Stormwater Stakeholder Advisory Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Stormwater Stakeholder Advisory Committee met on March 7, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Phoenix Building – 3rd Floor Conference Room, with Amy Sohner presiding. The committee worked through 6 agenda items during the session, which included the approval of previous meeting minutes, several informational presentations, and a discussion of potential topics for a future meeting. Over the course of the meeting, 2 votes were taken and 3 public comments were heard. Informational presentations covered topics including Pollution Prevention Responsibilities for Municipal Operations, an overview of KYTC's MS4 Program, and updates to the Stormwater Manual.

Attendance

A total of 42 members were recorded for the Committee meeting on March 7, 2025.

Present (42): Jason Ainslie, Doug Burton, Jennifer Carey, Ken Cooke, Steve Garland, Jim Griggs, Amy Sohner, Russ Turpin, Traci Wade, Denice Bullock, Chris Chaney, Katherine Collins, Sarah Donaldson, Jason Drew, Brooke Gray, Brian Hayes, Gabe Hensley, Becky Irwin, Greg Lubeck, Craig Morgan, Jennifer Myatt, Angela Poe, Mark Sanders, Abby Terry, Richard Walker, Bailee Young, Jim Conner, Amy Clark, Jacob Crouch, Jerry Davis, Stephen Evans, Adam Garner, Robert Gibson, Don Hill, Ken Johnson, Nathan Krebs, Kevin Lewis, Richard McClure, John Pike, Brandon Popham, Brian Stephens, and Steve Vogel.

Absent (1): Marty Marchaterre.

Late: None.

Votes and Decisions

The committee took two votes during the March 7, 2025 meeting, both of which passed unanimously.

• Approval of the December 6, 2024, Meeting Minutes 1:05: A motion to approve the minutes from the December 6, 2024, meeting was made by Ken Cooke and seconded by Traci Wade. The motion passed unanimously. No roll call vote was recorded.

• Acceptance of the Updated Committee Roster 1:22:41: A motion to accept the updated Committee Roster as of March 7, 2025, was made by Jason Ainslie and seconded by Ken Cooke. The motion passed unanimously. No roll call vote was recorded.

Public Comment

Three members of the public offered comments and questions during the March 7, 2025 committee meeting, each addressing topics related to vehicle washing and program data management.

• Ken Cooke 19:26 asked whether a dedicated program was being used to track data. Sarah Donaldson responded that she uses Excel or Word to manage and track the relevant data.

• Amy Clark 33:41 raised a question about whether mobile truck washing services are subject to regulation. Sarah Donaldson clarified that LFUCG uses commercial car washes for smaller vehicles, and for larger vehicles, a car wash company is brought in to perform the service.

• Jason Ainslie 38:25 asked what factors trigger a heightened level of concern when monitoring car wash companies. Gabe Hensley explained that the SIC code associated with a company would determine whether that company would be required to apply for a general KPDES permit.

The questions collectively reflected public interest in how vehicle washing operations — particularly for larger municipal vehicles — are overseen and regulated, as well as how program data is being recorded and maintained.

Appointments

The committee took action on two appointments during the March 7, 2025 meeting.

• Amy Clark was appointed to Town Branch.
• Jason Ainslie was reappointed to North Elkhorn.

Approval of 12/06/2024 Minutes

1:05

The committee took up the approval of minutes from its December 6, 2024, meeting. Key speakers on this item included Amy Sohner, Ken Cooke, and Traci Wade.

• No additions or corrections to the minutes were proposed by any committee members.
• The minutes were approved as presented.

The item was resolved without discussion or objection, and the December 6, 2024, minutes were formally approved.

Pollution Prevention Responsibilities for Municipal Operations

1:47

Sarah Donaldson presented on Pollution Prevention Responsibilities for Municipal Operations, outlining her role as the internal Environmental Compliance Coordinator and the obligations the municipality holds under the MS4 Permit.

The presentation was informational in nature, providing the Committee with an overview of the regulatory framework governing municipal stormwater management and the specific compliance responsibilities that fall under the MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) Permit. Donaldson's role as Environmental Compliance Coordinator was highlighted as central to ensuring the municipality meets these obligations.

No debate or contested issues were recorded in connection with this agenda item. The item concluded as an informational presentation with no formal action taken by the Committee.

KYTC's MS4 Program Overview

41:10

Robert Gibson presented an overview of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's (KYTC) MS4 Program, providing the committee with background on the regulatory framework governing the program and KYTC's obligations under it.

The presentation covered the history of the Clean Water Act, which serves as the foundational federal legislation underpinning the MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) permit requirements. Gibson outlined the specific obligations that KYTC must fulfill under its MS4 permit, giving committee members context for understanding how the program operates and what compliance entails for the agency.

The item was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action taken. No additional speakers or concerns are recorded from this portion of the meeting.

Stormwater Manual Updates

1:04:31

Doug Burton presented an overview of proposed updates to the Stormwater Manual. The presentation covered two primary areas of change: compliance with Kentucky House Bill 443 and technical revisions intended to reflect current standard engineering practice.

No additional detail on the specific provisions of House Bill 443 or the nature of the technical updates was available in the meeting record. No votes were taken on this item, and it was received as an informational presentation.

Potential Topics for Next Meeting

1:19:04

Under this agenda item, committee members discussed potential topics to be taken up at a future meeting. Ken Cooke suggested that the committee consider scheduling a presentation on the Floodplains Appeals Committee. No additional topics were proposed in the structured record of this discussion.

The item was informational in nature, and no formal decisions or votes were recorded in connection with the suggestion.

Announcements

1:23:13

Bailee Young presented several announcements regarding upcoming events and meetings. The announcements covered two notable items: Water Week and the Bluegrass Watershed Summit. No debate or concerns were raised during this portion of the meeting, as the item was strictly informational in nature.