HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2012-010 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2012 — 139
CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to:
Originator: . WW2 14:1-14 (IL 4/3/2012 4/10/2012 NR/Council
Division Head: _
Dept. Head: ` ` L-.Y, 13
Prosecutor:
Purchasing/Budget:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Resolution re: DNR closure of trails - North Fork
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date:
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public 3
hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
Resolution regarding Department of Natural Resources (DNR) closure of trails - North Fork
COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION:
4 / 10 / 2012 : Amended and forwarded to Council 4 / 10 / 2012 : Council Amended & Approved 7 -0
for approval Res . 2012 -010
Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Res . 2012- 010
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the County 's website at: www. co. whatcom. wa. us/council.
1 RES . 2012 - MOUNTAIN BIKE
2 SPONSORED BY : Consent
3 PROPOSED BY : Crawford , Mann , Kremen
4 INTRODUCTION : 4 / 10 / 2012
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7 RESOLUTION NO . 2012-010
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9 REQUESTING THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
10 RESOURCES TO WORK WITH MOUNTAIN BIKE ADVOCATES AND USERS TO
11 DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN CONTINUED USE OF MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS IN
12 THE AREA OF THE NORTH FORK OF THE NOOKSACK RIVER
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14 .
15 WHEREAS , Whatcom County is endowed with an extensive forested
16 mountainous landscape ideal for the pursuit of mountain biking , hiking , and other
17 passive recreational activities ; and
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19 WHEREAS , the available land that can be utilized for mountain biking is
20 somewhat limited relative to the forested mountainous areas of the county because
21 of ownership issues , conflicts with neighboring uses, and access to trail networks ;
22 and
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24 WHEREAS, Whatcom County has become recognized nationally as a
25 mountain biking ' mecca ', attracting world - class mountain bikers along with the
26 associated economic input to our community's prosperity ; and
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28 WHEREAS, the significant local economic infrastructure supporting the
29 recreation and sport of mountain biking continues to rely on availability of a variety
30 of locations to engage in mountain bike activity ; and
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32 WHEREAS , local mountain bike organizations already exist that have
33 demonstrated the ability to organize and collectively to address trail construction ,
34 maintenance , self- policing and impact mitigation ; and
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36 WHEREAS , the area of Whatcom County known as the North Fork of the
37 Nooksack River has been developed by users over the past 20 years into a key
38 location ( along with Galbraith Mountain and the Chuckanuts ) for mountain bike
39 recreation and sport ; and
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41 WHEREAS, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources has
42 announced the upcoming closure of the North Fork of the Nooksack River to off- road
43 mountain bike use ; and
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45 WHEREAS, the activity of mountain biking as a recreation and a sport can
46 be coordinated with other forest use priorities such as logging , hunting , hiking ,
47 winter recreation , fishing , fire prevention , and environmental stewardship to bring
48 about enhancement and protection of the forest landscape for future generations .
1 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that
2 we strongly encourage the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to
3 reconsider the closure of the North Fork of the Nooksack River to off- road mountain
4 bike use , and instead to engage and collaborate with mountain bike users and
5 advocates in maintaining and continued development of a network of mountain bike
6 trails in that area in a manner that is environmentally protective and compatible
7 with other forest uses .
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10 AP\P,L1GVEP,,t�his 10th day of April , 2012 .
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13 J •• . et �ArCO � •�i '� WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
14 Alf . . £ OUNTY . C e WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
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17 Dana BM " ! - Dad' ` erk of the Council Kathy Kershner, Council Chair
18 ° • . SHIN; ° ' /
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20 AP R .
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23 Civil Deputy Prosecutor
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