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HomeMy WebLinkAboutres1993-024WHA: COM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. AB92 -080 CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office: Agenda date Assigned to: ainator: Vickie Matheson �a A 04 -06 -93 ' 4/13/93 Council Division Head: Dept. Head: Dan Taylor Prosecutor: Purchasing /Budget: Executive: SUBJECT: File Ref: #16 -91 GMA County -wide Policies ATTACHMENTS: County -wide Planning Policies as recommended by the jurisdictions on March 31, 1993. Pages from the draft Coordinated Water System Plan SUMMARY STATEMENT: Please complete sections of box as appropriate & explain the item below. Related County contract #: For CONTRACTS or related expenditures— Should Clerk schedule a hearing? PLEASE fill in Y /N, date— NO /X/ YES // Requested date: Amount budgeted for this item /project: — Is it or will it be within budget? — YES NO Please explain below Budget line item number(s): First line item #-- Second line item #— 4 amary: Attached is a draft of the County -wide Policies with changes agreed upon by consensus at the March 31 st Public Officials Forum. Also attached are several pages from the draft Coordinated Water System Plan with a number of proposed changes which have allowed staff and the Oversight Committee to be willing to delete the sentence in C(6) suggested by Dan Taylor at a previous Council work session. There is some question whether these will be acceptable to -the Water Utility Coordinating Committee. ORIGINATOR'S RECOMMENDED ACTION. For Council determination. COMMITTEE ACTION TAKEN: COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: 4/14/93: Council approved the resolution with amendments to the exhibit (County -wide .Planning Policies) Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number (this item only): .res 04/12/93 SPONSORED BY: Consent PROPOSED BY: Planning INTRODUCTION DATE: 4/13/93 1 RESOLUTION NO. 93-024 2 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES IN ACCORDANCE 3 WITH RCW 36.70A.210 4 WHEREAS, by Resolution 91 -063, the County Council set up a joint meeting with 5 all of the Cities in the County to discuss a collaborative process for development and 6 adoption of County -wide Planning Policies in accordance with the Growth Management 7 Act, as amended; and 8 WHEREAS, it was determined the Growth Management Oversight Committee that 9 had previously been established would draft the policies; the Council of Governments 10 would provide a vehicle for joint review of the policies by all of the jurisdictions involved; 11 and each jurisdiction would use the normal planning process in accordance with RCW 12 36.70; and 13 . WHEREAS, it was further determined to utilize a consensus process to the 4 maximum extent possible; and 15 WHEREAS, on October 30, 1991, the Council of Governments held a Full Council 16 meeting to consider the policies and referred them to their member jurisdictions; and 17 WHEREAS, on January 14, 1992, the Whatcom County Planning Commission held 18 a public hearing and, after several work sessions, made a recommendation to the County 19 Council; and 20 WHEREAS, in the spring of 1992, each of Cities considered the policies and made 21 recommendations; and 22 WHEREAS, on March 25, 1992, the Council of Governments held a Full Council 23 meeting to present the results of the jurisdictions' recommendations; and 24 WHEREAS, the County Council held public hearings on September 10 and 25 December 3, 1992, and January 28, 1993 to consider public input on the policies; and 26 . WHEREAS, the policies have been rewritten a number of times to reflect 27 jurisdictional consensus and citizen input; and Page 1 1 WHEREAS, a joint meeting of all jurisdictions was held on March 31, 1993 and a 2 recommendation was made to the County Council that the County -wide Policies dated 3 March 31, 1993 be adopted; and 4 WHEREAS, the County Council desired additional time to further consider the 5 public input and to review policy C(6) and the March 31, 1.993 recommendation regarding 6 fiscal impact; and 7 WHEREAS, on April 13, 1993, at a regular public meeting, the Council further 8 considered the policies and with minor modifications concurred with the version approved 9 by the Cities. 10 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that 11 The County -wide Planning Policies, Attachment A, are hereby adopted. 12 APPROVED this 13th day of April , 1993. 13 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL 14 ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON 5 16 Ra. ona Reeves, Council Clerk Marge L 'dlaw, Chair 17 APPROVED as to form & content: 18 19 ivil Deputy o cuting Attorney Page 2 Attachment A W H A T C 0 M C O U N T Y COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES A. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT 1. The county and the cities shall cooperate to provide public education on the requirements of the Growth Management Act. 2. The county and the cities shall provide opportunities for citizens to become involved in the growth management planning process through various mechanisms, such as surveys, public workshops, meetings, hearings, advisory committees. The method of citizen involvement may vary based on the needs and constituents in various communities and shall include representation of both rural and urban interests on those issues that affect both urban and rural areas. 