Anacortes adopts first stormwater master plan update in nearly two decades

Anacortes adopts first stormwater master plan update in nearly two decadesThe city council unanimously approved the comprehensive update to guide NPDES compliance, capital projects, and new pipe repair programs, following the dismissal of a SEPA appeal.

The council adopted Resolution 3212, updating the city's 2007 stormwater management plan to address new Washington Department of Ecology regulations.

The plan establishes four core programs, including two new initiatives focused on pipe repair and replacement and system capacity upgrades.

Capital facility projects identified in the plan include Fidalgo Bay Road flood mitigation and 34th Street storm conveyance reconstruction.

Prior to the plan's adoption, the council unanimously denied a SEPA Determination of Non-Significance appeal filed against the plan.

The Anacortes City Council unanimously adopted an updated Stormwater Master Plan on April 27, 2026, marking the first major overhaul of the city's stormwater strategy since 2007. The plan focuses heavily on bringing the city into compliance with new Washington State Department of Ecology regulations and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements. Presented by Terrell Osborn of Osborn Consulting, the updated plan documents the city's stormwater assets and utilizes a new stormwater model to identify system deficiencies. To address aging infrastructure, the plan outlines four primary stormwater programs. Two are ongoing—outfall evaluation and rehabilitation, and facility upgrades—while two new programs have been created specifically to target stormwater pipe repair and replacement, and system capacity upgrades. The master plan also identifies a prioritized list of capital facility projects categorized by their primary benefits: habitat protection, water quality improvement, and capacity enhancement. Specific capacity-driven projects highlighted during the meeting include flood mitigation on Fidalgo Bay Road and storm conveyance reconstruction at 34th Street. Osborn noted that the timeline for implementing the plan and its associated capital projects will depend heavily on the stormwater utility's future funding strategy. Prior to adopting the master plan, the council addressed an administrative hurdle by dismissing an appeal of the plan's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Determination of Non-Significance (DNS). The appeal, filed in October 2025 by Ian Munce and William Turner, was unanimously denied by the council, clearing the way for the plan's adoption under Resolution 3212. In separate water infrastructure business, the council approved a contract award for a pressure reducing valves cleaning, rebuilding, and installation project as part of its consent agenda.