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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources October 27 20091 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 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Natural Resources Committee October 27, 2009 Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. Present: Carl Weimer, Seth Fleetwood, and Bob Kelly. Absent: None. All Present: Laurie Caskey- Schreiber, Sam Crawford, and Barbara Brenner. SPECIAL PRESENTATION 1. PRESENTATION BY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES NORTHWEST REGION MANAGER BILL WALLACE AND GEOLOGIST/ HYDROLOGIST JEFF GRIZZEL REGARDING LANDSLIDES FROM STATE FOREST TRUST LANDS DURING JANUARY 2009 STORM (AB2009 -396) Bill Wallace, Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), introduced Jeff Grizzel and stated the presentation is about State lands only. They want to determine if forest management activities contributed to the landslides of January 2009. Jeff Grizzel, Washington State Department of Natural Resources Geologist /Hydrologist, submitted and read from a presentation (on file). The following people spoke: • Ben Cleveland, Washington State Department of Natural Resources • Paul Pittman, Geologist, stated he agrees with the DNR presentation. • Oliver Grah, Planning and Development Services Department, answered questions. Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, answered questions. Holly O'Neal, citizen, asked about the Acme Watershed Analysis Discussion included whether they've learned anything from the January 2009 landslides and whether the DNR will begin to do anything differently; whether hazard areas are excluded from timber sales before or after the timber sale proposal; the process for approving a proposed private timber sale; rules for private lands versus public lands; whether five -acre parcels are exempt from rules; the geologic hazard maps; building in a hazard area; updating the hazard maps, through a critical areas ordinance update, given the new Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) information; informing existing residents of hazard areas of the risk; the Acme Watershed Analysis; allowing harvests on high -risk, steep slopes; DNR responsibility for regulating private lands, and; sharing this information with the forest practices staff at DNR, the County, and citizens. OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. Natural Resources Committee, 10/27/2009, Page 1 1 ADJOURN 2 3 The meeting adjourned at 2:50 p.m. 4 5 Please contact the Council Office to obtain an 15 16 official, signed copy: 360- 676 -6690 or council@�omhatcomma.us Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk Carl Weimer, Committee Chair Natural Resources Committee, 10/27/2009, Page 2