Olympia City Council Candidates Respond to Questions on Water... and What's on Their NightstandSPEECH questioned candidates for the City of Olympia City Council positions 2 and 3. Amy L. Tousley, Matthew Green, Toren "Starwing" Valimir, and Craig L. Ottavelli are running for Position 2. Toren "Starwing" Valimir was unable to respond to our survey by the press deadline. Any responses past the may be available on our website at www.oly-wa.us/GreenPages/ Prophet Atlantis, Jeanne Marie Thomas, and Rhenda Iris Strub are running for Position 3. Both city council positions are nonpartisan. Please contact your city offices for information on candidates in your area. 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?
Amy Tousley, Position 2 The proposed site for the City Hall and other redevelopment projects along the shorelines should be prepared and designed according to their location, such as elevating structures to accommodate potential impacts. This is not currently required by the City's codes, but should be considered as a prudent strategy for future developments. I am in favor of the current proposal if such specific design strategies are implemented. I believe this to also be true for all future publicly funded structures, such as the Hands On Children's Museum. The City is required to update its Shoreline Master Program by 2011. This update should comprehensively address the potential implications of sea level rise upon all shoreline areas. Additionally, I believe there must also be a strategy to incorporate concerns with stormwater surge and the capacity of the City's downtown stormwater infrastructure system including impacts upon LOTT. I am in support of a comprehensive approach to address all development activities in the shoreline area, including the redevelopment along West Bay. In my profession, I have had direct experience with land use and regulation to address the protection of both the natural and built environments along shoreline and riparian areas. It is important that the City work with the County and Port of Olympia on all current and future shoreline related issues.
Matthew Green, Position 2 The new city hall also faces increased costs and potential delays in the port's environmental cleanup at the site. For all these reasons, the city council must be willing to reconsider the location of the new city hall. Meanwhile, city government should set a good example on climate issues, as I voted to do as a councilmember. It should continue to reduce its own energy use and greenhouse gas emissions whenever possible, including purchasing clean energy and/or emission offsets. It should share information with the public (for example, through utility bill inserts) on how to save energy and reduce emissions. In particular, with a majority of our energy and global warming problems coming from dependence on fossil fuels, we have to change our approach to mobility to get people out of their cars and onto buses, sidewalks, and bikes.
Toren "Starwing" Valimir, Position 2
Craig L. Ottavelli, Position 2
Prophet Atlantis, Position 3 We should just combine the tri-cities and Thurston County as one government unit and use one hall and save the citizens a lot of tax money.
Jeanne Marie Thomas, Position 3 With regard to sea-level rise, we already have costly buildings on Port property, including the LOTT wastewater treatment facility. Estimates for sea-level rise in this area vary from several inches to 4.5 feet by the end of the century. There is not yet a predictable level that will guide our planning. Uncertainties include how much the land will sink in South Puget Sound, at what rate the ice sheets will melt in Greenland and Antarctica, and possible increases or decreases in greenhouse gas emissions. We need more concrete projections from researchers based on a model that will account for human-influenced changes such as land use and water management, as well as how the melting of glaciers and ice caps may influence the future. Once we have more precise information, we can implement a plan that will protect the downtown region, regardless of the location of city hall.
Rhenda Iris Strub, Position 3 2. Do you envision any potential long-term benefits of a restored Deschutes Estuary to citizens, businesses, and the environment?
Amy Tousley, Position 2 It is important to convey to the public the timeline associated with the implementation of an estuary alternative. The long-term benefits may not be realized for well over 20 years, while some impacts may be felt earlier (e.g., dredging and drainage). The Capitol Lake Adaptive Management Plan has been probably one of the longest processes I have seen since moving to Olympia in 1991. There have been and will continue to be valuable experts working on this issue, however it is now time to make a decision. I look forward to the completion of the Deschutes Estuary Feasbility Study in 2008. It will be helpful to obtain greater information about the costs of implementing the alternatives associated with restoring the estuary. As a planner working with these types of issues I know that there are fiscal and physical impacts to both alternatives for Capitol Lake and the Deschutes River. I am concerned with the funding mechanisms for the estuary alternatives. It is also important to me that the publicly funded investments made at the Port of Olympia be maintained effectively.
Matthew Green, Position 2 When I was a councilmember, I supported greater attention to the estuary option. The city must continue to push the state's scientific work; so far, they have calculated only the costs of removing the dam, not of keeping it. Meanwhile, we must work to correct the myths about the estuary option. For example, the nasty smell before the creation of Capitol Lake came from raw sewage, not mud flats, and estuaries produce fewer mosquitoes than do stagnant lakes. In short, our guiding principle for Capitol Lake/Deschutes Estuary must be to make it a healthier and more natural ecosystem.
Toren "Starwing" Valimir, Position 2
Craig L. Ottavelli, Position 2
Prophet Atlantis, Position 3
Jeanne Marie Thomas, Position 3 An estuary would likely improve habitat and the diversity of plants and animals. It would improve water quality in the restored basin. The estuary would offer new opportunities for bird-watching and environmental education. Individual citizens vary in the value they place on restoring the estuary. Some people have grown attached to the lake and its classic reflection of the Capitol dome. Others are enthusiastic about an estuary's potential long-term environmental benefits. One option that has caught my attention is the one that provides for an estuary and a reflection pond side by side. I was told by a CLAMP scientist that the reflection pond side of the lake area would be suitable for swimming, and this would provide an incredible asset to our community. Just imagine kids being able to cool off in the summer in a clean, outdoor body of water. Whichever direction our community ultimately chooses, we must be respectful of divergent points of view and do everything we can to address the concerns and hesitations of those who prefer a different option.
