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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: October 26, 2020 <br />TOPIC: Floodplains by Design Request for Support <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Authorize the Chairs' Signature on the Floodplain by <br />Design Support Letter to Governor Jay Inslee <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Authorize the Chair's signature on the floodplain by design support letter to Governor <br />Jay Inslee. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Floodplain by Design (FbD) program is soliciting local support of program <br />funding in 2021 (Ranked list is provided as EXHIBIT 1) <br />• A support letter is being provided to local jurisdictions for use. <br />• 2021-2023 biennium budget request is $86,784,967. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Public Works secured $4.2 million in program funding in the 2019-2021 biennium <br />budget acquiring Flying M and M Farm ranches (EXHIBIT 2). The program stresses the <br />importance of integrated floodplain management activities. The FbD strategic committee <br />is circulating a letter for local decision -maker support (EXHIBIT 3). <br />DISCUSSION: <br />The FbD program has proven its value conserving and enhancing floodplain activities <br />over the course of the past several biennium budgets. The acquisition of M Farm allowed <br />the county to retire its back -mitigation obligations supporting the water bank program <br />and conserving significant upland area for long term operations of Twin City Foods. <br />Floodplain, wetland and riparian habitat enhancements may hold the key to allowing the <br />formulation of a mitigation bank supporting Bowers Field capital improvements. The <br />pending acquisition of Flying M enhances our water position in the marketplace and adds <br />opportunities for Floodplain, wetland and riparian habitat enhancements. I currently sit <br />on the program's strategic group at the request of the Nature Conservancy. The $70 <br />million budget is in line with the previous biennium budget request. The group is <br />contemplating requesting funding at a list level, meaning cutting off at a project level of <br />funding. That strategy is not represented in this request. <br />Page 1 of 5 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COXMSSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />