Two major pieces of business before the Edmonds City Council Tuesday night were whether to approve a city code amendment regarding critical aquifer recharge areas (CARAs) and to learn more about the city’s options for fire and emergency medical services. The council voted 6-1 to move to a future consent agenda the staff-recommended amendment to the CARAs, which are established to protect groundwater and public drinking supplies from potential contamination and to ensure adequate groundwater availability.

The vote on CARAs came despite a request from several residents who asked the council during public comment to instead approve an earlier proposal — from 2023 — that they said would be a more cautious approach to the issue until more is known about how to best treat per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS. They are also called “forever chemicals” because of how long they take to break down in the environment and people’s bodies. According to this Washington State Standard report, PFAS chemicals have been used since the 1940s to manufacture industrial and commercial products, including goods like nonstick cookware, carpets, and raincoats. They’ve also been a common ingredient in firefighting foam used at sites like military bases, airports, and refineries.

CARAs are treated as critical areas under the state’s Growth Management Act. When city code was last updated in 2016, it stated that no areas meeting criteria for CARAs existed in the city. However, in 2022, Edmonds was alerted to two CARAs in the city’s jurisdiction when the Olympic View Water and Sewer District appealed the city’s SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS) for a stormwater code update. While the water and sewer district’s appeal was denied by the hearing examiner, staff committed to updating city code to reflect the presence of possible CARAs within city boundaries.

The two drinking water wells are Deer Creek Springs near the Town of Woodway and at 228th Street Southwest — both supplement the drinking water that Olympic View purchases from the City of Seattle. Among those commenting Tuesday was Olympic View Water and Sewer District General Manager Bob Danson, who reiterated his belief — expressed during a public hearing on the issue last month —  that he still had concerns about city’s proposal to allow shallow underground injection control (UIC) wells at Deer Creek Springs to control stormwater runoff as a method of protecting water quality.

“Stormwater does contain pollutants,” Danson said. Olympic View completed a sample study at Edmonds’ Madrona School “that does show there is PFAS in that stormwater apparently being sent down in the UIC wells that are going into our water aquifer layer.”

He pointed to recent action by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set a legally enforceable maximum level in drinking water for the chemicals, which have been linked to cancers, heart and liver problems, and developmental damage in children. “The levels at the Madrona School are actually above those EPA limits,” Danson said.

Acting Planning Manager Mike Clugston said the city’s CARAs proposal, which comes after a year of staff study and review by the Edmonds Planning Board, “represents the best available science that we have uncovered over the past year. It’s consistent — and exceeds — Washington State Department of Health and the Department of Ecology standards.” In addition, the stormwater portion of ordinance would be automatically updated as the Department of Ecology gets new information about different contaminants, including PFAS, he said.

Council President Vivian Olson moved to approve the proposed code, stating that after carefully studying the issue, she believed that the current science supported the staff-recommended approach. However, Olson did say the city could do more to protect CARAs,  including educating residents and business owners in those critical areas about the importance of not washing their cars or using pesticides to avoid contamination.

Olson then proposed an amendment that any new projects involving tire crumb rubber should be prohibited in CARAs, noting that it is one of the chemicals listed as problematic in the Olympic View Water and Sewer District’s water supply protection guidelines.

Olson’s amendment generated a discussion among councilmembers about the idea to eventually revive a broader ban on tire crumb rubber use citywide. The Edmonds City Council approved an 18-month ban in 2015, with the idea of revisiting it as more scientific research became available. It was extended several times but is now expired, city staff said. Olson’s amendment to include a ban on crumb rubber in CARAs was approved by a 5-2 vote. Councilmembers Jenna Nand and Will Chen voted no, stating that they preferred to have a broader discussion with the community about the idea first. When it came time to vote on the final CARA language — including the approved crumb rubber amendment — the sole dissenting vote came from Councilmember Michelle Dotsch, who said she was concerned about how future development would increase the chemicals in stormwater.

In other business, the council heard a fire services feasibility assessment report from William Sturgeon of Fitch and Associates. The council hired the firm to analyze the costs of various options for fire and emergency medical services, now that South County Fire has put Edmonds on notice that it intends to terminate the current interlocal agreement for fire and EMS services effective Dec. 31, 2025. The city currently pays South County Fire $12 million annually, and fire and emergency medical services costs are a concern due to recent budget challenges.

South County Fire in 2017 reorganized into what is now the South Snohomish County Fire and Rescue Regional Authority. As a fire authority, the agency can be funded directly through property taxes rather than receive payment from the individual jurisdictions that contract for fire and EMS services. In essence, this means that property owners would fund the RFA directly, rather than pay taxes to the city, which would use these funds to pay for emergency and fire services from the RFA. To move from an individual contract to being part of the RFA, voters in each jurisdiction need to approve this change. So far, the cities of Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Brier and Mountlake Terrace have voted to join the RFA.

Sturgeon explained that Fitch initially looked at four options for the city to consider in future fire services:

1) Joining the existing RFA

2) Bringing back the city’s own fire department.

