Tumwater in Negotiations with Heidgerken to Obtain Old Brewhouse Tower

Tumwater in Negotiations with Heidgerken to Obtain Old Brewhouse Tower

water  

Above: The historic Old Brewhouse in Tumwater as viewed from the former keghouse in October 2014. The City of Tumwater is seeking public comment on a final environmental impact statement for a planned land use action for the 32 acre property owned by George Heidgerken. The city is also in negotiations with Heidgerken to obtain the 110 year old, six story tower. 

Planned Action Conversations Continue, Another Public Hearing to be Scheduled Soon

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

After a lengthy conversation at their Tuesday night work session, Tumwater city councilmembers agreed to hold another public hearing on the planned action land use ordinance for the historic Old Brewery area.

The hearing will be scheduled soon, and no decisions about the property will be made at their next council meeting.

City administrator John Doan also acknowledged that the city is indeed in negotiations with Old Brewhouse owner George Heidgerken about the historic, six story tower.

Doan said that it makes economic sense for Heidgerken to give up the tower because it is in the worst shape with the least amount of square footage of any building on the property.  

“If we acquired it somehow, how much would that cost? (For Heidgerken) to develop, it doesn’t have a lot of value. It’s in a tough spot…it’s an expensive building…with not a lot of return. There are certainly a lot of business reasons why he would want to turn that over to the city,” said Doan.

Doan suggested that the council create a developer’s agreement that would clarify the parameters of the arrangement. That agreement would most likely look like a deed to transfer ownership and some piece of land in the form of an easement so the property could be accessed.  

If obtained by the city, Doan said, the tower could be the impetus for obtaining state grants and future fundraising opportunities to restore the tower, independent of what Heidgerken does with the rest of the property. 

Doan later told Little Hollywood that he hopes to have an agreement with Heidgerken within a couple of months.

Councilmembers agreed to hold a public hearing about the city’s possible acquisition of the tower separate from a public hearing on the proposed planned action land use ordinance.

“It would be a big step for the city. The desire to acquire (the tower) is an opportunity again at long last. There would be a lot of good to have people comment on it,” said Councilmember Tom Oliva. Oliva is a co-founder of the Old Brewhouse Foundation, a local nonprofit formed in 2008 that seeks to acquire, restore and provide public use of the tower.

At a February 16 public hearing about the proposed planned action land use ordinance, Heidgerken dangled the possibility of donating the tower in front of the council, which gave the appearance that he was doing so in exchange for the council’s approval of his desired full build out land use scenario for the 32 acre property.

Public comments since the hearing have urged the city to secure a commitment from Heidgerken in writing first, then move forward with a land use decision, if what he was offering was a legitimate option.

Above: The 400 page Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed planned action land use ordinance for the Old Brewery property welcomed each councilmember at their work session meeting on Tuesday.

New Information about Planned Action

Staff also came prepared for Tuesday's work session with a new, draft 10 page supplement to the 400 page Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed planned action land use ordinance.

The document called Exhibit C clarifies the scope of what the planned action is approving and made the restoration and preservation of the existing historic structures along the Deschutes River as part of the plan. 

Councilmembers Joan Cathey and Nicole Hill in particular asked many questions about the implications of a planned action, and requested that a developer’s agreement be written that would ensure that some kind of phasing process would prioritize public amenities, should the developer bail on the project.

Councilmember Hill said she still had a hard time grasping the fact that the property owner could rearrange the proposed uses for the property within the footprint allowed. She suggested that parking be placed up near the RST Cellars Building.

Doan admitted that the proposed 1,000 vehicle parking garage where it is currently proposed in the hillside would obstruct views to and from the historic Schmidt House and that its environmental impact that has not yet been assessed.

Doan also said that it is always a possibility that a developer could bail mid-way through a project but expressed confidence in Heidgerken.

“I think if he gets started down there, that he’ll finish….”

Councilmember Cathey said she is uncomfortable approving the project up front without knowing the full description.

Councilmember Debbie Sullivan said she sensed fear and anxiety by fellow councilmembers that she couldn’t grasp.

“When we get into these processes, there are no absolutes. I think there’s checks and balances in the whole process...I don’t think it’s going to be an out of control project. Are we ever going to be able to control 100 percent of everything? I don’t think so,” said Sullivan.

