Advancing Equity, Health, and Resiliency with Stormwater Parks

Session 8C | Thursday | 2:30 – 3:45 PM PT

Presentation PDF
About the Session

Stormwater parks can help with many challenges that cities and counties face, such as equity, health, and resiliency. Stormwater parks are facilities that provide both stormwater treatment and recreation. They address climate resilience and community health through increasing access to green space and recreation. They can help advance racial equity when built in communities underserved by parks and by supporting Tribal treaty rights. Stormwater parks vary greatly in form, function, and size, so they can work well on a variety of sites. The objective of the session is to show different types of stormwater parks and how to plan for and fund them. The session will share funding sources for the planning, construction, and maintenance of stormwater parks, as well as the forthcoming guidance on planning for stormwater parks.

About the Moderator

Erika Harris AICP
Puget Sound Regional Council

Erika Harris is a planner in the Growth Management group at Puget Sound Regional Council. She has over 15 years of experience in environmental, urban, and regional planning. At PSRC, Erika works on comprehensive plan review, open space planning, advancing racial equity, Puget Sound recovery, and other issues at the intersection of planning and sustainability. She holds a master's degree in Urban Planning and Public Policy and Governance from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in Economics from Pacific Lutheran University.

About the Speakers

Bethany Steadman, PE
AHBL, Inc.

Bethany Steadman is a civil engineer and project manager at AHBL with over a decade of experience in civil engineering. Her work includes all stages, including master planning, preliminary and feasibility studies, value engineering, permitting and construction documents, and construction services. She is passionate about stormwater management and Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI), especially in providing solutions that are both environmentally friendly and meets the client's short- and long-term needs.

Michelle Perdue, CPMSM
Kitsap County

Michelle Perdue is the Stormwater Program Manager at Kitsap County Public Works. She has over 17 years of experience in municipal stormwater management and environmental outreach, with a focus on delivering critical community outcomes like flood protection, improved surface water quality, efficient regulation of development, well-planned watersheds, and effective and empathetic customer service.  Her work at Kitsap County, in harmony with the Clean Water Kitsap partnership, has included nationally-recognized projects and programs that reduce flooding, prevent pollution and restore fish habitat, ensuring that shellfish beds, streams and waterbodies remain functional for the humans and wildlife that depend on them. Prior to joining Kitsap County, Michelle was the Municipal NPDES Stormwater Permit Manager for the City of Moses Lake, Washington.

Leah Mikulsky
City of Woodinville

Leah Mikulsky is a Surface Water Program Coordinator at the City of Woodinville. Leah has three years of experience in surface water management and a background in environmental science and ecological restoration.  With the City of Woodinville, she manages the NPDES Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit, assists in developing the Comprehensive Surface Water Management Plan, implements surface water asset management, and provides technical assistance to City staff and the public on surface water related issues. She also facilitates regional collaborative meetings with local jurisdictions to further the development of programs to protect water quality in and around the Sammamish watershed.

 

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