HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources May 12 20091
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6 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
7 Natural Resources Committee
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9 May 12, 2009
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12 Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m. in the Council
13 Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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15 Present: Absent:
16 Seth Fleetwood None
17 Bob Kelly
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19 Also Present:
20 Sam Crawford
21 L. Ward Nelson
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24 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
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26 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AGRICULTURAL
27 ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR LONG TERM AGRICULTURAL LAND RETENTION
28 (AB2009 -247)
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30 Dean Martin, Planning and Development Services Department, gave a staff report
31 and presented, submitted, and read from a presentation (on file). He also submitted a map
32 and letter of recommendations from the Agricultural Advisory Committee (on file). They
33 must figure out mitigation for the urban growth areas and the real issue causing agricultural
34 land loss, and they must address those issues.
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36 The following person spoke:
37 Henry Bierlink, Farm Friends, stated work on things they can control. Policies
38 have to be incorporated with other agricultural and with water policies.
39 Decide what to do with the remaining development rights, preferably through
40 a combination of retiring rights and accommodating rights. Natural resource
41 banking is a toolbox that includes many tools. Look into tools used in other
42 areas, such as Walla.Walla, Washington.
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44 Discussion included the original intent of the Right -to -Farm laws; the legality of
45 granting tax abatement; auditing and monitoring of 20 -acre or less parcels with the open
46 space agriculture tax designation; the reason for the gap between the lost farmland
47 estimates; defining and tracking agriculture, and; the option of retiring development rights.
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49 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
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51 Discussion continued and included figuring out equitable means to create this plan;
52 figuring out how a banking and transfer process would work; a potential model program
Natural Resources Committee, 5/12/2009, Page 1
1 from Boulder, Colorado, and; addressing the questions to the Council as specified in Mr.
2 Martin's presentation.
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4 Kelly stated he would like to get accurate statistics on existing and lost farmland
5 before making decisions.
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7 Weimer stated he still supports having a base of agricultural land that totals 100,000
8 acres. Also, he would like to get more clarity on clustering and the rural land study results.
9 He's heard that they want to provide water from the middle fork to make farmers have legal
10 water rights. They should discuss how to give farmers legal water, and if there should be a
11 trade for that legal water. Bierlink stated Mr. Martin could start crafting a resolution that
12 answers those questions to Council and would build a better framework for moving forward.
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14 Fleetwood stated he would like to go forward with all suggestions, but there is a cost.
15 He would like the AAC, Farm Friends, and Mr. Martin to prioritize their recommendations.
16 Also, address the fundamental, biggest question of defining the imperative, in terms of the
17 reason not to do a downzone.
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19 Weimer stated don't take downzones off the table yet. The Committee will discuss
20 this item again.
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22 The following person spoke:
23 Bob Wiesen, 3314 Douglas Road, stated lands around Ferndale aren't being
24 effectively used for farming. They are taking things off the table and reducing
25 the amount of farmland.
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28 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
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30 1. ORDINANCE REMOVING THE LOT CLUSTERING PROVISION FROM WHATCOM
31 COUNTY CODE 20.42, RURAL FORESTRY DISTRICT (AB2009 -210A)
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33 Joshua Fleischmann, Planning and Development Services Department, gave a staff
34 report.
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36 Discussion included whether they would look at it again in the future; whether staff
37 concurs with the recommendation; whether clustering in forestry lands is compliant with the
38 Growth Management Act (GMA), and; the content of the staff , report lacking an in -depth
39 analysis that addresses the core question of whether there is an actual benefit; whether
40 removing the cluster requirement will really help forestry uses; bringing this item back in
41 the future to fix the regulation, and; the different motives for this ordinance.
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43 Kelly moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
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45 Motion carried 3 -0.
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48 OTHER BUSINESS
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50 There was no other business.
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Natural Resources Committee, 5/12/2009, Page 2
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 10:50 a.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
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