She said the conversation would be different if councilmembers were talking about the modern brewery properties, which was how it was originally envisioned. Sullivan said she is looking at this project holistically as an opportunity for making Tumwater more economically attractive to investors.

Councilmember Hill responded that she didn’t think she was commenting out of fear, but was responding to all the public comment and trying to ask appropriate questions. 

Councilmember Cathey responded that she too didn’t feel fearful, but felt profoundly protective of the culturally and environmentally sensitive property.

Mayor Pete Kmet acknowledged it was a challenging project and said that to make the area work, a residential component is needed. Since the construction of a new building was nixed by staff as unfeasible, Kmet suggested that a part of the warehouse could be “torn off” to create condominiums.

“…We already know through the marketing analysis that this is a challenging project. To do anything down there will cost a lot of money and anything we can do to streamline that is going to increase the chances that something will actually happen to preserve it….If we end up being successful in acquiring the tower, having this (planned action) done allows us to move ahead with preservation. If we don’t, we’re back to square zero and doing this process again….” said Kmet.

For more photos and many past articles about the Old Brewery, George Heidgerken, the stop work order imposed upon Heidgerken for environmental violations at the site in October 2014, groundwater monitoring, the Old Brewhouse Foundation, historic preservation, and the planned action land use alternatives currently before the Tumwater city council, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.comand type key words in the search button.

For more information about the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Exhibit C, Supplement to Tumwater Brewery Planned Action, or to provide public comment, contact Chris Carlson, Permit Manager, City of Tumwater, 555 Israel Road SW, Tumwater, (360) 754-4180, ccarlson@ci.tumwater.wa.us, or City of Tumwater councilmembers at council@ci.tumwater.wa.us

Olympia Grapples with Flood Management, Sea Level Rise

Olympia Grapples with Flood Management, Sea Level Rise

water  

Above: Under a surly afternoon sky, City of Olympia and Washington State Department of Enterprise Services staff were on flood watch and ready with sandbags at Capitol Lake in the late afternoon of December 10, 2015. “It’s a bit of a dance,” said Andy Haub, City of Olympia director of water resources, of the flood management process and roles played by the city and state.

City Staff Clarify Statement That Dam is Needed to Control Downtown Flooding

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The stunningly frank sea level rise report delivered by city public works staff to Olympia councilmembers earlier this week was loud and clear: develop a vision and a plan to begin adapting to sea level rise. Like, now.

But even without the extra burden of sea level rise, the protocol for managing current flood events in downtown Olympia requires a highly managed rapid response involving state and local agency coordination.

Above: When the lake gets too high, the city stormwater system backs up. A valve, located under Water Street, is shut off, preventing lake water from flowing “up” the stormwater outlet to the lake and discharging to the catch basin in the streets at Columbia and Water Street. A pump takes the stormwater and puts it into the lake.

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES), the state agency responsible for managing the 260 acre lake, regularly releases as much water through the 5th Avenue dam as each low tide allows.

DES closely monitors weather forecasts, streamflow on the Deschutes River, tide tables and more to determine when to lower the lake below the normal winter level in advance of major storms.

On December 10, 2015, a combination of record-setting rainfall, flooding on the Deschutes River and high tides in Puget Sound caused flooding around Capitol Lake and Heritage Park. So, when DES staff determined that the lake was going to flood, the department notified the City of Olympia and closed a section of Water Street and 7th Avenue.

The city implemented its flood response plan which includes pumping excess stormwater directly into Capitol Lake and placing sandbags in the area to protect nearby businesses.

By their own admission, city staff underestimated the rate at which the lake was rising and were later than usual in closing a valve, resulting in lake water flooding the streets and coming to within inches of the doors of Olympia Supply and other local businesses.

On December 11, 2015, the day after the somewhat minor flooding incident, Little Hollywood interviewed Andy Haub, City of Olympia director of water resources, who was onsite with staff during the emergency.

LH: Tell me about this valve...the water got to within four inches of Olympia Supply's doors. 

 

Haub: We close the valve in order to prevent lake water from flowing “up” the stormwater outlet to the lake and discharging to the catch basin in the streets at Columbia and Water. The pools of water in the streets are lake/Budd Inlet water.   Usually we close the valve before the lake starts backing up. Then, the only water we pump is precipitation from the Columbia and Water Street area. In other words, once we shut the valve in the stormwater pipe, we have to pump the upstream stormwater.

