Houston CEC

Page 1

TO: HCEC Drainage Committee Members

FROM: Steve Costello, Committee Chair

RE: Minutes Agency Meeting-March 28, 2007--DRAFT

DATE: April 5, 2007

CC: HCEC Board of Directors

The HCEC Drainage Committee held its meeting with agency personnel on March 28, 2007 at the HCFCD. Mr. Stephen Costello Committee Chair, opened the meeting at 7:30 a.m.

HCFCD- TSARP/FIRMs -Mr. Jacob Spenn gave a report on the status of the TSARP/FIRM maps. He reported on the challenge to the Cypress Creek FEMA map and the lawsuit that was filed by Mr. Jim Blackburn on behalf of the Sierra Club against FEMA regarding the appeals process and their contention that the map is not correct and that better data exists. The District will assist FEMA in preparing for the court hearing. In the meantime the process is continuing as FEMA has already printed and is beginning distribution of maps according to the June 18th issue date.

Watershed Planning Studies are moving along nicely. The first watershed, White Oak is 95% complete and will be presented to the planning commission the first week in April. The other 21 watersheds are expected to have the first phase completed by the 1st quarter of 2008. The studies are examining level of service on the main stems. They are also examining county-wide a structural analysis estimating slab elevations to inventory various sections of flooding based upon yr. events. The goal of the studies is to gather information for determining various levels of service and the infrastructure costs associated with them. They are also making assumptions on development, densities and other factors that will be part of the analysis.

Urban Storm Water Management Study is proceeding. The City is participating in this study with HCFCD and other entities. One of the questions to be answered as a part of this study is what would happen if the City upgrades their storm system and/or increases pipe sizes, what would be the impact?

Environmental Requirements – Flood Control will now be requiring a statement with regard to environmental and archeological issues on any existing or proposed HCFCD easements and outfalls. This will be required either with the drainage report or with plans submitted for approval. This is in Section 17 of their criteria manual and they will now be enforcing it, however, it is for new facilities only.

City of Houston – Floodway – Jack Sakolosky reported that the guidelines for the changes to the Flood Plain Ordinance have been completed and issued. The conveyance maps are also finished and a set will be sent to HCEC.

Standards Review Committee – Jack reviewed the reason and process for this committee. The first two chapters of the City’s Design Manual that will be reviewed are Chp. 9 and 13. Six items to be looked at in Chp. 9 are: Time of Concentration, Variable Design Storm based on Street Classification, Detention: single family residential and redevelopment projects, Fill, Low Impact Development Methods and IDF (Intensity, Duration, Frequency) Curves. Chp. 13 items to be reviewed are: Definition of significant redevelopments, BMP Standards, LIDs and a Fee Structure to support services.

Mr. Costello suggested to Mr. Sakolosky that since we had just recently completed the detention requirements, TP-i00 and TP101 associated with Chp. 9 and in view of the potential impact the information that will be gathered during the Urban Storm Water Management Study may have upon many of these items, that perhaps the City could postpone reviewing these until the Study is completed. Mr. Sakolosky responded that we had completed work on Chp. 9 in February of 2005 and thought it was a good time to revisit a number of these issues.

We then discussed the process to ascertain at what point HCEC should provide comments. Jack stated he would like us to make initial comments and submit by April 30th.

Harris County – Mr. Costello reported that the county had sent us a copy of their Flood Plain Management Regulations and would like the Drainage Committee’s comments on this document, however, we were not given a timeline for submitting them. However, we will discuss at the next Committee meeting and members are asked to review and comment by that time (April 25th).

Other Items:

  1. Off-Site easement dedication: The Committee is waiting for a response from the County.
  1. LID Subcommittee: Ms. Lindsay reported that groups will begin meeting every two weeks in an effort to provide recommendations to the City by March of this year.

3. Harris County request for review of guidelines for Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansions in the floodway: The County appears unready to make criteria changes and increased costs could be the result. The HCEC Contracts Committee is reviewing 50 % permitting checklist format

4. Storm Water Quality (Joint Committee of HCEC DS/PR and Drainage, Harris County and City of Houston): Joint Committee subdivided into subcommittees. The first will focus on paperwork, guidance manuals and forms. The second will focus on technical aspects of Best Management Practices (BMPs). No update at this time.

5. HCFCD Criteria Manual review: Steve Fitzgerald is to forward a marked up copy to HCEC, we had not received it at this time.

6. HC Bond Project Drainage Criteria: Analysis is continuing on specific projects to show the difference between the old criteria and newer criteria used by the County for Subdivisions.

New Business

1. TMDL - Bacteria WQ – Michael Bloom gave an update on this issue. HCEC Board sent it to Steve Stagner in Austin. Rather than a legislative action we are attempting to work through a rules change with the TCEQ.

Committee adjourned 8:55 a.m.