3. Citizens shall be notified in a timely manner of opportunities to have input and key decision points in the planning process. This should include actions such as use of telephone hotlines, notification to interest groups, pre - development meetings, early incorporation of public comments and broader notification of property owners and residents during a planning process as well as working more extensively with community and neighborhood groups. The cities shall also develop a public participation process to solicit and incorporate comments ffom residents outside city limits but within proposed Urban Growth Areas. 4. Citizen comments and viewpoints shall be incorporated into the decision - making process in development of final plans and regulations. Consideration of citizen comments shall be evident in the decision - making process. 5. The county and the cities shall establish a system for subarea, community and neighborhood liaison to foster communication between the respective government and its neighborhoods. This system would also provide a point of contact for issues that may affect subareas, the community, or neighborhoods. 6. Various planning techniques, such as overlay maps and Geographic Information Systems, shall be utilized to allow citizens and public officials the ability to make accurate comparison of issues so appropriate trade -offs can be consciously made. B. URBAN GROWTH AREAS AND URBAN VERSUS RURAL DISTINCTIONS * ' 1. Whatcom County shall primarily become a government of rural areas in land use matters directed towards agriculture, forestry and other natural resources. The county shall work with citizens to develop a definition of rural areas. 2. The county shall discourage urban level development outside Urban Growth Areas. 3. The Urban Growth Areas for the small cities shall be of an adequate size to allow them to become viable economic centers. The small cities shall 1 Those headings with asterisks ( *) are the ones required by the Growth Management Act. The title was expanded for the first required category to better reflect the content as the policies developed. ATTACHMENT A WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES April 13, 1993 Page 2 do appropriate planning to ensure adequate distribution of land uses and services at all zoning levels. 4. The size and location of Urban Growth Areas shall be consistent with adopted local policies and with the fiscal and physical ability of a jurisdiction to provide public facilities, services, and infrastructure within the planning period. 5. Urban Growth Areas shall include those contiguous areas within reasonable distance of areas with urban characteristics or urban zoning. Existing, unincorporated areas which include urban residential, industrial, or commercial development, such as, but not limited to, Cherry Point, Maple Falls, Sudden Valley, and Glacier, may in -fill subject to adequate services. 6. As required by RCW 36.70.110, 20 -year Office of Financial Management population projections for Whatcom County shall be accommodated in Urban Growth Areas. The projection for year 2012 is a county -wide population of 174,399. A consultant study and local expertise leads to a conclusion that a population of 189,100 by the year 2010 is more probable. Whatcom County's 1992 population is 137,100; therefore, an increase of 52,000 people in the next 18 -20 years is anticipated. To avoid tightening of the urban land supply and rising housing costs, the county and cities shall use the 189,100 projection as the planned projection and shall provide urban growth boundaries that accommodate a growth at least 50% greater than anticipated. The growth boundaries therefore should provide a land base that accommodates 215,100 people [137,100 + (52,000 x 150%)]. It is recognized that a portion of the 20- year population growth will occur outside the Urban Growth Areas, since people will continue to make choices to live in rural areas of the county. This will provide an additional safety factor in terms of land supply. The adequacy of the developable urban land supply shall be evaluated at least every ten years and adjusted accordingly to accommodate actual population growth and development patterns and to ensure we are not creating an excessive land base contributing to sprawl. 7. In the next 20 years, Whatcom County should discourage ".new fully contained communities" (as defined and authorized by Section 16, SHB 1025) outside designated Urban Growth Areas. 8. The county and the cities shall coordinate drainage, stormwater management and flood control in Urban Growth Areas and work toward the development of common standards. 9. Whatcom County should undertake a public process to define rural areas and rural growth as distinct from urban areas and urban growth. 10. "Cities should develop a plan to provide urban level water and sewer services within their Urban Growth Areas. This plan should be developed in cooperation with existing water purveyors and other municipal corporations providing water or sewer services within each city's Urban Area, and should be implemented through interlocal agreements. ATTACHMENT A WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES April 13, 1993 Page 3 11. If projected growth cannot be accommodated inside existing cities, urban growth needs shall be met by designating Urban Growth Areas in a way that minimizes impacts on agriculture land, forestry, mineral resources, watersheds, water resources, and critical areas. 12. Existing cities should absorb additional density before establishing or enlarging of Urban Growth Areas which may have impacts on rural, critical area, and resource lands. In'those small cities entirely surrounded by flood plains, critical area and resource lands, the county and the city shall seek to negotiate a balance between protection of resources and the allocation of adequate land area to meet the growth needs of the city and to maintain the desired character of the community. 