Yesterday (December 10, 2015), we underestimated the rate at which the lake was rising and so were later than usual in closing the valve. Once we started the pump, the water in the streets declined very quickly - 15 minutes….

LH: I was told that the Capitol Lake area is the lowest catch basin in downtown.

Haub: The two block area around Columbia and Water Street is the only real area that is at risk from flooding due to the lake backing up. At some point, the lake can't hold it all, so that's why DES folks were standing around (in the afternoon) waiting to see if the tide would rise too high, plus the water in the lake would make it all overflow like a bathtub. When the Deschutes is flowing very high, the State lowers the lake by opening the 5th Avenue dam during the low tide preceding the high tide. Then they close the dam when the tides turn to a high tide, thereby keeping the high tide out of the lake and providing room for the river flows. It’s a bit of a dance….

LH: Is that portable pump station always going to be down there with chain link fencing around it if it seems like this is a permanent problem area? 

Haub: We keep one of the pumps there during the peak of the winter.

Haub explained that other factors such as barometric measure, wind direction and speed, temperature, low pressure systems and the effect they have on high tides also dictate Olympia’s flooding risk.

“It’s very interesting to think about and understand. Our high tide was 1.95 feet higher than predicted, simply due to low barometric pressure. You and your audience would find this dynamic interesting….” said Haub.

LH: If this whole area reverted back to an estuary, would we even we worrying about all this?

Haub: Same dynamic.

At that point, Little Hollywood had taken up enough of Haub’s time.

Above: The valve near Capitol Lake that saves a portion of downtown from flooding. 

Fast Forward: Capitol Lake, The Dam and Flood Clarification

Along with Haub, Eric Christiansen, City of Olympia water resources planning and engineer manager, provided the staff report at last Tuesday night’s council study session on sea level rise issues.

Councilmember Jessica Bateman asked how its reverting back to an estuary would impact downtown and Christiansen responded that without the dam, downtown would flood more frequently.

This short response confused and alarmed community members active with lake management conversations.

On Thursday, Little Hollywood asked Christiansen to clarify his response to Bateman, which was in conflict with the Capitol Lake Adaptive Management Plan’s (CLAMP) final Deschutes Estuary Feasibility Study report of 2007.

The report says, in part:

“...The City of Olympia may require a FEMA-approved floodplain study as part of the permitting requirements for the proposed restoration project. However, it can be concluded that flooding in the restored estuary will be similar to current (managed lake) conditions at worst. A decided advantage of the restored estuary is that flood management will no longer depend on the correct functioning of a mechanical system – flooding under current conditions can be considerably exacerbated if the tide gate controls should fail.”

Christiansen responded:

“I maybe partially misspoke. There are a few blocks of downtown between Water and Columbia and 5th and 7th streets that are at a very low elevation, approximately two feet below the flood elevation. There are about 19 storm drain pipes that connect that area and the park with Capitol Lake. Only two of those pipes that I am aware of have valves to prevent water from flowing backward into the streets. The State manipulates the dam to keep lake levels low when tides are high, thus for the most part keeping water out of the streets. The last six to twelve inches of lake elevation make a big difference. We had about a dozen tides this winter that could have caused flooding.

“Without the dam, the drainage systems will need to be modified by adding additional valves and probably consolidating pipes. It will also help if the ground in key parts of Heritage Park is elevated. The railroad tracks pose an additional challenge,” said Christensen.

Above: The 5th Avenue dam on December 18, 2015.

In conflict with information city staff and local environmental advocates have been providing the city for years, multiple downtown development projects are underway in precisely the area destined to be first impacted by sea level rise. 

These vulnerable areas, built on fill, are well within the historic shoreline of Budd Inlet.

Next: Community Response to Sea Level Rise Report

For more information about community efforts and issues in Olympia regarding Capitol Lake, the Community and Economic Revitalization Committee, sea level rise, high tide events, CLAMP, Percival Landing, Moxlie Creek, LOTT Clean Water Alliance and more, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

Olympia Sea Level Rise Report: An Undeniable Challenge

Olympia Sea Level Rise Report: An Undeniable Challenge

water  

Above: City of Olympia staff briefed city councilmembers on the implications of sea level rise in downtown Olympia at a study session on Tuesday evening. With a four foot sea level rise, portions of West Bay, all the way to south of Union Street, and the I-5 interchange near Plum and Henderson will be inundated.

