Regular Monthly Meeting April 3, 2008

Members Present:

Lina Vlavianos, Chair
Sally Hornor, Vice Chair
Dave Hanson
Scott Hymes
Charlotte Lubbert
Michael Shultz
Sam Shropshire, City Council (Ex officio)                                                                                

Guests and Staff:

Ron Bowen, AACo. DPW
Ginger Ellis, AACo. DPW/WES
Chris Murphy, AACo. DPW
Brenda Reiber, AACo. County Executive’s Office
Brenda Weeks, AACo. DPW/WES

Absent:

Joe Rubino
Jeff Schomig
Debra Smith
Virginia P. Clagett, MD House Delegates (Ex officio) Jamie Benoit, County Council (Ex officio)

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Vlavianos called the regular monthly meeting of the Severn River Commission (SRC) to order at 4:05 p.m. in the Severn Room, 2664 Riva Road. A quorum was present. Rubino, Schomig and Smith were not present because of other commitments.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Mr. Ron Bowen, Mr. Chris Murphy and Ms.Ginger Ellis from AACo. Department of Public Works (DPW) were present to provide information about the County-wide septic system strategy plan. During the presentation, Mr. Bowen addressed the impact of septic systems within Anne Arundel County, specifically within the Severn River watershed, and the nitrogen contribution to the Chesapeake Bay.  His PowerPoint presentation is attached. 

DPW staff responded to numerous questions during the presentation and the discussion. A nitrogen removal septic system (newer technology) is an existing septic system that is basically converted to an aeration system introducing oxygen to denitrify ammonia. Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) is a modification of the treatment process in order to reduce the pollutant levels.  Cluster treatment systems could be installed in areas where there is no planned service. The only way the County can move forward with septic conversions is if the community petitions and asks the County to do so.  The County is not sure how to entice communities to request conversions. About 25% of onsite disposal systems (OSDS) in Anne Arundel County is in the Severn River watershed. 

Mr. Bowen also spoke about stormwater runoff.  Most areas in the County were developed when there was no stormwater management. Stream restoration needs to be addressed. The importance of managing new development to minimize impact to the fullest extent possible was stressed.  SRC members thanked Mr. Bowen and his staff for an excellent presentation.

MINUTES

The Minutes for the March 6, 2008, regular monthly SRC meeting was presented for approval. The following corrections were made to the minutes: Added Brenda Reiber’s name to the record to show she was present at the March meeting; and on page 3 in the motion, corrected the spelling of Hornor’s name.

MOTION:  A MOTION, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE MARCH 6, 2008, REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE SEVERN RIVER COMMISSION AS CORRECTED ABOVE, WAS MADE BY HYMES AND SECONDED BY HORNOR.  THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE AND THE MINUTES WERE ADOPTED AS CORRECTED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS / CORRESPONDENCE

1. Hymes verbally resigned from SRC as a voting member. As a new employee of Maryland Department of Natural Resources, he has been appointed to serve as an ex officio member to SRC. The County Executive will need to appoint a replacement to fill Hymes’ vacancy as a voting member on SRC.
2. Vlavianos contacted Maryland DNR Fisheries Service to request an update on fish survey studies in the Severn River. The Service is no longer doing the studies and, therefore, had nothing to report. They last discussed their studies with SRC in 2004. They feel the situation on the Severn, especially the upper reaches, is not getting any better.
3. The Jabez Branch follow-up clean up is scheduled for April 5, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. Anyone interested in helping should meet at Strayer University on Jabez Road.
4. Vlavianos attended the Lower Western Shore Tributary Team March meeting. A number of community, government, and environmental organizations were present. Vlavianos briefed the group about SRC and its current and future priorities /issues and noted more detailed information is available on the SRC website.
5. Vlavianos was invited to talk to the Odenton Improvement Association about the specifics of the Jabez Overlay Zone. She noted it is too soon for such specifics but said she would address this at a later date.
6. SRC received a copy of a letter from MDE sent to the County Executive’s office advising “due to resource limitations” MDE will not be able to send an ex officio member to  SRC meetings.  However, Mr. Paul Emmart of MDE Science Services Administration has been assigned to serve as a primary contact to the Commission for MDE.

OLD BUSINESS

Critical Area Legislation (CA)

There was nothing new to report.

Shropshire reported that the City of Annapolis’ 6-year Critical Area update is either in progress or just beginning. Periodically, he will keep Commission members updated on its progress.

In response to Schomig’s email suggesting a guest editorial be submitted to The Capital regarding lawn fertilizer management, Hornor will coordinate putting together an article/letter to be submitted.

MOTION:  A MOTION, HORNOR WILL COORDINATE PUTTING TOGETHER AN EDITORIAL RE LAWN FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT, WAS MADE AND SECONDED. THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE.

Hanson noted he would be meeting next week, April 9, 2008, with DPW staff to discuss the sewage spills concerns at Cowhide Branch.

The Maryland Maritime Heritage Festival is scheduled for May 2-4, 2008, on the Annapolis City dock.  Setup will be done on May 1. SRC and the Eastport Yacht Club Foundation will share a booth.  Hanson, Lubbert and Smith will help man the booth this year.  Smith will coordinate staffing of the booth.

At Hanson’s suggestion, SRC will discuss septic systems as a follow-up to Mr. Bowen’s presentation today at their May meeting. Hornor will lead the discussion. Hanson recommends exploration of legislation to require upgrades of septic systems at the time of property transfers.

MOTION:  A MOTION, THAT HORNOR LEAD NEXT MONTH’S DISCUSSION ON THE TOPIC OF SEPTIC SYSTEMS AS A FOLLOWUP TO DPW’S PRESENTATION OF THE IMPACT OF SEPTIC SYSTEMS WITHIN AACOUNTY, SPECIFICALLY THE SEVERN RIVER WATERSHED, WAS MADE AND SECONDED.  THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

Environmental Overlay Zone: There was nothing new to report. The Overlay Zone Committee did not meet in March.

Naval Academy Dairy Farm: There was nothing new to report.

KCC Properties: Vlavianos reported Ron Bowen, DPW, informed her that the utilization of the Watershed Management Tool (WMT) in the review process would be included in Article 17 Subdivision and Development. SRC has been pushing for this as a priority with KCC being the catalyst. The Commission was quite pleased with this decision.

Hornor attended the first Special Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting on March 31, 2008. The SAC members will be responsible for providing timely review and comments on the findings and recommendations for the updated GDP to the Planning Advisory Board. The Committee will first review the 1997 GDP to analyze what has changed since then and will then be broken up into groups to address different topics.  Preliminary reports are to be finished by June and public meetings are to be held on the first draft in September/October. A final draft is projected for December.

Lubbert reported the SRC website had 1,582 hits during March.  In response to an inquiry to SRC on the website, Brenda Reiber will follow-up to address.

There was nothing new to report. 

There was nothing new to report

NEW BUSINESS

The Scenic Rivers Land Trust “Walk for the Woods” is scheduled for Saturday, April 19, 2008 at the Bacon Ridge Branch Natural Area in Crownsville.

PUBLIC INPUT

There was no public input.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 p.m.  The next monthly SRC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 1, 2008, 4:00 p.m., in the Severn Room (4th floor), 2664 Riva Road.