13. All cities should grow in an efficient manner while maintaining their character and shall provide for adequate open space between cities to prevent the strip city concept. 14. Cities should be encouraged to provide positive incentives for in -fill. 15. The county and the cities shall develop an approach to calculating the need for additional land area taking into consideration limitations imposed by individual critical areas regulations and other considerations such as infrastructure, open space, and existing uses. C. CONTIGUOUS, ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING IN URBAN GROWTH AREAS * 1. Cities, the county and special districts shall execute interlocal agreements to coordinate plans for and manage growth in Urban Growth Areas prior to annexations. Interlocal agreements shall acknowledge and implement the County -wide Policies. 2. Interlocal agreements shall incorporate clear and reasonable criteria for orderly annexation. The county and the cities shall establish a process to incorporate citizen input into interlocal agreement negotiations and encourage appropriate districts to participate. If adequate procedures are developed to replace it, the Boundary Review Board may be replaced. 3. All urbanized areas currently within urban growth boundaries associated with cities should be encouraged to annex to cities. Orderly annexations with logical boundaries shall be encouraged. Interlocal agreements shall specify guidelines on size, timing of annexations and urban levels of development, and tax revenue sharing when appropriate. 4. Within Urban Growth Areas, cities shall not extend water and sewer utilities without an adopted program for annexation and an adopted Capital Facilities Plan. Exceptions may be made in cases where human health is threatened as determined by the County Health Department. If water extensions are made, they shall be consistent with the service area boundaries and other provisions within the adopted Coordinated Water System Plan. 5. In the areas where utilities presently extend beyond city limits, but are within Urban Growth Areas, the city, county, and the existing water purveyors for the area should jointly plan, with the county adopting zoning which reflects this joint planning. ATTACHMENT A WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES April 13, 1993 Page 4 6. Cities, other municipal corporations, and other public and private utilities shall not extend urban levels of water service to serve urban uses outside Urban Growth Areas. If water extensions are made at rural levels of service, the maximum number of connections shall be consistent with current zoning and the number of connections shall be specified in a legally binding document at the time the extension is approved. Property contiguous to extension of utilities necessary to solve existing water deficiencies, but which cannot benefit from them because of zoning constraints, shall not be assessed for those improvements. 7. The availability of pipeline capacity required to meet local needs and /or supply shall not be used to justify development counter to the county -wide land development pattern and shall not be considered in conversions of agricultural land, forestry, and rural areas. 8. The cities, other municipal corporations, public utilities, and the county shall cooperate to identify and balance the needs of each jurisdiction and entity when planning for transition of services and annexation within Urban Growth Areas. This intergovernmental cooperation and coordination should be reflected in revenue agreements, work programs for joint projects, and regional solutions adopted by the,affected parties. 9. Within Urban Growth Areas, major transportation, utility and greenway corridors should be planned. Development should be consistent with these corridors. The county should ensure conformance through the permit process and incentive programs. 10. Interlocal agreements shall include provisions on agreed upon development standards within Urban Growth Areas. Unless a different standard is negotiated, the more rigorous of the standards shall be enforced by the county. 11. The county and the City of Bellingham shall establish through the current (north) Urban Fringe Subarea Plan update, the policies, zoning and criteria to comply with current state Growth Management law. A similar process shall be used in planning for other areas around Bellingham. 12. To encourage contiguous, orderly development and annexation in Urban Growth Areas around cities, the county shall designate Urban Residential zones limiting density to a maximum of one dwelling unit per five acres in undeveloped areas until urban level utilities are provided. Developed or partially developed areas presently zoned Residential -Rural shall retain that zoning. In the Bellingham Urban Growth Area, substantial development and subdivisions already have occurred without annexation. The revised Urban Fringe Subarea Plan and a new Interlocal Agreement between the City of Bellingham and the county will address sequence and timing for annexations, subdivisions, and urban levels of development. 13. In Urban Growth Areas where development is occurring based on the presence of utilities, urban development shall meet common urban standards including fire flow requirements and supply. The county and the cities will work together to develop reasonable standards over time. ATTACHMENT A April 13, 1993 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES Page 5 D. AFFORDABLE HOUSING * 1. The county and the cities shall develop a definition for affordable housing. They should take actions to ensure a balance of housing and economic growth consistent with each jurisdictions' employment base and diverse income levels and to reduce commuting times and traffic congestion. 