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November 29, 2001
Present:
- Holly Utrata-Halcomb, Chair
- David Styer, FOGM
- Jeff Leedy, HC Public Works
- Cory Chadwick, HCDOES
- Nancy Ellwood, MCWC
- Jim Rozelle, FMSM
- Karen Ball, HC Commission
(Portune)
- John Hunter, LWVCA&MCRP
- Robert Jansen, Mill Creek Conservancy
District
- Dave Sparke, Anderson Twp (HC Twp Rd.
Supervisors)
- Sam George, City of Cincinnati
SMU/MSD
- Wesley Wimmer, SMU/MSD
- Robert Caudill, HCGHD
- Brian Bohl, HCSWD
- Tom Ryther, Mariemont
- Frank Birkenhauer, Colerain Twp
REPORT ON THE OHIO STORMWATER TASK FORCE ANNUAL MEETING
Holly Utrata-Halcomb
The Ohio Stormwater Task Force is a seven-year-old grassroots organization made up of a wide variety of stakeholders throughout the state. They are funded by a Section 319 grant of the Clean Water Act to look at stormwater management issues throughout the state. Their annual meeting was held in conjunction with the Water Management Association of Ohio (WMAO). Speakers addressed HB 549 authority, implementation of NPDES Phase II Stormwater Program, educational help for Stormwater Managers, and the MSD Deep tunnel. A 2002 Watershed Management Workshop was announced for May 2, 2002 in Columbus. Papers are being solicited (contact Holly for more details). Holly is chair of the Stormwater Task Force Communications Committee that has established a site on the Warren County Web Page
www.warrenswcd.com/ohiostormwatertaskforce
HAMILTON COUNTY STORMWATER STUDY - Jim Rozelle
The Stormwater Steering Committee has held a number of well-attended meetings with FMSM at which there have been a good exchange of ideas about the scope of service to be provided. Cost of services is an issue to be addressed. A workshop for officials of the County jurisdictions to be served by the project is planned for January 10, 2002. All are asked to encourage wide participation form your elected officials in the workshop.
SIGNAGE COMMITTEE SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT - Nancy Ellwood
The watershed awareness demonstration project being conducted by students from Miami University is well underway. Five graduate students are carrying out the effort as a public service project. A pre-awareness survey was completed before the signage was installed and will be followed by another survey later to measure effectiveness of the project. The project is based in Colerain Township and surveys are sent to 1000 random addresses in the Township. Signage will be installed in January. Signs are reflective white on blue with the name of the watershed with a small sign identifying the stream underneath. The County Engineering office is involved and helping. Signs will be placed on County roads. Temporary signage on State routes will be sought but ODOT is a reluctant participant. 60,000 people per day are expected to pass by the signs on Rt. 27 alone. Next meeting of the sub-committee is December 10, 2001.
HAMILTON COUNTY STORMWATER PROGRAM - Jeff Leedy
Hamilton County Public Works Department is responsible for stormwater management in unincorporated areas of the County. Primary focus is on flood damage prevention through regulation of development within the flood plain of stormwater drainage systems. The Department has no Capital Improvements Projects funding. Projects are funded by the County Commissioners through the townships. County Road projects impacting flooding are within the jurisdiction of the County Engineer. Public Works is not responsible for preventive maintenance, cleaning, or road sweeping.
The problem of plumbing contractors or home owners connecting downspouts to floor drains was discussed. Final inspections are a County general Health district responsibility. There are no penalties for actions that can cause basement flooding and sewer overflow.
Participants brought up several problem issues. One was the connection of new development storm sewers to undersized existing pipes. The pre-existing homeowner often gets stuck with the cost of passing the increased amount of piped water onto the stream. Jeff responded that while this may not seem fair, the Ohio Water law states they must accept this water.
The second issue was the maintenance of detention/retention basins. Individual homeowners or homeowner association often have this responsibility without knowing it. Holly suggested that the auditors could get involved in handing out a fact sheet on this. Karen asked if this could not be part of the disclosure form before closing occurs. Karen will contact the auditor’s office and see if a representative could attend the next meeting to give us some insight on this.
WESTERN HAMILTON COUNTY CURRENT PROBLEM
Developments in the Rybolt Road/Harrison Road interchange on I-74 are converting large wooded hilltops to impervious surfaces raising concerns for the residents near Taylor Creek.
SELECTION OF A NEW WWI CHAIRPERSON
WWI Chairperson, Holly Utrata-Halcomb, had announced her intent to step down as Chair at the end of the year and had asked the committee to elect a replacement. Tom Ryther, Village of Mariemont was nominated and unanimously elected as the new Chair of the WWI. Congratulations to Tom!!!! Holly Utrata-Halcomb will continue to help in an advisory capacity and John Hunter agreed to continue to record and distribute meeting notes.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
The County Commissioners will be discussing stream flow monitoring and related stormwater issues at their December 17 meeting with staff at 9:30 am. Please try to attend if you have an interest.
The NRAC Committee for administering the “green fields” part of Issue 1 funds has been formed. “The committee is now formulating the criteria for grant proposals and it should be published on the county NRAC web page –
http://www.hamilton-co.org/engineer/nrac.htm
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the WWI committee will be at 9:30 am at DOES, 250 Wm. Howard Taft, on Thursday,
January 24, 2002.
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