Councilmember Gilman Questions Saving Downtown

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A brutal, sobering report on the implications of sea level rise in downtown Olympia was delivered to Olympia city councilmembers by staff at a study session Tuesday evening. 

Mayor Cheryl Selby and Councilmember Jeannine Roe were excused from the study session and council meeting.

Councilmembers asked questions after the half hour report, but were mostly faced with the undeniable, daunting fact that downtown Olympia is highly vulnerable to sea level rise and has little time to protect itself.

“This year’s work feels a little bit different from past years….We are increasingly concerned and we’re suggesting a more heightened sense of urgency in our response to this dynamic….We feel we are currently vulnerable to flooding downtown and we suggest that the long term implications for what we’ve reported to you are higher than what we’ve reported to you in the past,” said City of Olympia water resources director Andy Haub.

Since the last Ice Age, sea levels have risen more than 400 feet. This process has occurred in spurts, and at times, has risen more than one foot per decade, most likely the result of ice sheets melting. Over the past 5,000 – 7,000 years, sea levels have been stable. The Industrial Age and the use of fossil fuels have accelerated climate change, and in the last 20 years, the rate of sea level rise has nearly doubled that of the previous 100 years.

“….We should develop a vision and a plan to begin adapting to sea level rise sooner than later….We can’t go it alone and we’re only going to be as strong as the weakest link in our defense,” said Eric Christensen, City of Olympia water resources planning and engineering manager.

Staff urged active community engagement, and engineering and financial partnerships with the State of Washington, the Department of Enterprise Services, the Department of Natural Resources, the Port of Olympia, LOTT Clean Water Alliance and the Squaxin Tribe.

Sea level rise information was derived from the UW Climate Impact group and the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC). The last IPCC report was produced in 2013, however, new information is released on a weekly basis.

According to the IPCC, sea level rise is projected to occur at a rate of 11 to 38 inches by the end of the century. These are global averages, and Christiansen said Olympia’s tides come in 1.28 times higher than Seattle’s.

Adding to sea level rise concerns, according to data via the Washington State Reference Network which monitors land movement, downtown Olympia is subsiding nine tenths of an inch per decade. Monitoring stations are affixed on regional stations throughout the state, and one is located on top of Olympia city hall.

“We have acted very responsibly to date, and we’re in a very admirable position with our knowledge of both Budd Inlet and downtown,” said Haub, who urged that the city create codes for minimum floor elevations for new construction to protect downtown assets. He hopes to propose those this year.

Staff showed several scenarios to illustrate the impacts of sea level rise and climate change in Olympia’s downtown combined with the “nuisance flooding” that already occurs as a result of tidal events. The frequency of this flooding would increase.

Along with a one foot sea level rise, flooding would occur 30 times a year; two feet of sea level rise would flood downtown 160 times a year, and four feet of sea level rise would flood downtown 440 times a year, which is more than once a day.

With a four foot sea level rise, portions of West Bay, all the way south of Union Street,  and the I-5 interchange near Plum and Henderson will be inundated.

Above: High tides of 17.6 feet and low atmospheric pressure created a flooding situation in downtown Olympia on Sylvester Street adjacent to the Oyster House in December 2012.  

The City of Olympia has acknowledged and responded to sea level rise concerns since 1990. Since 2007, staff has been providing city council with annual updates on current climate change and sea level rise research, proposed work plans for addressing sea level rise, and reporting on their accomplishments regarding those plans.

The city set a policy in 2010 to protect downtown and sea level rise is reflected in goals and policies of the city’s 2014 Comprehensive Plan.

Immediately following the report, newly appointed Councilmember Clark Gilman asked how the decision was made to protect downtown and questioned the assumption that it should be saved.

“Looking at the two foot map (indicating sea level rise), you start to see the historical (shoreline)…It’s an interesting choice… To me, downtown is a collection of businesses and public spaces and it could be anywhere within the city limits….My initial gut (reaction) is that, I would much rather invest those resources in creating a more…resilient economy than trying to stop the floodwaters,” he said.

City manager Steve Hall said that the city made its commitment to protect downtown, rather than abandon it, in 2010, adding that a half billion dollars of investments are downtown, most notably the regional LOTT Clean Water Alliance wastewater treatment system.

Councilmember Jessica Bateman asked about Capitol Lake and how its reverting back to an estuary would impact downtown. She also asked about local and regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Without the dam, we would currently flood more frequently….the dam definitely helps control flooding downtown,” said Christiansen. He suggested that Heritage Park could be raised to prevent flooding downtown.

