Public Notices

City of Olympia's Parking & Business Improvement Area (PBIA) is offering matching grants of up to $3,500 each for the creation of new parklets in downtown Olympia. Businesses, non-profit associations, and community groups can submit parklet design concepts by 5:00 PM, May 31, 2013. All grant money provided by the PBIA is intended to help offset the initial cost associated with the supplies and materials needed for the construction of the parklets.

What are Parklets?

Parklets are parking spaces converted into "mini parks" providing space for people to sit, converse, and enjoy the city around them.

PBIA chair, Darren Mills, says "Downtown Olympia is in need of public gathering spaces and parklets not only provide a space for people to gather but widen our somewhat narrow sidewalks.”In 2012, The PBIA awarded similar matching grants to Darby’s Café and Jakes on 4^th which resulted in the creation of the first two parklets in downtown Olympia.“People of all ages are taking advantage of the parklets as a place to see friends, hang out, and relax,” says Rob Cameron, owner of Jakes on 4^th.Sara Reilly, owner of Darby’s Café, says, “We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response to the parklet from customers and people just walking by.”

Mills said, “One of best outcomes of parklets is the partnerships that they create between the sponsoring business owner, the city, PBIA and the public. They also bring economic benefit to the city by encouraging people to come downtown and spend dollars in our locally owned businesses."

To learn more about parklets and future downtown projects, please visit the Downtown Project page (http://olympiawa.gov/community/downtown-project) on the City of Olympia website. For additional information on parklet development and how to apply for a parklet in front of your establishment, please feel free to contact the City of Olympia Downtown Liaison, Brian Wilson, at 360.709.2790 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Veolia Water North America, the contractor operating and maintaining the Elwha Water Treatment Plant (EWTP,) will use the Milwaukee Grade access road to haul sediment material off-site, beginning May 13 and continuing intermittently throughout the summer. 

Use of this route, for this purpose, will be Monday through Friday, and between the hours of 7am and 5pm.  Other truck traffic associated with the Elwha Water Facilities (EWF) has been ongoing and will continue as long as the Elwha Water Treatment Plant (part of the EWF) is in use.  The terms of this use are defined in a 2007 Memorandum of Understanding between Clallam County and the National Park Service.

The EWTP is a component of the Elwha Water Facilities (EWF,) one of several mitigation projects built to protect Elwha River water users from impacts associated with high sediment flows related to removing two dams on the Elwha River.

Issues arose at the EWF last year, when material that was intended to be screened out by the water intake structure began moving further into the system, clogging pumps, filters and other equipment inside EWTP.  Sediment, gravel, and large and small woody debris that was not intended to enter the treatment plant decreased the amount of water the treatment plant is able to process and increased the time and effort required to clean and maintain it.

Hauling sediment off-site is one of several actions taken by the National Park Service and Veolia Water North America to address and resolve the issues at EWF.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will close Preachers Slough Road near Montesano for two weeks beginning May 13 for road maintenance and repairs to the parking area. The project supports continued public access improvements at Chehalis River Surge Plain Natural Area Preserve, which is managed by DNR.

Who:      Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Natural Areas Program

What:     Preachers Slough Road Closure

When:    May 13 - 24

Where:   Preachers Slough Road, off Hwy 107, southwest of Montesano.
Road will be closed at the bridge. There is still access to the old interpretive trail.

Map:http://bit.ly/Yz9kLr

Why:      The road and parking area work is part of a 3-year project to improve public access and habitat in the area. DNR is developing a shoreline trail that will lead from the parking area to fishing spots on the river bank that are popular with area residents. In 2013, DNR will also install a car-top boat launch for hand-carried boats such as canoes, kayaks and other small boats.

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is offering $7 million in available funds to local governments for statewide stormwater construction projects through the Supplemental Statewide Stormwater Grant Program. 

“This new, competitive funding opportunity not only helps protect an irreplaceable asset – our clean water – it helps local governments and it provides jobs,” said Kelly Susewind, manager of Ecology’s water quality program.

State financial managers calculate that 11 jobs in Washington are created for every million dollars spent in construction and design funding, supporting approximately 77 jobs statewide for this round of funding. Over half of these are likely to be local construction jobs.

The $7 million is the remainder of unspent funding from $68 million the 2012 state Legislature provided to 117 grant applicants in May 2012 for statewide stormwater construction projects. For varying reasons, a portion of the funding offers were declined or de-obligated. This grant program is made up of the declined/de-obligated funds.

Applications for the funding are due to Ecology by June 14. Ecology expects to offer the grants in August. Projects are to be completed by June 30, 2015.

Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity are cities, towns, counties, and ports covered by one of the following water quality permits:

• Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit.
• Phase II Eastern Washington Municipal Stormwater Permit.
• Phase II Western Washington Municipal Stormwater Permit.

If you have questions regarding this funding program, please contact:

Patricia Brommer at 360-407-6566 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Stormwater is the number one threat to urban waters in our state. During rainstorms and snowmelt, stormwater runoff carries toxic chemicals and bacteria into bays, lakes and rivers and Puget Sound.

For more information:

Statewide Supplemental Stormwater Grant Program

Water Quality Program Financial Assistance

Ecology’s social media

Community Meeting Set for May 20. Thurston County is seeking community input regarding the future of its Specialized Recreation programs for youth and adults with developmental disabilities. To better understand community interest and needs, the county’s departments of  Public Health and Social Services and Recreation Services encourages parents and others who know or work with people with developmental disabilities to complete a short, six-question survey at

www.surveymonkey.com/s/specializedrecreation2013 The deadline for submitting the confidential and anonymous survey is Friday, May 17.

           Community members are also invited to attend a family focus group on Specialized Recreation on Monday, May 20, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Public Health Building at 412 Lilly Road NE in Olympia.

           “Community input is vital to the continued success of these programs,” says Recreation Supervisor Margaret Huff. “In these times of diminished resources, we need to hear directly from families and caregivers to help us determine priorities and directions for the future.”

           The county’s Specialized Recreation programs include trips and fitness activities for people with developmental disabilities, ages 16 and up, as well as a summer day camp for teens and another one for children ages 6-13. Program details are available at www.co.thurston.wa.us/parks/rec-specialized-rec.htm or by calling 786-5595. Those requiring special accommodations for the focus group meeting on May 20, should call Anne Butigan of the Health Department at 867-2520 by Friday, May 10.

The state Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is seeking volunteers to evaluate grant applications that will help decide where the next parks, trails and boat launches will go in the state.

The volunteers will serve on one of eight advisory committees that will evaluate and rank grant requests in the spring and summer of 2014 for all types of recreation around the state. Volunteers with expertise in project design or management, landscape architecture, planning or engineering, permitting or property acquisition especially are encouraged to apply. Volunteers serve four years. Applications are due June 14.

Positions:

Thurston County is looking for volunteers to serve on advisory boards, committees, and commissions.   These groups meet on a regular basis and make recommendations on important issues to the Board of County Commissioners. 

Current vacancies include the following: