HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources July 7 20091
2 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
3 Natural Resources Committee
4
5 July 7, 2009
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7 Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:34 a.m. in the Council
8 Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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10
11 Present: Absent:
12 Seth Fleetwood None
13 Bob Kelly
14
15
16 Also Present:
17 Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
18 Sam Crawford
19 Barbara Brenner
20 L. Ward Nelson
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23 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
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25 1. RESOLUTION DECLARING THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S GOALS FOR FARMLAND
26 PRESERVATION, ITS PRIORITIES FOR CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF
27 POLICIES TO FURTHER FARMLAND PRESERVATION, AND REQUESTING THE
28 COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ALLOCATE STAFF SUPPORT TO ACCOMMODATE
29 THIS IMPORTANT POLICY INITIATIVE (AB2009 -308)
30
31 Dean Martin, Planning and Development Services Department, submitted information
32 (on file) and gave a staff report. Approving the resolution allows staff to further develop
33 tools and provide additional information.
34
35 Discussion included how they define "preserve farmland" and other agricultural
36 terms; how staff would go forward with the land preservation tools recommended by the
37 agricultural advisory committee (AAC); how the tax abatement tool would affect other
38 jurisdictions such as school districts; whether the dairymen association, cattlemen
39 association, and Farm Bureau worked on this resolution; whether the 100,000 acre goal is
40 limited to large parcels or includes smaller parcels; why the goal is 100,000 acres; whether
41 100,000 acres must be available for farming or actively farmed; emphasizing preserving the
42 farmer in addition to preserving the agricultural land; protecting another 22,000 acres, and;
43 historical loss of farmlands.
44
45 The following people spoke:
46 Henry Bierlink, Whatcom Farm Friends, answered questions and stated focus
47 on preserving the land. Preserve 100,000 acres in the best areas. Create
48 more tools to protect agricultural areas. Prioritize resource lands equal to
49 critical areas. Find ways to help farmers be successful. Farm Friends has
50 relationships with all the farming associations. Small farming parcels near
Natural Resources Committee, 7/7/2009, Page 1
1 urban areas are a great buffer to large, commodity farms. He answered
2 questions.
3 • Sherm Polinder, Lynden, stated the best way to preserve farmers is to have a
4 good supply of farmland. Other jurisdictions in other states have successful
5 farm preservation programs. Preserve farmland for several generations.
6 Value -added products are also important.
7 • Larry Helms, 2660 E. 41St Terrace, stated support the goal of 100,000 acres.
8 Critical areas are a priority over agricultural rules, which creates a loss.
9 • Wes Kentch, Ferndale, stated they say they want to protect resource lands,
10 but the rules are contrary to doing that. Consider data that shows grazing
11 can occur in riparian areas.
12 • Tom Eckert, Farm Friends Board Member and Bellingham Technical College,
13 stated set the goal to preserve 100,000 acres of farmland.
14 • Nancy Jordan, Northwest Economic Council Executive Director, stated
15 understand agriculture in its totality, including value -added products and
16 associated industries. Continue to move forward on these issues.
17 Shonie Schlotzhauer, Sustainable Connections Food and Farming Program
18 Manager, stated they focus on local markets. The small farmers depend .on
19 the larger farms and their associated agricultural support services. They plan
20 a new project to assist beginning farmers, and will need 100 acres with water
21 rights for that project. It's difficult to find larger parcels.
22 Samya Lutz, Planning and Development Services Department, gave a staff
23 report on the purchase of development rights (PDR) program and answered
24 questions.
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26 Discussion continued and included whether smaller parcels are a negative to
27 agricultural use; the status of the loss of dairies, as discussed in a presentation to the
28 Council a couple of months ago; how the economy is affecting dairy in the long term; how
29 to reconcile the conflict between parcelization to preserve land value and protecting large
30 parcels agricultural land; whether finding parcels with water rights is an issue in preserving
31 farmland; whether they evaluated farm value of the land; why the farming community is
32 opposed to downzones if the highest and best use of the land is agriculture; a farmer -
33 financed buy -out program; dairy farmers quitting the business altogether versus regulating
34 themselves in a down economy; if the dairy community considered whether the County has
35 any emergency powers to help with the existing problem with the dairy industry; the
36 necessity of applying tools to rural lands in addition to agricultural lands, and; having good
37 quantifiers to justify a good agricultural program in the community.
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39 Fleetwood moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
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41 Motion carried 3 -0.
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43
44 OTHER BUSINESS
45
46 There was no other business.
47
Natural Resources Committee, 7/7/2009, Page 2
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2
3 ADJOURN
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5 The meeting adjourned at 11:01 a.m.
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9 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Carl Weimer, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 7/7/2009, Page 3
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