HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2007-011WHA TCOM COUNTY COUNCIL A GENDA BILL No. 2006-442A
CLEARANCES
Initial
Date
Date Received in Council Office
Agenda Date
Assigned to:
originator..
Jeff Chat(ant
Q'tx
01
2/27/07
Nat Res/Counc
Division Head:
Robert C Martin
Dept Head.
Hal H. Hart
Royce Mickingham
.2
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Resolution supporting the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program Update — Restoration Plan
(1) Proposcd Resolution
(2) Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program Update — Restoration Plan (Note: A copy is on file with the County Council
Office in associated file: AB2006-442)
SEPA review required? ( ) yes X)NO
Should Clerk schedule a hearing? Yes X)NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes X )NO
Requested Date:
hearing, you must provide the languagefor use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCWor WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
A resolution supporting use of the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program Update — Restoration Plan as a framework for
identifying and managing voluntary and cooperative shoreline restoration opportunities throughout Whatcorn County.
COMMITTEE ACTION.
COUNCILACTION.
2/27/2007: Committee recommended approval of
2/27/2007: CounciLApproved 7-0
resolution to full Council, but would like to
Res. 2007-011
discuss the restoration plan more in—depth in
the future. Jeff Chalfant will schedule
Related County Contract
Related File Numbers:
Ordinance or Resolution
File 9ZON2004-00027
Number: Res. 2007-011
PleaseNote: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are availablefor viewing and printing
il
Sponsored by: Consent
Proposed by: PDS
Introduction date: 2/27/07
RESOLUTION NO. 2007 -011
SUPPORTING THE WHATCOM COUNTY
SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE -- RESTORATION PLAN
WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature passed the Washington State Shoreline
Management Act (RCW 90.58 [SMA]) in June 1971 and it was passed by public initiative in 1972;
and
WHEREAS, under the SMA, each county and city is required to adopt and administer a local
shoreline management program to carry out the provisions of the Act; and
WHEREAS, the Shoreline Management Program Guidelines (WAC 173 -26) are the
standards and guidance that have been adopted by the Washington State Department of Ecology
that local governments must follow in drafting their local shoreline management programs; and
WHEREAS, in December 2003, the Department of Ecology adopted new, revised Shoreline
Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to RCW 90.58.080, Whatcom County is required to review and update
its existing 1998 Shoreline Management Program (SMP) to ensure conformance with the required
elements of the updated 2003 Shoreline Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, the Shoreline Guidelines, at WAC 173- 26- 201(3)(c) and (3)(d), require
Whatcom County to document existing shoreline conditions and present a baseline inventory and
characterization of ecosystem -wide processes and shoreline ecological functions; and
WHEREAS, the Shoreline Guidelines, at WAC 173- 26- 201(2)(0, require Whatcom County to
develop a shoreline restoration plan that 1) identifies degraded shoreline areas with impaired
ecological functions and sites with potential for restoration, 2) establishes goals and priorities for
restoration of degraded areas and functions, 3) identifies existing or planned restoration
projects /programs that will contribute to local restoration goals, 4) identifies additional restoration
projects /programs to achieve local restoration goals, 5) identifies and establishes timelines and
benchmarks for implementation, and 6) provides mechanisms or strategies to ensure
implementation according to plans and to appropriately review effectiveness of projects and
programs in meeting overall restoration goals; and
WHEREAS, under the Shoreline Guidelines, the objective of restoration is to achieve a net
gain in shoreline ecological functions over time by providing for the timely restoration of impaired
shoreline ecological functions through a combination of incentive - based, non - regulatory and
voluntary public and private programs and actions; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan Policy 2SS -1 states that Whatcom
County should "protect and encourage voluntary restoration of streams, stream corridors, wetlands,
natural shorelines, fish habitat and aquifers through education and incentive programs "; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan Policy 11 B -1 states that Whatcom
County should "develop, as a primary component of a comprehensive environmental management
program, non - regulatory measures that include voluntary activity, education, incentives, restoration,
acquisition, mitigation, and intergovernmental coordination "; and
WHEREAS, grant funding from the Washington State Department of Ecology was awarded
to Whatcom County for purposes of developing a scientifically based shoreline inventory and
characterization and shoreline restoration plan; and
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) contributed financial
resources to the marine shoreline inventory and characterization and identification of associated
restoration opportunities; and
WHEREAS, in May 2004 the Whatcom County Executive appointed an official Citizen's
Advisory Committee (CAC), a citizen -based advisory body that represented the many diverse
interests and perspectives on resource management in the county, which contributed hundreds of
voluntary hours to the development of the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program
update and associated background documents; and
WHEREAS, in May 2004 the Whatcom County Executive appointed an official Technical
Advisory Committee (TAC) that consisted of government and agency representatives who provided
Whatcom County with agency /governmental technical and regulatory expertise in the review and
update of the Whatcom County SMP and the development of a shoreline inventory and
characterization report and restoration plan; and
WHEREAS, a Shoreline Inventory and Characterization report was developed as a
companion background document to the Whatcom County SMP update in June 2006; and
WHEREAS, the Shoreline Inventory and Characterization report incorporates evaluation of
the best available scientific and technical information relevant to Whatcom County shoreline
resources and includes a detailed assessment of landscape -scale and reach -scale conditions,
which provide the basis for development of a restoration plan; and
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program Update — Restoration
Plan was developed as a companion background document to the Whatcom County SMP update in
July 2006; and
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program Update — Restoration
Plan complements and does not replace salmon recovery planning, Watershed Planning under
RCW 90.82, or other restoration planning efforts in the community; and
WHEREAS, the Restoration Plan builds upon the findings and analysis of the Shoreline
Inventory and Characterization report and identifies restoration goals and priority actions to address
restoration of impaired shoreline ecological functions and processes that have been identified
through the detailed shoreline inventory and characterization review process; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the provisions of the Shoreline Guidelines and the Whatcom
County Comprehensive Plan, the Restoration Plan creates a framework for fostering shoreline
restoration through coordinated planning efforts and voluntary, cooperative and non - regulatory
implementation; and
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program Update — Restoration
Plan was submitted to the Whatcom County Council for review and consideration as supporting
information for the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program update.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council hereby supports
use of the Whatcom County Shoreline Management Program Update— Restoration Plan, July 2006
[as amended] as a framework for identifying and managing voluntary and cooperative shoreline
restoration opportunities throughout Whatcom County.
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APPROVftYA &
day of February , 2007.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
he Council Carl Weimer, Council Chair
Civil D'ep- ty ProsecGtor
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