HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources May 11 20101
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Natural Resources Committee
May 11, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL (9:30:55 AM)
Present: Carl Weimer, Bill Knutzen and L. Ward Nelson.
Absent: None.
Also Present: Sam Crawford.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
1. WHATCOM FARM FRIENDS NATURAL RESOURCE MARKET STEERING
COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON PRESENT AND FUTURE PLANS
(AB2010 -214)
Henry Bierlink, Whatcom Farm Friends, submitted and read from a presentation (on
file).
Heather MacKay, Whatcom Farm Friends, read the presentation on agricultural case
studies in Whatcom County.
Bierlink concluded the presentation. (10:14:48 AM )
Discussion included the status of negotiations with Bellingham and other agencies
regarding water rights; how many monitoring gauges are on Fish Trap Creek and other
locations; five -acre tracts in the middle of resource lands; the need to identify tools to
protect both agricultural lands and property rights; the financial value of the various rights
available in the county; prioritizing agricultural lands; defining water rights; natural
resource systems being a market - driven function; next steps; (10:21:05 AM) having one
unified voice for all the agricultural organizations, with priorities for what is needed in
agriculture to stay sustainable; whether Farm Friends will ask the County for specific money
to implement this idea in the next two years; whether there is investment opportunity from
the private sector; short -term versus long -term investments; being consistent with the
County Comprehensive Plan, water use policies and other regulatory practices; creating a
regulatory structure that oversees these markets; whether a wetland banking system would
have options to allow someone to pay a certain amount to get extra housing or
development credits, and; continuing the purchase of development rights (PDR) program.
The following person spoke:
• Bob Wiesen, 3314 Douglas Road, Ferndale, stated the ideas are potentially
good, but there are too many restrictions and differing interests. People must
buy into it, which will take a long time. Find things that work today or
tomorrow.
Natural Resources Committee, 5/11/2010, Page 1
1
2 OTHER BUSINESS
3
4 There was no other business.
5
6
7 ADJOURN
8
9 The meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.
10
11
Please contact the Council Office to obtain an
21
22
official, signed copy:
360- 676 -6690 or council(g-.o.w hatcom .wa.us
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
Carl Weimer, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 5/11/2010, Page 2