Regular Monthly Meeting May 1, 2008

Members Present: 

Lina Vlavianos, Chair
Sally Hornor,
Charlotte Lubbert
Jeff Schomig
Michael Shultz
Debra Smith
Bob Whitcomb
Scott Hymes
Veronica Jagoe (Rep for AACo.Councilman Benoit)
Sam Shropshire, City Council (Ex officio)                                 

Guests and Staff:

Brenda Weeks, AACo. DPW/WES

Absent:

Dave Hanson
Joe Rubino
Virginia P. Clagett, MD House Delegates (Ex officio)

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Vlavianos called the regular monthly meeting of the Severn River Commission (SRC) to order at 4:10 p.m. in the Severn Room, 2664 Riva Road. A quorum was present. Hanson and Rubino were not present because of other commitments.

Mr. Bob Whitcomb, the newest SRC member, and Ms.Veronica Jagoe, aide to Councilman Jamie Benoit, were introduced to SRC members and welcomed. Mr. Whitcomb is awaiting confirmation by AACo. Council and will fill the vacancy left by Hymes.  Ms. Jagoe was present for Mr. Benoit, the new SRC ex-officio appointment representing County Council.

The Minutes for the April 3, 2008, regular monthly SRC meeting was presented for approval. 

MOTION:  A MOTION, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE APRIL 3, 2008, REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE SEVERN RIVER COMMISSION AS WRITTEN, WAS MADE BY SHULTZ AND SECONDED BY LUBBERT. THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE AND THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED.

1. Holiday Park Phase I is underway with construction of the coastal outfall.  Keith Underwood is doing the construction under contract with Baldwin.
2. The 17^th annual Maryland Ground Water Symposium will be held at Martin’s West in Baltimore, MD on Thursday, September 25, 2008.  Lubbert noted she attended last year’s symposium and found it to be excellent.
3. On behalf of SRC, Hornor wrote an article/editorial regarding lawn fertilizer constraints and submitted it to The Capital.
4. Vlavianos received an April 4, 2008 letter from the County Executive regarding her appointment as a voting member to the Naval Academy Dairy Farm Advisory Committee.

OLD BUSINESS

Discussion - Septic Systems

Hornor led a discussion about issues associated with septic systems. She distributed a summary overview of Mr. Ron Bowen’s (Director of DPW) April 3, 2008 presentation to SRC on the impact of septic systems within Anne Arundel County. Basically, the problem is too much nitrogen flowing into the County’s surface waters.

The impact of septic systems on nitrogen input to surface waters is: 80% of nitrogen is not removed by septic systems within Critical Area; 50% is not removed within 1000 feet of non-tidal surface waters; and 30% of nitrogen output from septic systems enters tidal or non-tidal surface waters.

Nitrogen removal systems available are: Water Reclamation Facilities (WRF) with Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR); cluster facility with ENR in areas with no planned service; and septic system upgrade to ENR system. The nitrogen load in the County can be reduced by >70% by extending sewer lines and hooking up cluster systems plus upgrading septic systems.

The cost of installing either sewer extension or cluster system is not even 50% covered by the Bay restoration fund. The annual cost of upkeep is the same for sewer, cluster or septic system. For the Severn River watershed, total initial capital cost of connecting current and future septic systems to ENR systems is $345M. This is the highest of any watershed due to the high number of septic systems. 

Suggestions of how SRC can help the County reduce nitrogen input are as follows:  recommend legislation to require cluster systems in areas without planned future service-retroactive or future construction only; recommend legislation to bring in more funds to extend public service or upgrade septic systems; recommend legislation to require homeowners in Critical Area to upgrade current systems or connect to cluster system; and recommend legislation to require an upgrade to current septic systems to nitrogen removal systems at the time of property transfers. (Currently only new construction or renovation that requires a plumbing variance within Critical Area is required to have an enhanced system.) Ditto for homeowners whose systems affect non-tidal surface waters.

During discussion, it was observed the Severn River watershed is singly the biggest contributor of nitrogen (25%) into the Bay, more than anywhere in the County. The State presently has a marketing plan for dealing with septic systems but SRC is not sure if it is in a planning or implementation stage. A suggestion was made to target and educate specific neighborhoods. Available funding and constraints on building are issues. As numerous questions were left unanswered, Vlavianos suggested SRC members may not have a good grasp on the issue at this stage to make recommendations. Commission members decided to invite Fran Phillips, AACo. Health Department, and appropriate persons from MDE to the June meeting to discuss problems of increased bacteria and nutrient loading into the Severn River as related to private septic systems. Hornor will make contacts and coordinate for the June meeting.

Lubbert and Hanson toured the Cox Creek treatment plant. Lubbert reported the plant was built in the late 1950s and is presently being upgraded at a cost of $150M and will take about ten years to complete. The County sells 6M gallons of wastewater a day to Constellation Energy (wastewater is used to run their plant located next door) and then pays a company to remove the sludge for possible use as fertilizer. Lubbert is concerned about replacing an aging Annapolis treatment plant with budget reductions. The Cox Creek plant has had no violations of the NPDES requirements in 16 years.