Rich Hoey, City of Olympia public works director, said that there will be study session scheduled in July regarding a plan to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions over the next three years. The city adopted an ambitious plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions of 80 percent by 2050.

“Quite frankly, we’re going to need regulatory help from higher levels of government to get there….” said Hoey.

Councilmember Jim Cooper said he would like to see the city produce a guidebook of simple adaptations and technical assistance for businesses. He also expressed a desire for downtown buildings to accommodate an eight foot sea level rise, and had concerns regarding the implications of contamination and the ability for underground utilities to deal with sea water inundation.

Cooper also requested that staff model what Olympia would look like if Moxlie Creek were daylighted, and asked if that would help stormwater holding capacity as a functioning estuary. 

Staff said they would look at that scenario. Moxlie Creek is currently 15 – 20 feet below ground, and runs more than a mile through downtown Olympia from Watershed Park to East Bay.

“An incremental adaption, initially preparing for a one to two foot sea level rise - whatever we do - should build the foundation for, and not preclude measures to address four to eight feet of sea level rise,” said Christensen.

Above: The city has 36 stormwater outfalls connected to Budd Inlet and Capitol Lake that are susceptible to backflow flooding. City staff and state Department of Enterprise Services staff prepare for more flooding the afternoon of December 10, 2015 at Capitol Lake in downtown Olympia. Earlier, tides came in 30 inches higher than predicted and caught staff off guard. Water came to within four inches of Olympia Supply's doors. With climate change, El Nino events will become greater in magnitude and flooding will increase in frequency. 

Other planning ideas included elevating the grade of Heritage Park and some roadways, placing planter boxes in strategic locations, and the building flood walls or gates that automatically rise when needed.  A barrier across a waterway, called a barrage, is being used in Venice, Singapore, on the Thames River in England, and the Netherlands.

The city plans to complete ongoing, current capital facility projects, work with the city’s Utility Advisory Committee to develop a multi-year sea level rise response plan, and coordinate its efforts with the council’s Land Use Committee.

Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Jones admitted that while progress has been made on data, local agencies do not have the capacity to do the kind of work that needs to be done on this issue.

Coming back around to Councilmember Gilman’s suggestion about abandoning downtown, Jones said the scenario of not making all the investments to protect downtown needs to be on the table and weighed into the overall conversation.

“That alternative is there and it should be respected.”

For past City of Olympia sea level rise reports and high tide events, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.

Amphibian Monitoring Program Benefits City, Science

Amphibian Monitoring Program Benefits City, Science

water  

Above: Newly trained citizen scientists search for amphibian egg masses at a 30 year old stormwater pond on the City of Olympia's westside last Saturday. The training was part of a Stream Team program activity to monitor the ecological health of area stormwater ponds and its inhabitants. Amphibians are a key indicator species that help scientists monitor the health of the environment.  

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

“I found one!”

That was the excited shout by more than one newly trained citizen scientist on a field trip to a stormwater pond last weekend.

What was found was an amphibian egg mass belonging to the Pacific Tree Frog, in about 30 centimeters of water. 

The sighting was confirmed by City of Olympia Stream Team leader Michelle Stevie who called me over with my clipboard to record all the vital information: location and depth, type of egg mass, developmental stage in which the eggs were found, whether or not the mass was attached to anything, like a cattail, and other notes. 

As I moved slowly through hip deep water to record the finding, as well as another egg mass, I found one all on my own! It belonged to the Northern Red-legged Frog. 

With each new discovery, everyone shared in the joy. 

Above: The egg mass of a Northern Red-legged Frog. The scalloped-edged mass, about the size of a grapefruit, is being highlighted with a simple, white plastic lid attached to a bamboo stick. The stick has markings used to measure depth, and, if needed, keeps one upright in what can be a mucky situation.

Learning How To Monitor Amphibians

This is the fifth year for the City of Olympia's Stream Team amphibian egg mass monitoring program, and about 20 people registered for the first training of the season last Saturday held at the LOTT Clean Water Alliance. 

Volunteers play a key part in maintaining several city programs designed to restore and protect area streams, shorelines, and wetlands. Some folks not only participated in the compact, nearly three hour class lecture, they had the opportunity to immediately put their newfound knowledge to use.

