AGENDA #2c
BUDGET WORKING PAPER
TO: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manger
FROM: George Small, P.E., Director of Engineering
SUBJECT: A Summary Report on the Town of Chapel Hill Stormwater Management Public Education Program
DATE: April 27, 2005
On June 14, 2004, the Town Council enacted an ordinance establishing a Stormwater Management Utility. This ordinance includes the establishment of a comprehensive public education and involvement program regarding stormwater management principles and practices in and around Chapel Hill. The provision of community education and involvement services is also a key part of the Town’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System - Phase II (NPDES-II) permit application.
Public education activities are intended to inform citizens about stormwater management practices in general and, more specifically, about the Town’s local Stormwater Management Program activities and opportunities for citizen involvement.
The Town Stormwater Management Program includes a full-time Environmental Education Coordinator position responsible for developing and administering the Town’s public education and involvement program for stormwater management. This position was filled in November 2004, and over the past six months has been working to identify and develop education and outreach strategies; to identify and contact target audiences and groups; to design and produce educational and promotional materials; to participate in activities and events promoting good stormwater management practices; and to establish contact with schools and educators to promote and prepare student education and participation opportunities.
The following lists public education and involvement program elements and activities currently implemented or planned as part of the Town’s Stormwater Management Program:
Created in 2001, the website has been improved and expanded, and continues to be regularly updated to provide information about Program services and activities. The site also provides links to related agencies, reports, programs and information regarding stormwater quality and quantity management.
Created and mailed with a cover letter to all properties within the Stormwater Management Utility service area, this brochure describes the goals, services and strategies of the Program. Brochures are also available at no charge in the Public Library, Town Hall, Stormwater Management Office, OWASA, Chamber of Commerce, Visitor’s Center and several local grocery stores.
Several articles have been published in local newspapers regarding the implementation and operation of the program. Special interest articles on current events in the Stormwater Management Program are regularly provided to the news media for consideration. Information ads are placed newspapers for all stormwater management related public meetings including Advisory Board meetings. Information about the Stormwater Management Program will be included in the proposed Town Information Section of the Sunday edition of the Chapel Hill News.
The Town Stormwater Management Program is an active member in this regional public education partnership, coordinated through the Triangle J Council of Governments, that designs, prepares and airs stormwater management related television advertisements. Other Partnership activities include design of a new website (to be launched in early summer 2005); design, production and distribution of a glossy brochure; and preparing displays and exhibits for local events (such as the recent Raleigh Home & Garden Show).
These activities are in coordination with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools’ Math & Science Coordinator and involve contacting science teachers in each elementary school to arrange for presentations using the “Enviroscape” 3-D watershed model; stream-side learning activities and demonstrations; soil erosion and sedimentation education; and streamside trail development techniques. These activities continue to be developed, and will respond to requests from teachers for specific demonstrations and discussions.
In cooperation with other government agencies and the UNC Environmental Education Center, these activities include public workshops that provide useful information and practices targeted to specific audiences such as business-owners/operators and home-owners. The most recent workshop focused on homeowners and discussed best management practices that typical homeowners can use to reduce pollution leaving their property and entering local streams. More workshops will be developed throughout the year with different target audiences.
Participation in this program involves recruiting volunteers to participate in stream cleanup activities, coordinating local activities with the State Big Sweep administrator, soliciting donations of food, coupons, and other items for volunteers, providing safety gloves and containers for volunteers, providing transportation for volunteers and collection/disposal of trash collected along local streams. Stormwater Management Program staff work throughout the year to increase awareness of this important program in an effort to increase volunteer participation levels.
Stormwater Management Program staff designed and produced educational materials and public information displays for street fairs, Earth Day celebrations and other festivals and outdoor activities that take place throughout the year in our region of the State. Most recently, the Stormwater Program staffed a booth at Apple Chill 2005.
A “logo” graphic symbol has been designed to provide a visual image to promote Program recognition. The logo will be included on correspondence, brochures, the website, signs, clothing, Program vehicles and equipment, etc. The logo will appear on greenways informational signs, at stream crossings, and on stormwater management facilities such as constructed wetlands, rain gardens and erosion control devices. Temporary signs incorporating the logo will be developed for stormwater utility funded construction projects throughout Town.
The program intends to expand its education and outreach to include Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, business organizations, home-owner groups, etc. New stream restoration projects will be established and publicized, storm drain labeling activities will be increased, endeavors such as “adopt-a-stream” will be implemented, and information/education signs will be erected at existing stormwater management facilities such as the University Mall rain garden, the vortex separators installed at the Town’s park-and-ride lot, and the permeable paving proposed at the Town Operations Center.