HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources October 12 20101
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Natural Resources Committee
October 12, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL (9:04:30 AM)
Present: Carl Weimer, Bill Knutzen and L. W Nelson.
Absent: None.
Also Present: Ken Mann, Sam Crawford and Kathy Kershner.
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. DISCUSSION REGARDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 20.38, AGRICULTURE
PROTECTION OVERLAY (AB2010 -240)
Samya Lutz, Planning and Development Services Department, submitted and read
from a presentation (on file) and gave a staff report. (9:05:47 AM) About two - thirds of the
agricultural protection overlay (APO) is due to soils, and the rest due to open space
designation.
Sarah Watts, Planning and Development Services Department, continued the
presentation on the geographic information system (GIS) mapping approach.
Lutz concluded the presentation. About 61.5 percent of the APO reserve tracts are in
farmland use. Some cluster lots have not been developed and are still used for agriculture.
Of the areas examined and their percent of agricultural use: the agricultural zone is 83
percent, the APO reserve is 61 percent, all rural study areas are 60 percent, the rural 10-
acre zone is 48 percent, and the rural 5 acre zone is 44 percent.
The following people answered questions:
• Sam Ryan, Planning and Development Services Department Director
• Tyler Schroeder, Planning and Development Services Department
Discussion included the types of uses considered as active farmland; whether the
analysis includes water availability; whether they can map exempt wells being used for
agriculture; the County's goal of preserving 100,000 acres of farmland; agricultural
sustainability; including accessibility to water for agricultural use on the map; including
infrastructure support, such as transportation and processing facilities, on the map;
(9:26:25 AM) whether they can include the different types of agricultural uses on the maps;
knowing where the different types of agricultural products are produced; the status of the
water rights issues; the APO program intent of finding and protecting these critical lands,
and whether this process achieves that goal; defining what type of agriculture is critical by
developing criteria for what's important to protect agricultural land; whether they have the
resources to include more detail on the maps; continuing to identify the larger parcels that
may be used for industrial -type agriculture; how farm sizes correlate to parcel sizes, and
Natural Resources Committee, 10/12/2010, Page 1
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how to identify contiguous parcels as one farm area; problems with the clustering
provisions; whether land with forest cover should be included in the APO; coordinating
Council discussions with the discussions being held within the agricultural community;
whether they can work separately on this GIS process and the problems of the permitting
processes, and; creating an essential forestry advisory committee.
Nelson stated he would like to know where the infrastructure support is, such as the
markets and processing facilities. Possibly include roads. Include information on water
resources and parcel sizes 40 acres or larger. Lutz stated farm size doesn't necessarily
equate to parcel size. Such criteria would be helpful. The agricultural committees and
community will continue this process and use the results.
Knutzen stated include information on the affected watershed in the criteria.
Kershner stated consider the smaller parcels that are part of a bigger farm operation.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
Please contact the Council Office to obtain an
official, signed copy:
360- 676 -6690 or council@�.o.whatcom.wa.us
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
Carl Weimer, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 10/12/2010, Page 2