2. The county and the cities shall plan for a range of housing types and costs commensurate with their affordable housing needs. 3. Affordable housing should be convenient to public transportation, major employment centers and public services. 4. The county and the cities shall promote innovative techniques and develop strategies to provide for affordable housing with .design, density and development standards that provide for a variety of housing types. 5. The county and the cities shall not adopt regulations and policies and shall review existing regulations and policies that exclude or discourage affordable housing in their communities. Mobile, modular, and manufactured homes on individual lots, mobile home parks, accessory units, inclusionary zoning, mixed use, and increased densities shall , be reviewed as affordable housing alternatives. 6. The county and the cities should work with the private sector, other public and non - profit agencies, citizen groups, and trade representatives to assure adequate sites for affordable housing and to encourage housing design that is compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods. 7. Low income housing shall not be concentrated in only a few communities or neighborhoods. 8. The county and the cities shall consider reducing impact mitigation fees for affordable housing provided in a proposed development. 9. Each jurisdiction should explore options for providing shelter for the homeless. E. OPEN SPACE /GREENBELT CORRIDORS 1. Adequate open space is vital to the quality of life and sense of place in Whatcom County. The county, cities, Port of Bellingham, and other appropriate jurisdictions should coordinate protection of linked greenbelts, within and between Urban Growth Areas, parks, and open space to protect wildlife corridors and to enhance recreational opportunities, public access and trail development. 2. The county and the cities shall plan for greenbelts and open space in their Comprehensive Planning processes and coordinate with each other. Open space systems should include lands which contain natural areas, habitat lands, natural drainage features, and /or other environmental, cultural and scenic resources. With increased residential densities, jurisdictions also should ensure provision of adequate neighborhood parks and play areas within safe bicycling and walking distance-for children. ATTACHMENT A April 13, 1993 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES Page 6 The county and the cities shall encourage separation of Urban Growth Areas through planning, zoning, development regulations, open space purchase, conservation easements and other mechanisms which may be appropriate. Also, an array of incentives such as density bonuses, design flexibility and transferable development rights shall be offered to affected land owners. F. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT* 1. Whatcom County recognizes that a healthy economy which provides opportunity for diverse segments of the community is important to the quality of life in the area. Economic development shall be coordinated with environmental concerns to protect the quality of life. 2. The county and the cities should include an economic development element in their Comprehensive Plans. 3. The county and the cities should continue to cooperate in preparing the Economic Development Administration "Overall Economic Development Plan" for infrastructure funding. Other appropriate organizations, businesses, and individuals will continue to be involved in,the process. 4. Economic vitality and job development shall be encouraged in all the cities consistent with community growth policies, particularly addressing adequacy of transportation corridors, public transportation impacts on the environment, and the ability of the area to provide urban services. 5. Economic development that pays desirable wage rates should be encouraged. 6. Economic development shall be encouraged that: a) does not adversely impact the environment; b) strikes a balance with the community and encourages industry or development that gives jobs to local people; c) addresses unemployment problems of the county and seeks "innovative techniques" to attract different industries for a more diversified economic base; and d) encourages keeping the profits in the local jurisdiction. 7. As part of a broad based economy, productive timber, agriculture and fisheries industries should be maintained in a sustainable manner. G. COUNTY -WIDE TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND STRATEGIES * 1. In Whatcom County, a Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) has been established. County -wide transportation policies and plans will be developed through the RTPO process. (A Whatcom County Urban Area Transportation Policy document recently has been completed.) The county and the cities will continue to support the RTPO on an on -going basis to coordinate transportation planning across Whatcom County. 2. Whatcom County jurisdictions shall encourage alternative modes of transportation to the single occupancy vehicle. Each jurisdiction will encourage: 1) Public education to encourage use of public transportation; 2) Development of linked on- street bicycle routes and pedestrian and bicycle trail corridors; 3) Adequate pedestrian facilities; 4) Links, including well designed pedestrian links, between different modes of transportation; and 5) Intermodal linkage of freight transportation. ATTACHMENT A April 13, 1993 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES Page 7 Public transportation includes fixed route transit, car pools, van pools, and other demand responsive modes. 