North Beach moves closer to forming drainage district

Published 1:30 am Friday, November 28, 2025

On Thursday, Nov. 20, consultant Scott Boettcher of SBGH-Partners, along with Grays Harbor County District 3 Commissioner Vickie Raines, County Administrator Sam Kim and County Clerk of the Board Wendy Chatham held the second meeting in two months at the Ocean Shores Outdoor Recreation Club just north of Hogans Corner regarding flood control in the region.

After a brief overview and a rehash of some of the more pressing flooding issues residents face, most notably along Connor Creek and state Route 109, Boettcher detailed progress and next steps for the formation of a proposed drainage district.

The “problem statement,” which is the basis for the justification for forming such a special district reads, “Connor Creek watershed (Ocean City) presents a chronic, complex, and historically unaddressed flooding problem adversely affecting North Beach residents, visitors, businesses, and emergency responders alike that has steadily gotten worse since about 1987, serves as a microcosm of flooding issues up and down North Beach, warrants immediate and significant action, and — in its solutions — serves as a model for others.”

Boettcher presented a fairly lengthy list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), discussed the answers and took questions from the assembled residents.

Benefits to forming a drainage district include: Dedicated, organized local entity focused on Ocean City/SR109 flood mitigation; Governed, administered, and managed locally (less reliant on others). As an entity: Can contract with others; Eligible for grants, loans, public funding, etc.; Set, prioritize projects, activities, etc.

While the district would be able to apply for grants, loans, and appropriations, recruit volunteers, and hold fundraisers, it would also have taxing authority and could assess taxes.

Three locally-elected commissioners would run, oversee and administer the district. According to Boettcher’s presentation, a drainage district is seen as the logical next step to basically graduate from the current flood mitigation approach to a long-term flood mitigation strategy. Currently, flood mitigation efforts are ad hoc, county-led and volunteer-based.

If implemented, the drainage district would monitor and notch beaver dams, clean/clear culverts, sponsor and implement an “Ocean City Drainage Improvement Project,” educate and inform, monitor, understand and build knowledge about local flooding, explore the upper watershed, solicit volunteers, engage partners such as the Washington departments of Transportation and Fish and Wildlife, and build community.

The drainage district would seek to keep Connor Creek open for flow, improve water conveyance and evacuate water through public right-of-ways along the SR-109 corridor, evacuate high-flows at historic overflow points during king tides and slow, reduce or redirect flow from upland areas.

The next step in the process is a public hearing, which will be held Tuesday, Dec. 9 in the Commissioners Meeting Room at the Grays Harbor County Administration Building in Montesano as part of the County Commissioners “action” meeting, which starts at 10 a.m. If established, the special drainage district will be able to complete multiple projects under the Connor Creek Drainage Improvements and the Watershed Drainage Improvements. All affected people may appear and present their comments in favor or against the creation of the proposed special district or submit written comments to the Clerk of the Board of Commissioners, 100 West Broadway, Suite 1, Montesano, WA 98563, prior to Dec. 9.

Those who cannot attend in person may participate via Zoom. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82749380488?pwd=SkhKamVkMkxLa0FyY2RzNk1DQjlYQT09

For special accommodations contact Human Resources at 360-249-4144, Ext. 1513 at least 3 working days prior to the meeting.

If the initiative were to move to the next phase, it would be put on a special election ballot in February or April for the affected voters in the proposed district to consider. Washington state special elections are scheduled for Feb. 10 and April 28, 2026.