HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works September 30 20141P1 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
20 Public Works, Health, and Safety Committee
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40 September 30, 2014
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60 CALL TO ORDER
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8M Committee Chair Barbara Brenner called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. in the
91a Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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11M ROLL CALL
12M
13M Present: Barbara Brenner, Ken Mann and Pete Kremen.
14M Absent: None.
150 Also Present: Carl Weimer, Barry Buchanan and Rud Browne.
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17M SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
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190 1. UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE EAST WHATCOM COALITION FOR SAFE AND
20M HEALTHY COMMUNITIES (AB2014 -315) (1:32:41 PM)
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22P] Melissa Moran, Health Department, read from a presentation beginning on Council
230 packet page 200. Community members will speak about specific projects they are working
24M on in the community.
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260 Vern Yadon, Kendall Chapel Pastor, described the community committee
27M membership. Goals are to provide safe walking and transportation routes for those who
28M don't drive, provide safe biking trails, decrease social isolation, and contribute to community
290 health. They have accomplished projects that include an official school zone in front of
30M Kendall Elementary; roundabout construction planned for 2015 or 2016 with grant money
31M that includes pedestrian crossings; the Kendall /Columbia Valley Connectivity Planning
320 Committee, which includes a variety of stakeholders; writing a trail plan with grants from
33M the national park service; and, developing a program and application for a planning grant to
34M continue the trail planning effort. He described the projects they've accomplished.
350
36M Steve Watt, North County Christ the King Pastor, continued the presentation about
372 future efforts, which include creating a sidewalk to connect the school to the roundabout
380 and other services so people don't have to walk along Highway 547. They are gathering
39M community input for the planning effort. They seek planning and design support to develop
4017 the trail concept and make it a reality. It is a paved, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-
410 compliant trail. A community design workshop will engage the community. They are
42M writing a community trail plan. They are seeking funding to build the trail.
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440 Stephanie Coffey, Northwest Washington Indian Health Board Environmental Health
45M Office, continued the presentation regarding efforts in Deming, including fundraising, a
46M walkability audit, and a road safety audit. The walking audit identified a safe location for
47M pedestrian crossings. She described the walking audit findings and solutions and the road
480 safety audit findings and engineering improvement recommendations.
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500 Kira Sleveland, East Whatcom Coalition for Safe and Healthy Communities Director,
511M asked for the Council's written support so they may apply for grant funding to continue their
52M projects, to close the Water Street access from the Mount Baker Highway, install additional
530 signage to encourage people to slow down, and to continue public outreach.
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The Committee discussed the placement of rumble strips where the speed limit
changes, writing a Council resolution to support community efforts, pedestrian connectivity
through the roundabout, the Council receiving a copy of the survey results, grant funding
eligibility, creating signage to make driver's aware of the community and encourage drivers
to slow down, and the six -year transportation improvement program.
Mann asked that the coalition members work with Public Works Department Engineer
Joe Rutan to write a resolution of support.
Kremen stated gather letters from all the supporting organizations.
2. PRESENTATION REGARDING PUGET SOUND ENERGY'S BATTERY STORAGE
PROJECT IN GLACIER (AB2014 -304) (2:14:00 PM)
The Committee discussed solar power energy, the reliability of power in Sudden
Valley, and recent accidents and fatalities from trees falling during storms.
The following staff from Puget Sound Energy (PSE) read from a presentation (on
file): Community Services Manager Lynn Murphy and Emerging Technologies Program
Manager Patrick Lesley.
The Committee discussed the possibility for thermal runaway, how this would
integrate with other renewable power projects in the future, such as wind power, if they can
include an electric vehicle charging station at the facility, a potential wild and scenic river
designation, and why Nooksack hydro doesn't run all the time.
Mann asked to be notified when PSE begins construction.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 2:45 p.m.
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
Jill Nixon, Minutes TranscriptionM
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Barbara Brenner, Committee Chair
Public Works, Health, and Safety Committee, 9/30/2014, Page 2