3. To facilitate alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle, pedestrian scale communities, and higher density shall be encouraged in areas with good access to major arterials and public transportation. 4. County -wide demand management policies for major employment and commercial centers shall be implemented along with potential financing mechanisms for alternative modes of transportation. 5. Priorities shall be established and expenditures coordinated for county- wide bicycle and trail corridors; several types of incentives shall be .utilized for land owners as well as purchasing property in order to get maximum benefit from limited public funds. 6. Transportation planning within Whatcom County shall incorporate inter- county and international transportation links, such as airports, Amtrak, high speed rail, bus transit, and ferries. H. SITING OF PUBLIC FACILITIES 1. As part of the comprehensive planning process, the county and the cities shall identify appropriate land for public facilities which meets the needs of the community, such as schools, recreation, transportation and utility corridors, human service facilities, and airport and other Port facilities. In order to reduce land use conflicts, policies related to a design component shall be -incorporated in the comprehensive plans. 2. The county and the cities shall develop a cooperative and structured process, which includes public involvement at an early stage, to consider siting of public facilities of a regional and statewide nature, such as solid waste disposal, correctional, transportation, education and human service facilities. State facilities will conform to local siting procedures. 3. Major public facilities that generate substantial travel demand shall be sited along or near major transportation and public transit corridors. 4. The county and the cities shall work with its respective school district to encourage siting of schools in conjunction with areas where substantial development is projected and near public transportation corridors. 5. Sharing of corridors for major utilities, trails and other transportation rights -of -way is encouraged when not in conflict with goals to protect wildlife, public health and safety. I. IMPACT FEES 1. The county and the cities are encouraged to adopt fair and reasonable impact fee ordinances to ensure that new growth pays its fair share of the cost of capital facilities, such as transportation improvements, parks, and schools. ATTACHMENT A WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES April 13, 1993 Page 9 It is also recognized that if the Growth Management Act and these policies are implemented to their maximum extent, county government may eventually lose the tax base needed to operate essential services, including the criminal justice function and the Offices of Treasurer, Assessor, and Auditor, which serve all jurisdictions in the area. 1. An economic analysis of changes in revenue caused by the Growth Management Act shall be provided. 2. If revenue sharing or fees for services are needed beyond that presently provided by state law, the county and the cities should seek state legislation to address the issue. M. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS 1. As required in the Growth Management Act, private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation having been made. It is not the purpose of this paragraph to expand or reduce the scope of private property protections already provided in state and federal law. 2. The county and cities should establish a pro- active process to anticipate potential takings and other private property issues, including impacts on downstream property owners, and resolve them out of court. GLOSSARY Affordable Housing: In this document the definition of "affordable housing" is to be developed by each community as part of the Comprehensive Planning process. Capital Facilities Plan: A required element of the Comprehensive Plan designed to form a better match between development and provision of services. It must include an inventory of existing facilities, forecast of future needs and a six - year financing plan. Critical Areas: As defined by each jurisdiction, including -at least the following areas and ecosystems: (a) wetlands; (b) areas, with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water; (c) fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas; (d) frequently flooded areas; and (e) geologically hazardous areas. Green belts /Greenways: These are undeveloped open space, natural areas, including agricultural lands, golf courses and other recreational uses, wildlife corridors and similar uses. Impact Fees: A payment of money imposed upon new development as a condition of approval. This fee must be used exclusively to finance improvements in capital facilities that are created by the development. Inclusionary Zoning: Zoning that requires developers to provide a portion of housing units in a specific project or area to meet the needs of low and moderate income people. In -fill: The practice of using developable land that lies within a city or in locations closer to a city center and to available services rather than passing ATTACHMENT A April 13, 1993 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES Page 10 over