The class was taught by Dr. Marc Hayes, herpetologist and senior research scientist with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. Students of all ages, even children, learned about the frogs, toads and salamanders of Thurston County and the Pacific Northwest.

Hayes showed PowerPoint slides of the egg, larvae, metamorphic, and juvenile stages of the Pacific Tree Frog, Northern Red-legged Frog, Oregon Spotted Frog, Western Toad, American Bullfrog, Northwest Salamander, Long-Toed Salamander, Rough-Skinned Newt, Western-Backed Salamander and Ensatina.

The value of monitoring a particular species or its habitat has not always been appreciated. In the past, it was a neglected piece of the puzzle in restoration efforts.

“People are beginning to understand the connection between monitoring and restoration. If restoration is not successful, it is a waste of money. It’s important to do effective analyses, and understand the failures to potentially correct them in future efforts,” said Hayes, who has 43 years’ experience with frogs and salamanders.

Hayes gave a good natured pop quiz after the lecture, and the group proved it had retained an impressive amount of knowledge.

Threats and Issues for Thurston County Amphibians

There are about 7,000 amphibian species and a website at UC Berkeley actively updates their descriptions. Since 1985, about 48 percent have been described, most of them from tropical areas, with 17-20 amphibians added per month.

Amphibians are declining globally. Over 200 species have been lost in the last 25 years and it is anticipated that that 400 species will be lost over the next 20 years.

Emergent diseases are a direct or indirect consequence of climate change. A fungus that attacks salamanders in particular was just discovered less than two years ago in Europe. While it has not yet been found in North America, a fungus that interferes with an amphibian’s water balance, and the ranavirus, a viral disease that has the ability to move between fish and amphibians, is present in Thurston County.

Other threats include growth and urban development. According to a 2001 state Department of Fish and Wildlife study in King County, wetlands adjacent to larger areas of forests are more likely to have greater native amphibian species diversity. Amphibian richness is highest in wetlands that retain at least 60 percent of adjacent area in forest land up to and exceeding 1,640 feet from the wetland.

Invasive Species in Thurston County

The only native amphibian to be reintroduced to Washington State is the Oregon Spotted Frog, a species federally listed as threatened in September 2014.

Reintroduced at Joint Base Lewis McChord in 2008, the program has been somewhat successful, but is still under evaluation, said Hayes. In reality, there is a 97 percent mortality rate in the larvae stage for amphibians due to predation under normal conditions, so scientists would need to introduce thousands of the frogs to achieve some impact to the success of the species in the area.

Two amphibians that are present in Thurston County and are definitely not wanted is the American Bullfrog, an invasive species introduced to the area in the 1930s after a bullfrog farming craze phased out in California, and the African Clawed Frog.

The African Clawed Frog was discovered about a year and a half ago in three stormwater ponds on the St. Martin’s University campus in Lacey. Hayes said scientists are desperate to remove it because it breeds at an alarming rate and carries the ranavirus at a 70 percent frequency rate.

“They are voiceless, tongue-less burrowers with tough skin and can withstand a whole host of environmental insults,” said Hayes. 

Hayes said the species is used in labs, and it is suspected that the source of this population is the result of a pet dump from North Thurston High School. Goldfish were also present. So far, 4,700 African Clawed Frogs have been removed from the St. Martin’s ponds.

An extraordinarily stubborn species, Hayes said it took San Francisco scientists about 10 years to eradicate the African Clawed Frog from their area, but that also included the time it took to learn the system of what would be most effective in their removal. 

The method? Scientists capture the frogs, humanely euthanize them, put them in baggies, and pop them in a freezer for a week to guarantee they are dead. Then, the bags containing the frogs, are autoclaved, a process that is one of the most effective ways to destroy microorganisms, spores, and viruses. 

Most pet stores and online marketers do not educate consumers about the animals they sell, and are part of the problem with invasive species. Public outreach is a touchy situation and has to be done carefully to prevent consumer backlash and mass dumps of particular species, said Hayes. The state is doing outreach to educate students and teachers not to release pet animals into the wild.

At Last! Hands-On Learning

At the conclusion of the lecture, just when human brains were starting to get over saturated, the rain (literally) stopped, and perfect amphibian monitoring conditions prevailed.

Participants eager to locate, identify, and tag egg masses carpooled to the stormwater pond on Olympia’s westside near Hansen Elementary School. Hayes has been monitoring egg mass species there for about 16 years. 

