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Home My WebLink AboutR-1415 - Adopting the 1989 Comprehensive Water Plana:'.~,t ':'.-~l .~.':,'\~., /-+>W. /-P.Q,.~ CIT Y 0 F MAR Y S V ILL E Marysville,Washington RESOLUTION NO./IflS- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE ADOPTING THE 1989 COMPREHENSIVE WATER PLAN. RECITALS 1.The city of Marysville owns and operates a water supply system in North Snohomish County and distributes water on a regional basis to domestic,commercial and industrial customers within its water service area.The boundaries of said water service area were approved by the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board on April 12,1977. 2.The city today supplies water to approximately 9,300 customers in North Snohomish County.At present,the city has only three sources of water.These sources are not adequate to meet the present or future demands of the city's water service area.These existing sources have experienced various problems, including excessive turbidity,wells which have gone dry periodi- cally and high levels of iron which are resulting in reddish water.During summer months the City experiences poor water quality,low pressure,and inadequate fire flow in its downtown area. 3.In response to these problems,the city joined and actively participated in an ad hoc committee of local government officials and water purveyors which was formed in 1986 to study regional water needs and solutions.This committee included representatives from Snohomish County,PUD,the city of Everett, the Tulalip Tribes,and all pUblic water purveyors in North Snohomish County.In March 1987 the committee issued the final report of its consultant which concluded that the City of Everett's Sultan Basin water facility should be the regional source of water for North Snohomish County (the "Northwest Snohomish County Regional Water Study and Preliminary Assess- ment").All jurisdictions were urged to work toward that end. 4.In 1988 the City commenced a program to update its Comprehensive Water Plan,and upgrade its water system.In recognition of the need for regional cooperation,the City participated in the formation of SnoWater Association,a non- Resolution - 1 ~~r·..',,....~-',-..."',. profit corporation representing water utility purveyors in North Snohomish County.Through the active efforts of SnoWater,the Snohomish County Council declared North Snohomish County as a critical Water Supply Service Area pursuant to Chapter 70.116 RCW and formed a study committee to make recommendations regarding solutions to regional water problems and the standardization of regional water system specifications.Marysville is actively participating on said study committee. 5.In conducting a study of Marysville's needs and the needs of the region,it has become immediately apparent that the designated source of water for North Snohomish County is the city of Everett's Sultan Basin water facility,filtration plant and transmission lines.As early as November 17,1981 Snohomish County PUD and the city of Everett executed an agreement for the multi-purpose development of the Sultan Basin as a regional source of domestic water supply and the generation of electri- city.In that agreement it is stated that Everett's water supply service area includes the city of Marysville and most of North Snohomish County. 6.In 1982 the City of Everett prepared a Comprehensive Water Plan which proposed using water from Everett's Sultan Basin facility to serve Marysville and most of North Snohomish County. This plan projected supplying enough water to accommodate future growth in said region through the year 2000.The City of Everett conducted a SEPA review of this Comprehensive Water Plan,and on May 18,1982 the city issued a DNS.The Plan was reviewed by all affected governmental agencies and was approved by the Washington State Department of Health (then known as DSHS)on July 20,1982. 7.In 1982 Snohomish County prepared a Comprehensive Land Use Plan for all unincorporated areas in the greater Marysville area.An Environmental Impact Statement accompanied that Plan, and analyzed growth impacts for a 10-15 year horizon.The Plan was adopted on March 26,1982 and is still in effect. 8.On May 15,1984 the city of Marysville,with DOH approval,adopted a Comprehensive Water Plan which was coordi- nated with the regional land use and utility plans referred to above.Marysville's Plan specifically anticipated the con- struction of a 24-inch-diameter transmission pipeline from its stillaguamish well to the Marysville city limits.This pipeline, however,has never been built.Because of the water quality problems which have arisen with the stillaguamish River,the City and DOH have sUbsequently determined that that source of water should be phased out and the proposal for a 24-inch transmission line should be abandoned.This determination has heightened the urgency and necessity for an updated Comprehensive Water Plan which proposes an alternative source of water.The City of Resolution - 2 -.