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Candidates for Olympia Mayor Respond to Questions About Water

1. Given concerns regarding sea-level rise in downtown Olympia, what is your opinion about the proposed location of the new city hall building site?

Meta Hogan
I have a lot of concerns about the proposed city hall location. The sea-level rise estimate currently being used by the city staff is three feet over the next hundred years, which may turn out to be a pretty conservative estimate. The fact that there has been no public discussion of our community's options for responding to sea-level rise means that there is a hidden cost in the new city hall proposal: the cost of protecting that public investment in the future.

The possible responses outlined by the city staff in their sea-level rise presentation are mitigation, adaptation, protection and retreat. Mitigation is a no-brainer; of course Olympia needs to take a leadership role in reducing greenhouse gases, shrinking our carbon footprint and pursuing transportation alternatives to reduce the impact of global climate change in the future. This will not likely help us in dealing with the impacts of the damage that has already been done, however.

We need to have a serious discussion - as a whole community - about our priorities for the downtown and port peninsula areas. We need to know the potential environmental impacts of options such as dikes or levees, the likely success of such options, and the true cost over time of maintaining these structures. We need to decide, based on realistic estimates of sea-level rise and financial outlay, and in terms of our community's priorities, what our coordinated response will be. Until we have had that discussion, any investment - whether public or private - in that area will bear the hidden cost of protection, as well as limiting our future options for a comprehensive response.

Doug Mah
I support the decision to locate the new city hall on land currently held by the Port of Olympia and near Budd Inlet. The location supports reinvesting in downtown, best meets the long-term needs for city programs, will provide essential environmental cleanup in our urban waterfront, and is an effective and efficient site with long-term community benefits. The community will not be able to abandon downtown due to changes in sea-level rise. The community has made a huge public investment in the neighboring LOTT Alliance wastewater treatment plant. This essential public facility cannot easily be abandoned since the replacement cost for the treatment plant is well beyond $1 billion. Downtown, the LOTT treatment plant, and the future city hall will require a combined design, engineering, public education campaign, and regional partnership to address changes in sea level. With strong civic leadership and successful partnerships with private and public interests, these actions will result in adequate planning, preparations, and solutions to protect our shared investments. This can be done and there are numerous successful examples where cities and regions have designed and built infrastructure to address such challenges.

2. Do you see any potential long-term benefits of a restored Deschutes Estuary to citizens, businesses, and the environment?

Meta Hogan
Capitol Lake is the product of an era when people thought that citizen and business interests were in opposition to environmental interest. In the meantime, we have learned that maintaining healthy ecosystems is vital for the health of our communities. A restored estuary would contribute significantly to the health of Budd Inlet and the surrounding area.

There is a strong cultural and historical value to Capitol Lake, however, making the decision to restore the estuary more complicated and more difficult. I see a need for more substantial public education about the benefits and risks of maintaining the lake versus restoring the estuary. The costs of each need to be clearly laid out, and distinguished from related costs such as maintaining a deep-water port. This discussion is closely tied in with the question of sea-level rise, because a comprehensive plan for future growth in downtown would include and be dependent upon both elements.

Doug Mah
Yes. I see numerous long-term benefits of a restored Deschutes Estuary. It is very apparent and well documented that a natural estuary will be more beneficial for the environment than an artificial lake. Restoring the estuary will be an important component for restoring degraded freshwater and marine habitat in Puget Sound. A natural estuary in an urban setting may provide greater opportunities for environmental education and a unique natural amenity that improves the quality of life for downtown residents and citizens of Thurston County. Businesses may see long-term benefits if the estuary complements and leverages other investments, such as housing and institutions of higher education, in our downtown. A properly restored estuary will help place Olympia as a leader in saving Puget Sound. A poorly restored estuary that unintentionally creates an eyesore and offensive urban environment and that does not achieve the intended environmental goals will be equally detrimental to saving Puget Sound.

3. The City of Olympia is selling excess water to Lacey. What is your opinion of this in view of Lacey's growth management plan?

Meta Hogan
Olympia and Lacey have two very different philosophies regarding growth, and two different definitions of what a successful city looks like. When we sell water to Lacey, at the price at which we sell it to them, we are essentially subsidizing their growth and covering the true cost of their overdevelopment. I believe the City of Olympia should use its financial and natural resources to support actions that are aligned with our more conservative and more sustainable approach to growth. If we continue to subsidize the City of Lacey's sprawl, their sprawl will continue. I disagree with the idea that we can better influence their policies by selling water to them; on the contrary, I think not selling water would have a stronger impact on those policies.

Doug Mah
I voted to sell water to Lacey. It was the correct action to take. It is a short-term contract that aligns current price and practices with an existing customer (Olympia was already selling water to Lacey before this year). The contract is market based and does not jeopardize long-term Olympia interests. Lacey is working to implement water conservation, enact a tiered water rate, and use class-A reclaimed water similar to efforts undertaken by Olympia. Olympia is acting as a responsible neighbor and more importantly the agreement provides a new opportunity to examine water resources and managing growth from a more regional perspective.

4. What do you see as the most critical South Sound fresh or marine water issue? If elected, how would you address this during your tenure?

Meta Hogan
The most immediate water-related issue facing the City of Olympia is the decision to restore the Deschutes Estuary. The outcome of that decision will impact the health of Puget Sound and possibly change the face of downtown Olympia. I am committed to involving citizens in determining our community priorities in this decision. Citizens need to be able to make educated choices about our shared future, and broad public education will ensure that we make a sound decision. If elected, I am willing put in the effort needed to build real citizen involvement in decision-making for our shared future.

Doug Mah
The City of Olympia must take a leadership role in protecting and restoring Puget Sound. The most critical South Sound issue is 1) protecting functioning fresh and marine habitat followed by 2) preventing harm from stormwater runoff and 3) cleaning up contaminated sites. These are meaningful and achievable activities that will yield measurable results. In my current capacity, and when elected Mayor, I will continue to look for partnerships, such as those undertaken by the LOTT Alliance and the Capitol Land Trust where we leveraged resources and interests to protect habitat and prevent further degradation of marine and fresh water environment. We can look to the successes of the inter-jurisdictional efforts of the Nisqually Water Resource Inventory Area where efforts to protect the Nisqually watershed are achieved through collaboration and identification of common goals. We will also continue working to further implement stronger incentives and more stringent regulations that encourage residences to move off septic systems and onto city sewer. During my tenure I envision developing incentives to improve existing stormwater facilities and further efforts for regional collaboration that address stormwater runoff from Olympia to Bellingham. As your next Mayor, I will seek a more collaborative partnership with the Port of Olympia to continue work to clean contaminated sites in and around Budd Inlet.

5. What book or governmental report would we find on your nightstand?

Meta Hogan
The Death and Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs. I re-read it every few months to remind myself of why I love cities. I love the descriptions of the evolution of neighborhoods, the complex function of sidewalks, and the significance of design in a city's ability to absorb strangers. Jacobs relates to the city as an organic whole system, and the specific directives she issues to the planners and policy-makers of cities are founded in a deep respect for the spontaneous push-and-pull of urban density and diversity. I read her insights, and then I walk through Olympia and notice the places both where we succeed in fostering urban vitality and where we fall short, which areas thrive and which stagnate. This book is both smart and beautiful, and it consistently inspires me with a sense of civic pride and possibility.

Doug Mah
City of Olympia 2008-2013 Preliminary Capital Facilities Plan, 2007-2009 Puget Sound Conservation and Recovery Plan, Deschutes Estuary Feasibility Study, Phase 3 Final Report, Puget Sound Regional Council Draft Vision 2040, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

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