Participants found their boot sizes and pulled on clean hip waders provided by the city. Those who brought their own boots had to wash them before entering the area. Everyone had to scrub their boots after being in the water to prevent water body cross-contamination.

Breaking up into small groups of four, all paired up with an experienced amphibian watcher and we slowly waded out, arms-length apart, into the pond.

A bamboo stick marked with measurements and a plastic lid attached to its end served to measure depth, find and see egg masses better, and use as a walking stick to prevent a potential fall into the muck.

Almost immediately, a Pacific Tree Frog egg mass was found, then another, this time, that of a Northern Red-legged Frog. A couple more egg masses were found, tagged, and recorded. 

Who would have thought stormwater ponds could be so much fun?

Stream Team activities are also available in Lacey, Tumwater, and Thurston County, and are financially supported by local storm and surface water utility bill paid by residents of those jurisdictions.

Amphibian monitoring continues until early April. For future trainings, and for more information other Stream Team monitoring programs involve purple martins, shorebirds, and stream bugs, go to www.streamteam.info or www.olympiawa.gov. 

Above: Janine Gates, newly trained citizen scientist, participated with a Stream Team sponsored amphibian egg mass training in west Olympia last Saturday, and found the egg mass of a Northern Red-legged Frog. An exhilarating day of learning and discovery helped inform science, benefit the environment, and potentially influence future land use management and policies. And to think I didn’t know a thing about amphibians when I woke up Saturday morning!

Design Review for Second Hotel on Henderson

Design Review for Second Hotel on Henderson

wildwood  

Above: A Hilton Garden Inn on Henderson Boulevard near I-5 and Watershed Park is currently under construction. A new Marriott owned hotel is proposed to be built on two lots adjacent to the Hilton. Both hotels would share a main access road, seen here, stemming from the roundabout on Henderson.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The city’s Design Review Board will hold a special meeting on November 12, at 6:30 p.m., Room 207, at Olympia City Hall, 601 4th Avenue. This meeting will offer the opportunity for the public to comment on the designof a second new hotel off Henderson Boulevard.

The hotel applicant, SPS Lands, LLC of Lakewood, is Han Kim of Hotel Concepts, and is represented by architect Glenn Wells of Olympia. 

The four story, 113 unit hotel called Olympia Courtyard Hotel would be owned by Marriott and could accommodate 250 persons on a nightly basis. It will have a restaurant, but no swimming pool.

The 2.82 acre property is situated on lots 1 and 2 of a commercially zoned area near I-5 near Watershed Park and the future Olympia Woodland Trail. A Hilton Garden Inn is currently under construction nearby on what is called Lot 3 of the Henderson Commercial Park.

According to the project’s State Environmental Policy Act report, 73.8 percent of the property will be covered by impervious surface, including room for 118 parking stalls.

Moss Lake is on the site, as well as standing water. The lake was filled in due to the construction of I-5, but is still noted on maps. All trees and vegetation would be removed from the site and upland neighborhood views of I-5 and the sky could be obstructed by the hotel. 

Members of the Wildwood Neighborhood Association worked with the city and the applicant of the Hilton Garden Inn to improve its design, and will be communicating their concerns regarding the new hotel, such as visual and light pollution, traffic, and other environmental issues, as well as cumulative impacts to the area. 

The hotels will be a stark visual contrast to the tranquility of nearby Watershed Park, a protected 153 acre area which contains trails, wetlands, and the Moxlie Creek Spring Basin that served as Olympia's first water source.

In a February letter to the city, the Wildwood Neighborhood Association board says that freeway noise has increased substantially since the clearing of the property.

The project is projected to generate 980 trips per day with 64 trips anticipated for the morning peak hour and 72 trips during the evening peak hour. The neighborhood is concerned about the increase in traffic along Henderson Boulevard, which will make the intersection at Henderson and Eskridge even more difficult to navigate.

Developers hope to break ground in spring of 2016.

Comments about this project may be submitted to Cari Hornbein, Senior Planner, Community Planning and Development Department, City of Olympia, 601 4^th Avenue East, Olympia, Washington 98501 or chornbei@ci.olympia.wa.usor (360) 753-8048.

For past articles about the land use history of the Henderson Business Park area, the hotels on Henderson Boulevard and the Wildwood Neighborhood, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search engine.