such parcels in favor of land further out or further from available services. Interlocal Agreements: An agreement drawn up intended to apply within designated Urban Growth Areas to set clear and reasonable criteria for orderly annexations including guidelines on size and timing of annexations and urban levels of development, appropriate development standards and tax revenue sharing provisions. Participants in the agreement could include the county, any adjacent city, affected fire districts (if applicable) and any other utility provider. Low Income Housing: The federal government defines low income housing as housing provided for individuals earning 50% or less of the average family wage of the local jurisdiction. Natural Resource Lands: Natural Resource Lands include agricultural, forestry, and mineral resource lands that are not already characterized by urban growth and that have long -term significance for the commercial production of food or other agricultural products, for the commercial production of timber, and that have long -tern significance for the extraction of minerals; and critical areas. Private Utilities: Water and /or sewer service owned and operated by an entity other than a political subdivision of the federal, state or tribal governments. Public Utilities: Water and /or sewer services owned and operated by a political subdivision of federal, state or tribal governments (includes water and sewer districts and public utility districts). Rural Level of Service: Water service at less than minimum required fire flows to serve urban development. Regional Transportation Planning Organization: An organization created by the Growth Management Act to coordinate regional transportation efforts and to foster cooperation among state and local jurisdictions. Through voluntary association the Whatcom County Council of Governments has been designated as the Regional Transportation Planning Organization for Whatcom County. Urban Fringe Subarea Plan: That portion of Whatcom County immediately north of Bellingham and containing most of Bellingham's suburban growth. It is a plan designating the interface between urban and rural land uses. Some part of the Urban Fringe Area will be included in an Urban Growth Area. Some of the area already lies within Bellingham's Urban Service Area. Urban Growth Area: An area designated within which urban growth will be encouraged and outside of which growth can occur only if it is not urban in nature. Urban Level of Service: The minimum level of urban facilities and services, including sanitary sewer, water service, police protection, fire protection and emergency medical services, parks and recreation programs, solid waste management, electric service, land use controls, communication facilities and public schools, to support urban levels of development. A full range of services would add urban public transit, natural gas, storm drainage facilities, street lighting, libraries, local parks, local recreation facilities and services, and health services. ATTACHMENT A April 13, 1993 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES Page 8 2. The county and cities shall coordinate with their school districts to develop impact fee formulas as appropriate to the district's capital needs. 3. The county and the cities should encourage standardization of formulas for the assessment and the collection of impact fees. J. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION 1. To adequately plan for growth and implement the policies of the Growth Management Act, the governmental jurisdictions in Whatcom County, including the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, and the Port of Bellingham shall establish on -going mechanisms to improve communication, information sharing and coordinated approaches to common problems. 2. Whatcom County governments should communicate with neighboring counties and governments in British Columbia and work cooperatively on growth management issues that cross county and national borders. K. WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY The quality of life and economic health of Whatcom County communities depend on the maintenance of a safe and reliable water supply. All jurisdictions and water purveyors should cooperate to ensure the protection and quality of the area's water resources. 1. The cities, county, other municipal corporations, tribal governments, federal and state agencies, and public and private utilities shall cooperate in conserving water and in drawing upon said water to support growth. 2. Cities, tribal governments, and the county, in cooperation with other .municipal corporations, shall create water resource protection areas and adopt zoning to protect those areas. Where there are potential conflicts between designations required by the Growth Management Act, such as natural resource lands and critical areas, water resource protection shall have priority . 3. All jurisdictions shall cooperate to protect water quality and quantity within watersheds and marine water bodies which cross jurisdictional boundaries. 4. Jurisdictions involved in the development of ground and /or surface water management plans shall pursue the adoption and implementation- of the plans and integrate the plans into local comprehensive plans. 5. All jurisdictions should maximize reduction of water pollutants from stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows. L. FISCAL IMPACT * It is recognized that implementation of the Growth Management Act will promote more efficient growth patterns which may result in a reduced cast of public services and facilities in the long -term.