Stormwater Management Project - Who is Addressing Stormwater Issues?
Stormwater Task Force
Driving Forces
Task Force Members
Key Contacts
During the summer of 1999, the Kent County Drain Commissioner received inquiries from a number of townships within Kent County asking if there was a model storm water ordinance in existence. In response, the Drain Commissioner appointed a Stormwater Task Force in September 1999 whose mission was to review storm water ordinances from different units of government in order to improve on Kent County's standard rules and regulations.
Once the Stormwater Tools project was underway in April 2000, the Kent County Stormwater Task Force drew in more interested parities. There are approximately forty members of the group including representatives from both public and private interests. The Stormwater Task Force provides specific guidelines and tools for storm water management.
Several forces contribute to the need for a Stormwater Task Force and Storm Water Tools program in Kent County. These forces include the following:
- There are varying policies at the regional and local level to address storm water issues.Historically, storm water policies addressed quantity issues as opposed to quality issues. Most storm water issues are dealt with on a project by project basis and water quality issues are not addressed. There is a need to also include policies on stream bank erosion, chemical constituents, and recreational and aesthetic values.
- There is a desire to protect and restore the quality of life in the region.
Population estimates for Kent County indicate that the population is expected to increase from 580,000 in the year 2000 to 834,000 in 2020. A regional storm water program should be developed to plan carefully for this growth to minimize any adverse impacts.
- There is a need for a shared vision and consistent regulations in the region.
Currently, storm water management is carried out by several different agencies, each with their own objectives. In order for storm water management to be effective, there must be a shared vision by both upstream and downstream communities in how to manage storm water runoff.
Kent County Drain Commissioner
Roger Laninga (Chair) Dick Connell Jeff Gritter Doug Sporte
Alpine Township
Mark Fleet Sharon Steffens Frank Wash
Caledonia Township
John Wallace
Cannon Township
Bonnie Shupe
Center for Environmental Study
Rick Sullivan
City of Grand Rapids Environmental Protection
Service Department
Eric DeLong Randy Lemoine Corky Overmyer Chuck Schroeder John Schaut
City of Walker
Scott Conners
City of Wyoming
Jerry Snyder
Courtland Township
Jerry Lyon
Dykema Excavating
Mike Berg
Earth Tech
Aaron Volkening
Exxel Engineering
Todd Stuive
Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber
Wendy Ogilvie Jim Smalligan
Grand Valley Metropolitan Council
Andy Bowman Jerry Felix
GVSU - Annis Water Resources Institute
Sarah Allerding Mia DeBruyne
Rod Denning
John Koches
Nichol Stout
Grand Rapids Area Home Builders Association
Tom Shearer
Izaak Walton League
John Trimberger
Kent County Conservation District
Lisa Vazquez
Kent County Road Commission
Wayne Harrall
Medema, Van Kooten and Associates
Dale Van Kooten
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Dave Drullinger Mark Fife Dave Fongers George Hosek Steve Houtteman Amy Peterson Ralph Reznick Luis Saldivia Janice Tompkins
Plainfield Township
Wendell Briggs Dave Groenleer Bob Homan
Prein & Newhof
Dennis Cole Jim Kirkwood
Timberland RC&D
Cynthia Price
West Michigan Environmental Action Council
Tom Cary Patricia Pennell Vincent Ferrarese
Legal Issues Subcommittee,
Storm Water Management Task Force
Jeffrey S. Ammon - Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey Clifford H. Bloom - Law, Weathers & Richardson PC James R. Brown - Mika, Meyers, Beckett & Jones PLC Richard W. Butler, Jr. - Richard W. Butler, Jr. PLC Jeffrey V.H. Sluggett - Law, Weathers & Richardson PC
Key Contacts Nichol Stout
Former Project Manager GVSU - AWRI Roger Laninga Former Kent County Drain Commissioner