Rhenda Iris Strub, Position 3 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?
Amy Tousley, Position 2 It is questionable whether or not Lacey has benefited in gaining water rights through the expedited process established at the Department of Ecology. The state must be held accountable for the timely assessment and allocation of water right certificates. This issue is pervasive throughout Washington and has impacted many local governments' ability to plan for orderly growth. Lacey's vision has been established since 1994. It has been no secret what the City's intended plans were for areas such as Hawks Prairie. A great deal of the City's urban growth area was established to address years of unchecked county sprawl. It is also no surprise that Lacey will be larger than Olympia in both land area and population. It is my understanding that Olympia has never formally commented on Lacey's comprehensive plan as allowed under statute. I am very much in support of reassessing the Urban Growth Area that was established in 1987, and then updated in the 1994 comprehensive plans for the county and cities. Issues surrounding the current appeals with the Thurston County comprehensive plan must be resolved prior to this type of comprehensive review.
Matthew Green, Position 2 In contrast, Olympia has been very responsible with its water supplies (at least until now). When I was a councilmember, we worked to secure water rights that would meet our needs for many decades - and to promote water conservation to stretch those supplies even farther. Some people suggest this is an issue of interjuridictional cooperation, but no, we should not be forced to cooperate with Lacey's bad decisions. If there were an emergency (for example, a broken water line or temporary drought), of course we should help each other out. But Lacey's poor growth-management planning is not Olympia's emergency.
Toren "Starwing" Valimir, Position 2
Craig L. Ottavelli, Position 2
Prophet Atlantis, Position 3
Jeanne Marie Thomas, Position 3 During a drought in early July, The Olympian cited peak water use by Lacey reaching 16 million gallons in a single day, in order to serve a population of 34,600 people. In the same day of peak use, Olympia pumped 14 million gallons to serve a community of 43,740 people. This demonstrates that Olympia is a much stronger steward of water resources. Olympia has effective water conservation practices, and our success should serve as the model for the region. Water is a finite resource. Our sale of excess water to Lacey has several consequences. Ultimately, if Lacey does not adopt more aggressive conservation policies, our shared environment will be damaged. Also, an argument could be made that selling our excess water to Lacey enables Lacey to continue to grow without making changes to the way they manage this resource. I think it is acceptable to sell water to Lacey as a temporary measure, but we need to create incentives so that Lacey will enact conservation and recycling practices comparable to ours.
Rhenda Iris Strub, Position 3 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?
Amy Tousley, Position 2 As stated in a previous response, the jurisdictions in Thurston County will be required to update their respective Shoreline Master Programs. As part of that process, I would recommend a countywide planning policy on a strategy to be implemented for the Puget Sound Initiative in our south sound waters. This process must also include the Port of Olympia and LOTT. Most of Thurston County's jurisdictions have or are currently updating their respective Critical Areas Ordinances. These regulations must be clear about how freshwater (riparian corridors) or saltwater (shorelines) will be protected. It is also important that studies regarding watersheds and basins be integrated into the comprehensive plans and applicable regulations. There have been numerous studies, plans and regulations created by Olympia. It is important to ensure that these are not conflicting or duplicative. As a councilmember, I will be actively involved in the Puget Sound Initiative processes that have recently begun in the past legislative session. It is vital that elected officials be in front of these very difficult issues requiring some tough decisions. In order to be successful, I believe it to be essential that solutions be implemented on a regional scale. This means collaboration and cooperation by all parties involved.
Matthew Green, Position 2 In practical terms, this means rethinking land use plans to avoid overdeveloping beyond available water supplies, improving development codes to reduce impervious surfaces and increase stormwater infiltration, and addressing unregulated water withdrawals by "small" developments. It means withdrawing only as much water from aquifers as can naturally recharge, and setting stream flows high enough to ensure healthy fish populations and aquatic ecosystems. And it requires continued water conservation efforts, reuse of treated wastewater, and building codes that reduce water consumption. Other important water issues include reducing water pollution from roads, yards, and septic tanks, and cleaning up contaminated sites in Budd Inlet.
Toren "Starwing" Valimir, Position 2
Craig L. Ottavelli, Position 2
Prophet Atlantis, Position 3
Jeanne Marie Thomas, Position 3 I would assertively work to adopt land-use policies that create compact communities where people can walk to nearby services. To limit our area's impermeable surfaces, we need high-density housing in our downtown and our corridors, to concentrate growth and minimize stormwater runoff. I would also develop practical regional transportation options such as increased routes, and improved Park and Ride space to enable people to use public transportation on I-5. People can't take transit unless it is available to them. I would support our current public education effort to help members of our community understand how individual habits and choices make a difference. For example, people can choose to live in a neighborhood that is centrally located so that they can walk to work, shopping and recreation. Other examples are developing healthy organic soil, finding alternatives to toxic household cleaners, eliminating the use of chemicals in lawns and gardens, picking up after pets, and using recycled building materials.
Rhenda Iris Strub, Position 3 I will further address the issue of resource protection by taking a leadership role in regional growth management planning that engages the cities and the county collaboratively (see my answer to #3). We need to partner with our neighbors to create a regional plan for sustainable development. I have already assembled a team of 18 elected officials from Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Thurston County who have endorsed me because they believe as I do that we need to work together on this and other important regional issues. A complete list of my elected leader endorsements is at my website http://www.rhenda.com/ 5. What book or governmental report would we find on your nightstand?
Amy Tousley, Position 2
Matthew Green, Position 2
Toren "Starwing" Valimir, Position 2
Craig L. Ottavelli, Position 2
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