Special Committees Reports:

Critical Area Legislation (CA): Schomig reported he sent the article, “Effective Policies for Land Preservation: Zoning and Conservation Easements in Anne Arundel County, Maryland” by Seznec, Virginia Environmental Law Journal, to County Council Chairman Vitale who seemed very interested in sharing it with the Critical Area Commission and Council members. At the suggestion of the Chair, Schomig re-introduced this article to the members unfamiliar with the analysis.  The article, written by a law student with the help of a number of professors, analyzed zoning, Critical Area, legislation and other land use policies of Anne Arundel County. Court cases were reviewed interpreting the land use policies, particularly the AACo. Critical Area Act. The lack of success the County and other municipalities have in enforcing the Critical Area Act once they get to court was also discussed in detail. The article wa\\is well written in simple language and easy to understand. Schomig will resend the document electronically to all SRC members (including ex officio) for future discussion.

Education/Communication: Joint participation by SRC and the Eastport Yacht Club Foundation at the Maryland Maritime Heritage Festival has been cancelled because of lack of volunteers to man the booth.  An exhibit provided by Schomig regarding the Severn River Rod & Keg Club’s fishing tournament will be displayed at another booth.

Jabez Branch

Environmental Overlay Zone: Vlavianos reported that the workgroup is rapidly moving toward finalization of the overlay zone language.  Some issues need to be resolved and a meeting scheduled to present the information to Larry Tom, P&Z. She hopes to brief SRC on what is being proposed by September before a presentation to County Council.

Naval Academy Dairy Farm: Vlavianos received an April 4, 2008 letter from the County Executive confirming her appointment as one of the 21-voting members on the Dairy Farm Advisory Committee. 18 ex officio members were also appointed. The first meeting, for organizational purposes, was held on April 30, 2008. The Committee’s charge is to come up with a conceptual plan for approximately 140-150 acres of public access area (called the Hammond Connection) out of a total of 854 acres; the remaining will be a working farm. A broad environmental assessment being conducted by the Navy, should be forthcoming. Restoration (erosion and reforestation) of the Towsers Branch area of the Dairy Farm is planned. The County and the Navy have signed a 30-year lease.  Shultz will serve as an alternate for Vlavianos. Future meetings will be held every 3^rd Wednesday of each month (May 21, June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, November 19, December 17) and are open to the public. Vlavianos will keep SRC members updated.

Hornor attended the second GDP/Planning Advisory Board (PAB) Special Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting.  SAC and PAB will be briefed on consultants’ reports presently being written which contain background and current information needed for upgrading the GDP. A final draft plan will be completed by August, and a public meeting will be held in September to present the final draft to the PAB. Dates and topics of future meetings were handed out (May 12, 28; June 9, 23; July 14, 28; August 11, 25). Meetings will be held in the Chesapeake Room, 2664 Riva Road, 2^nd Floor at 7:00 p.m. SAC meetings are open to the public. Hornor will coordinate with Schomig and Shultz as to who will represent SRC at the May 12 SAC meeting. 

“Annapolis” will be added as an agenda item for the future. 

Shropshire reported a newly renovated City dock is being dedicated on May 2.  Legislation has been introduced to restrict sales of certain lawn fertilizers within the City limits.  The City is very concerned about development in the Parole area creating pollution in Annapolis Rivers. The City is interested in redeveloping the David Taylor property since no progress is currently being made. A Severn River organization in England’s Shropshire County wishes to establish contact for problem solving with AACo. Severn River entities. LEED Silver legislation (environmentally friendly construction) required for all new construction was passed by City Council.  A “plastax/papertax” will be resubmitted to the State General Assembly with funds being dedicated to Bay restoration. The use of reusable bags is encouraged.  

Shropshire would like SRC to tour Back Creek Nature Park. The whole park is geared toward teaching about stormwater runoff and problems stormwater causes to the Chesapeake Bay and how to retain it. The ground breaking is scheduled for May. The park should be the foremost environmental park in the mid-Atlantic when it is finished.

Shrophsire will check on the progress of the City’s 6-year Critical Area update and report at the next Commission meeting.

Lubbert reported the SRC website had 2,135 hits during April, up 553 hits from last month. Pollution, history, birds and mammals and minutes were the most accessed topics. Adding a link on the SRC website to the Severn Riverkeeper’s State of the River Report was suggested. Pierre Henkart and John Page Williams will present the second State of the River Report and an update at SRC’s August meeting.

Stormwater Utility Fund

There was nothing new to report.

Impact Fees

There was nothing new to report.

NEW BUSINESS

Hymes reported Councilman Vitale and he are working on including rain gardens in the new Tax Credit for rain barrels. Hymes is looking for information that defines a rain garden.

Ms. Veronica Jagoe, on behalf of Councilman Benoit, informed the Commission that $250,000 is presently in the budget to replace the old Dicus Mill Road bridge over Severn Run. Good environmental practices will be in place during the rebuilding.

PUBLIC INPUT

There was no public input.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 6:23 p.m. The next monthly SRC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 5, 2008, 4:00 p.m., in the Severn Room (4th floor), 2664 Riva Road.