Stormwater Committee Minutes Augusr 4, 2005

ATTENDEES

In Brief

• The National Wildlife Federation, see http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/pollinators.cfm running the Natural Pollinators website wants to highlight gardens that attract pollinators. We discussed sending pictures and information about our raingarden sites. We need to assign committee member task of getting pictures to NWF. We can forward them information posted on our web site and see if additional information is required.
• Alison's article about "sponge gardens" was accepted by the Washington Gardener and will be printed in September or October.
• We will have a work day August 6, 9 – 11 a.m. Saturday, to weed the American Elm Park. We may need to work again Sunday, depending on how it goes. We will be moving native plants that have spread beyond their planned areas to other places in the garden and perhaps to other gardens. The County is paying for and delivering RELS mulch.
• Jenny reports that the Horticulture Clubs in Takoma Park and Silver Spring have speakers lined up for the next year and are, therefore, not interested in having us provide a speaker on conservation landscaping.

Takoma Park Raingarden Work

Ed reported on our July 26th meeting in Takoma Park. Attendees from Takoma Park were Daryl Braithwaite, Deputy Director of Public Works, Ali Khalilian, City Engineer and Mike Walsh, the City Gardener. Attendees from Montgomery County DEP were Meosotis Curtis, Craig Carson, Joe Keyser. Friends of Sligo Creek was represented by Ed Murtagh, Lauren Wheeler (Jenny's business partner) and Ann Hoffnar. Pat Howell, a Takoma Park resident and garden designer also attended. We looked at two potential sites, Forest Park and Spring Park and talked about possible solutions for stormwater problems. Forest Park seemed less problematical and since we are anxious for the first TP project to be successful, we are leaning toward doing that one.

Discussion and next steps

We discussed the problem of building under trees at one site - the work would have to be swales rather than a raingarden. We also have to consider how the areas are used. Some of the water problems are also where people would want to walk or play. Paths could be made with Trek rather than stone. Jenny will look at both sites and do some preliminary drawings and a budget estimate.

Eastern Middle School Raingarden Work

Two more raingardens are probably needed. In addition, the sand filter system seems to have been abandoned and water is draining right into a gully. Kathy plans to write another grant request so we can work on these problems.

Accountability Coalition Forming

Ed and Kathy reported on a meeting held Monday July 25th. Several people and organizations came and decided to call themselves the Accountability Coalition. The motivation was the Clarksburg fiasco. Kathy and Ed represented Friends of Sligo Creek. Attendees included Blair Ewing, the Green Party, Jim Fary, John Parrish, and the Montgomery Civic Association. All were concerned about permitting and other county issues we have all discussed before. Some wondered whether we need another umbrella group. They appointed a steering committee.

Many of these people are ones we would invite to the cross watershed group we have envisioned. Our stormwater group agreed that Friends of Sligo Creek should get involved and we discussed our organizations fledgling advocacy effort. We agreed that rather than try to form a committee and then find a goal, the committee should form around an issue and go from there.

We need resources for people who want to fight inappropriate development. We need documentation such as who gets waivers and how many are issued? Who inspects and how often?

Notes prepared by Ann Hoffnar and Ed Murtagh