~..~.r•. '..~ Everett is the only source available which can provide the quantity and quality of water needed,and the only source which is consistent with adopted regional plans. 9.On November 2,1988 the Everett City Council passed a Resolution authorizing negotiations to commence with the city of Marysville regarding a Wholesale Water Supply Contract. 10.In 1989 the city of Everett prepared an update to its Comprehensive Water Plan.On JUly 15,1989 Everett issued a DNS relating to said Plan update.Said documents expressly referred to the fact that a contract was being negotiated with the city of Marysville for the wholesale supply of water to the city and to its water service area.All affected agencies and jurisdictions reviewed said documents and commented favorably upon the same. The Department of Health approved the update on October 6,1989. 11.On November 6,1989 the city of Marysville passed Resolution 1387 agreeing to the final terms of the Wholesale Water Supply Contract with the city of Everett.On December 4, 1989 said Contract was finally executed by both parties.The Contract provides for a 24-30-inch-diameter pipeline connecting the Everett system to the Marysville system with a design flow of up to 18 million gallons a day.It was agreed that the project would not proceed without approval from DOH and that the project would comply,in all respects,with the approved Comprehensive Water Plans of both Cities. 12.As a preliminary step to obtaining DOH approval of Marysville's updated Water Comprehensive Plan and its pipeline project,the city performed a SEPA review of the physical environmental impacts of constructing the pipeline along several alternative routes.An MDNS was issued by the city on June 19, 1989.Said MDNS contained an extensive list of mitigating measures which would avoid significant impacts as a result of the pipeline construction and operation. 13.As another preliminary step the city prepared a draft version of a Comprehensive Water Plan update.Said draft was distributed in July 1989,on a courtesy basis,to all interested agencies;this was not intended to be an official SEPA review. Helpful comments were received from said agencies and from members of the pUblic.These were taken into account,and a final draft of the Plan update was prepared,including a complete SEPA review and a DNS.The SEPA review incorporated,by reference,the SEPA documents which had been previously prepared on a regional basis by the city of Everett and Snohomish County. On December 11,1989 the Marysville City Council authorized public distribution of a final Plan update and DNS,and the same were immediately sent to all affected agencies and interested members of the public pursuant to SEPA. The deadline for review comments was December 29,1989. Resolution - 3 .r .'.~"'.;'C'I ..-!..... ., _f,~" _ ...~.... 14.DOH,being the agency with primary authority to review the City's updated Plan,received and considered all comments which were submitted by other agencies and by members of the public.On March 15,1990 DOH issued its written comment letter which consisted of four constructive suggestions.DOH did not recommend or even suggest that the city's SEPA review had been inadequate,that a DNS was inappropriate under these circum- stances,or that an EIS should have been prepared.Moreover,DOH did not require the City to defer its updated Comprehensive Plan or transmission pipeline project until the CWSSA coordinated study committee had submitted its final recommendations. 15.The response by DOH to the city's updated Plan,and DNS,is consistent with its response to similar plans which have been submitted by other water utilities.For example,DOH has recently accepted a DNS as the "final environmental document"for comprehensive water plans and capital improvement projects proposed by Alderwood Water District,Anacortes,Everett,Olympia and Tacoma. 16.In response to the comment letter of DOH,the City made four amendments to the final draft of its Comprehensive Water Plan and transmitted said amendments to DOH on March 29,1990. 17.On March 30,1990 DOH verbally approved all technical aspects of the city's Plan update,as amended,and further indicated that approval of the transmission pipeline would immediately follow.Confirmation of said approvals,in writing, is expected immediately. 18.There are no further preliminary steps which can or should be undertaken by the city prior to formal approval of its Plan update and the implementation of the same by the con- struction of the transmission pipeline. NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE,WASHINGTON AS FOLLOWS: The 1989 Comprehensive Water Plan update,including amend- ments through March 29,1990,is hereby approved by the City of Marysville. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR THIS Qillld DAY OF ft.?,.i I 1990. CITY OF MARYSVILLE Resolution - 4 Attest: Clerk Approved as to form: ~>.~~(2"he~-city AUoey Resolution - 5