleet Administration: Motor Pool Equip Rental, Equipment Repair & Replacement, Transit Non-Revenue Vehicles, Water Pollution Control Equipment. Airport & Ferry Facilities: Airport and Marine Services Transit: Transit and DOT Administration Due to rounding, figures may not add to 100%. 626 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTION The King County Physical Environment departments support services related to building and land use permitting; community and regional parks; various recreational programs; solid waste disposal; surface water management; wastewater treatment; road and bridge maintenance and improvement in the unincorporated area; and transit operations. These services are delivered by three county departments: • Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP), • Department of Permitting and Environmental Review (DPER), and • Department of Transportation (DOT). These departments are supported by dedicated funding sources and provide services that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the Puget Sound region. The Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) serves as the steward of the region’s environment. DNRP protects the region’s water and land and natural habitats by ensuring the safe disposal of and reuse of wastewater and solid waste, and providing natural areas, parks, regional trails and recreation programs. It provides these services through five divisions: DNRP Administration, Wastewater Treatment Division, Water and Land Resources Division, Solid Waste Division, and the Parks and Recreation Division. The Department of Permitting and Environmental Review (DPER) is responsible for regulating and permitting all building and land use activity in unincorporated King County. DPER is primarily an enterprise fund, with a permit review and inspection program that supports itself with fees charged to permit applicants. In addition, DPER’s code enforcement program is supported primarily by the General Fund. The Department of Transportation (DOT) provides services related to public transportation, community outreach on transportation issues, road construction and maintenance, regional aviation, passenger ferry service, and fleet management. It provides these services through six divisions: the DOT Director’s Office, Transit Division, Marine Division, the King County International Airport, Road Services Division, and Fleet Administration. 627 Use this page for notes. 628 Natural Resources and Parks 629 Use this page for notes. 630 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND PARKS ADMINISTRATION O VERVIEW Mission: Natural Resources and Parks Department of Natural Resources and Parks Administration (DNRP Provide regional parks and trails, Admin) provides leadership, oversight, and support to the department’s protect the region’s water, air, four operational divisions: Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste, land, natural habitats, and historic Wastewater Treatment, and Water and Land Resources, as well as the properties, and reduce, safely King County Historic Preservation Program (HPP) and Community dispose of and create resources Service Area program (CSA). from wastewater and solid waste. DNRP Admin is organized into five main sections: Administration, Policy and New Initiatives, Public Affairs, the King County Historic Preservation Program, and the Community Service Area Program. HPP is responsible for designating and protecting significant historic and archaeological sites within the unincorporated area of King County and in eighteen cities that have agreements with the county for these services. HPP is funded primarily by the $1 document recording fee surcharge accounted for in the Historical Preservation and Historical Programs Fund created in 2010. The CSA program is aimed at increasing public engagement with unincorporated (rural) areas of King County and is funded by various agencies through the CSA allocation model. 2015/2016 Key Issues The major issues in the DNRP Admin budget for 2015/2016 include: Climate Change In 2014, DNRP began a carbon neutral pilot. This effort is focused on the accounting of the department’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon sinks as well as providing a financial framework to accelerate investments in each DNRP division to reduce GHG emissions. Each division sets aside funds based on a proportion of their energy consumption, to be invested in energy efficiency and other GHG reduction projects. DNRP Admin is tracking this pilot effort closely and will update as necessary. In addition to the carbon neutral pilot, DNRP Admin is also leading the department’s efforts on a variety of climate change work. This includes support for the Strategic Climate Action Plan initiated in 2012 and support of climate-related policy work and partnerships. 631 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Local Food Economy Initiative The Local Food Economy Initiative is designed to get more locally grown, healthy, and affordable food to kitchen tables and restaurants in the region. The two major objectives of the program are: • to expand the local food economy by taking advantage of an increasing interest among residents, tourists and food-related businesses in locally-produced food; reducing barriers for farmers in getting their products to market; and preserving farmland from increasing development pressure as the region grows; and • to improve healthy food access in low-income communities by building the ‘farm to plate’ pipeline via institutions (schools, hospitals, jails); strengthening connections among regional food producers and local food retailers; and partnering with community organizations to promote health and wellness. This initiative is staffed by a program manager in the Community Services Area program. Historic Preservation Program (HPP) Funding The most recent Office of Economic & Financial Analysis (OEFA) forecast for the recording fee surcharge revenue is significantly lower than projected last August. Based on these projections, the Historical Preservation and Historical Programs Fund (HPHP), which funds the HPP program from these revenues, is expected to be balanced for the 2015/2016 biennium but not in the out years. Executive Priorities Considered in 2015/2016 Business Planning and Budget Development The Executive’s priorities for the 2015/2016 Proposed Budget included consideration of Equity and Social Justice (ESJ); the continued effort to find efficiencies throughout the government; and investment in ways to reduce energy usage and mitigate climate impacts. • Equity and Social Justice: For 2015/2016, the DNRP Admin ESJ work program items that will primarily be advanced by the Finance & Administration unit include: o Diversify workforce composition Build youth awareness of public sector green job opportunities through engagement with schools in areas affected by DNRP projects o Engage and train employees to improve workplace inclusivity Deliver training to advance inclusivity – both internally and in our community engagement practices Evaluate employee survey for problem areas and/or conduct equity audits to better understand workplace equity readiness gaps Expand delivery of ESJ training to leadership and staff o Strengthen community outreach and engagement Guide, support, and utilize a more coordinated approach to engagement with LEP communities Build LEP community engagement case examples and best practices resource compendium 632 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT o Drive equity considerations into routine business - policy development, operational improvements, and CIP program/project implementation For selected programs, gather data on program and facility utilization by customer type Apply the equity impact review (EIR) process to routine business processes Develop and maintain an inventory of DNRP influences on determinants of equity • Efficiencies: As part of the continued rollout of Lean principles throughout the County, a vacant admin position was repurposed into a Lean continuous improvement specialist. This position is in the base budget as this change occurred in 2014. This position fills a void in the department by having a staff member with specific training and experience in using Lean management tools and will work with DNRP agencies on their Lean efforts. • Energy Investment and Climate: The DNRP Director’s Office provides energy program support across county government and within DNRP through the efforts of the DNRP Energy Manager. This includes maintaining all energy data for King County’s facilities, and compiling facility and vehicle consumption and renewable energy reports. The DNRP Energy Manager works closely with the FMD Energy Manager, and provides support to both DNRP’s agencies and
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