3) Entering into a contractual relationship with Shoreline Fire.

4) Separating the city’s fire and emergency medical services (EMS) and contracting for EMS only.

Fitch did not recommend pursuing option 4, because no advanced life support private ambulances are operating in Snohomish County.

With a focus on the other three options, Sturgeon explained Edmonds’ particular needs for fire and EMS. Edmonds has more than 19,471 housing units and more than 1,642 non-residential buildings, including offices, professional services, restaurants, churches, schools and health care facilities. Of those commercial buildings, 109 are considered high risk based on the number of stories, required fire flow and sprinker systems. Edmonds has also seen a 12% increase in fire and EMS call volume since 2019. South County Fire had an average of 16.8 calls for emergency services daily in Edmonds, with 86.2% of those for emergency medical services.

There are three fire stations located in the city — Station 16 in Maplewood, Station 17 downtown and Station 20 in Esperance. There is also a water rescue boat at the Port of Edmonds.

Sturgeon shared information about the current South County Fire staffing for the three Edmonds stations, adding that Fitch believes that the agency is using “a lean model.”

 

When it comes to deploying personnel for fire and EMS. South County Fire has “an effective response model,” Sturgeon said. For example, “it takes a significant number of people” to extinguish a residential fire, he said, adding there are many tasks required. “And that’s why they send so many people.”

There are financial considerations for any of the three options explored by Fitch, and Sturgeon went through the pros and cons of each.

Annexing into the RFA — at an annual estimated cost of $17.8 million — would ensure the city could maintain its current level of fire and emergency services. Edmonds also would no longer be responsible for the fire dispatch fees it pays to Snohomish County 911, which is $401,107 in 2024. On the minus side, joining the RFA would increase the levy rate for taxpayers. In addition, the level of service Edmonds would receive would be governed by an elected board of fire commissioners rather than the City of Edmonds. This option would take 18-24 months to implement.

Contracting with Shoreline Fire — estimated to cost $24.9 million annually — would provide Edmonds with services similiar to those it now receives through South County Fire. On the minus side, there are many variables in this scenario that would mean uncertainty for Edmonds. Approvals would be required by other agencies — including the King County Council — and the City of Edmonds would need to purchase equipment to provide fire and EMS services. This option would take an estimated 24-26 months.

Reestablishing a City of Edmonds Fire Department, disbanded in 2009 due to cost pressures, would give the city control of its emergency services. However, there are several disadvantages to this option, including the challenge of recruiting and retaining personnel and the need to purchase apparatus, equipment and firefighter protective gear. New apparatus is currently taking 20-36 months for delivery, Sturgeon said. “It’s a heavy lift to create a fire department from scratch,” he added. The estimated annual cost for this option is $19.2 million. In addition, an estimated $6.75 million would be required for capital and start-up costs. And, Edmonds fire stations need remodeling, rebuilding and relocations at cost of approximately $20 million. The timeline for this option was estimated at 36 months.

Sturgeon offered the following graphic summarizing projected costs and savings:

Sturgeon said that Fitch also looked into the possibility of reducing the number of Edmonds-run fire stations and changing its staffing models. A one-station model would significantly impact response times, he said. Reducing the number of stations would also mean that those remaining stations would need to be relocated for maximum effectiveness, which would cost money. In addition, the city would still need to rely on mutual aid from other agencies when their own units are tied up — and could result in a service charge per unit, he said.

Finally, Sturgeon offered a graphic that summarized the next steps for implementing any of the three options:

During the time allocated for for councilmembers’ questions, Susan Paine asked about the staff training required if the city went with its own fire department. Sturgeon explained the myriad tasks involved with this, from writing new policies and procedures, to learning the response routes and where the fire hydrants are. These tasks along with other training are likely to take four to six months, he said.

Will Chen wondered why Fitch’s estimate for fire costs if Edmonds moved to the RFA were $17.8 million when Edmonds is currently paying $12 million. Sturgeon replied that was the amount Fitch determined from the fire authority’s 2024 budget for Edmonds services. That gap also indicates why South County Fire canceled its contract with Edmonds, he said.

Vivian Olson said that the city council and administration want to hear from members of the public about their preferences for fire services and she encouraged residents to share their opinions.

Jenna Nand said that given the timelines involved with all of the choices outlined, it’s important for the council to put the question of RFA annexation before voters as soon as possible. “If they reject annexation, we’d have to explore other options,” Nand said.

You can view the presentation graphics here. A final report from Fitch will be delivered to the council next week.

The council also:

— Heard Mayor Mike Rosen read a proclamation regarding Earth Day 2024 — officially on April 22 — with Brittany Ahmann from Sound Salmon Solutions accepting.

— As part of its consent agenda, approved the appointment of candidates for various city boards and commissions: Lee Hankins and Steven Li for the Edmonds Planning Board, Todd Stine for the Architectural Design Board, Karen Reid for the Edmonds Sister City Commission and Beth Henkes for the Edmonds Arts Commission.

— By Teresa Wippel