HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2001-051WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2001-331
CLEARANCES Date Dare Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned To
Ong. Dept.:
10116/2001
OCT 16 2001
WHATCOM COUNTY
COUNCIL
/23/2001
Natural Resources ICDUbtC/L Ji
Division Head:
Dept. Head:
Prosecutor,
Budget:
Executive:
SUBJECT:
Res. setting criteria for identifying Land Preserv. areas in Whatcom Watershed
ATTACHMENTS
SUMMARY STATEMENT.'
�I Related County Contract #'. ' Should the Clerk schedule a hearing? (yM N Requested Dan:e
A resolution setting criteria for identifying high priority areas for land perservation in the Lake Whatcom Watershed
RECOMMENDED MOTION (for final action):
COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN.
2001-331 10/23/2001: Approved 6 -1, Hoag opposed, Res. #2001 -051
Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number (this item only):
RES + X01 -051
landpresres
PROPOSED BY: Water Resources
SPONSORED BY: Consent
INTRODUCED: October 23, 2001
RESOLUTION NO. 2001 -051
A RESOLUTION OF WHATCOM COUNTY ADOPTING CRITERIA FOR
IDENTIFYING HIGH PRIORITY AREAS FOR LAND PRESERVATION IN THE
LAKE WHATCOM WATERSHED
WHEREAS, Whatcom County, the City of Bellingham, and Whatcom County
Water District 10 jointly adopted the Lake Whatcom Reservoir Management Program
for 2000 through Whatcom County Council Resolution No 2000 -027, Bellingham City
Council Resolution No 2000 -14, and Whatcom County Water District 10 Resolution
No 636, and
WHEREAS, the Lake Whatcom Reservoir Management Program for 2000
states that the highest priority areas for management action are Watershed
Ownership, Stormwater Management, and Urbanization /Land Development, and
WHEREAS, Tasks 3, 4, and 5 under the Watershed Ownership program area
of the Lake Whatcom Reservoir Management Program for 2000 outline steps that
will be undertaken to develop a land preservation strategy for the Lake Whatcom
watershed, and
WHEREAS, the Lake Whatcom Management Committee requested
recommendations for the initial task of developing criteria for high priority areas for
land preservation from the Lake Whatcom Citizens' Advisory Task Force. The
remaining tasks which include identification of preservation tools, funding tools, and
an implementation strategy will continue to be pursued by agency staff, and
WHEREAS, the Lake Whatcom Citizens' Advisory Task Force reviewed
relevant scientific information and land preservation strategies used in other
communities to select criteria that would provide the greatest water quality benefit,
and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County, City of Bellingham, and Water District 10 staff
and consultants provided additional recommendations for the criteria, and
WHEREAS, the criteria will be used as the base criteria for selecting lands for
preservation in the Lake Whatcom watershed for Whatcom County land preservation
programs, and
Page 1
WHEREAS, land preservation techniques may include conservation
easements, transferable development rights, land acquisition, or other similar
techniques;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED BY THE
WHATCOM
COUNTY
COUNCIL, that the following land
preservation criteria
are hereby
adopted:
Lake Whatcom Land Preservation Criteria
The following table describes criteria scores for proximity to waterbodies, potential
land use, degree of slope and current land use. These criteria will be used to identify
high priority parcels or land areas in the watershed based upon potential benefit to
water quality. Land in the watershed will be evaluated and assigned a score for
each of the four categories. The scores for each category will be added together to
calculate an overall land preservation score for each parcel or land area. The
highest priority areas will receive the highest land preservation scores. Those land
areas receiving the high land preservation scores will be further evaluated with site -
specific assessments as described below.
1 aka Whatcnm Land Preservation Criteria
Category
Criteria
Score
Proximity to Waterbodies
Less than 200 ft from Waterbodies
100
200 -400 ft from Waterbodies
50
Greater than 400 ft from Waterbodies
10
Zoning Designation
(Potential Land Use)
City Zoning
63
Commercial or URM12 Zoning
63
UR3 or RR2 Zoning
54
RR1 Zoning
45
R2A Zoning
36
R5A Zoning
36
Rural Forestry Zoning
27
Commercial Forestry or Recreational Open
Space Zoning
18
Slope
Greater than 35% Sloe
70
15 -35% Sloe
35
Less than 15% Sloe
7
Current Land Use
Aq, Timber Forestry, or Vacant Land Use
60
Residential, Mobile Homes, or Industrial Land
Use
12
Utilities Commercial or Public Land Use
6
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Site - Specific Assessments
After identification of high priority areas, the following characteristics will be
evaluated on a site - specific basis. These characteristics will be helpful in comparing
multiple parcels or areas and evaluating long -term strategies and options. The
evaluation of these characteristics may vary with the preservation tool (e.g. fee
simple acquisition, conservation easement, TOR, etc.), jurisdiction, and other
situation specific elements. In addition, each jurisdiction may include other
elements in the site - specific assessments that will assist in the selection of areas for
land preservation.
• Cost of Preservation/ Protection
• Cost of Management
• Size of the Preserved /Protected Area
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• Connectivity to Other Preserved /Protected Areas
• Mine Hazard Areas
• Alluvial Fan Hazard Areas
• Critical Site for Sanitary or Stormwater Facilities
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that
APPROVED this 23 day of October, 2001.
i
Dana Brown- Davis, Clerk of the Council
APP OVED AS TO FORM:_
ivil Deputy Prosecutbr�
Page 3
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM 9OUNTY, ASHINGTON
L. War so 6, Council Chair