HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning March 31 20091 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Planning and Development Committee
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4 March 31, 2009
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6 Committee Chair Laurie Caskey- Schreiber called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in
7 the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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9 Present: Absent:
10 Bob Kelly None
11 Carl Weimer
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14 Also Present:
15 Sam Crawford
16 Barbara Brenner
17 Seth Fleetwood
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20 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
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22 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE LUMMI ISLAND SUBAREA PLAN (AB2009-
23 088)
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25 Roland Middleton, Public Works Department, gave a staff report.
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27 Weimer moved to recommend approval of the proposed staff amendments in the
28 plan as it is in the Council packet.
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30 Motion carried 3 -0.
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32 Caskey- Schreiber stated make a change to include a piece of shoreline acquisition
33 property donated to the County in December 2008. The private donor was the Sy Eldred
34 family. Middleton stated he would look into that change.
35
36 Discussion included transfers of development rights (TDR's); future changes to the
37 critical areas ordinance and Title 20; rural forestry zoning on the island, and; the number of
38 housing units reduced from a zone change to RR5.
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40 Weimer moved to recommend a public hearing on this item to the full Council.
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42 Motion carried 3 -0.
43
44 2. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE URBAN GROWTH AREAS REVIEW PROCESS
45 (AB2009 -052)
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47 Rebecca Craven, Council Policy Analyst, gave a staff report.
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49 Discussion included why the cities aren't notifying the County about their meetings
50 on land capacity review and recommendation for population allocation to the cities and city
51 urban growth areas (UGA's); the capital facilities plans for each City; the process for review;
52 the rural growth allocation; making decisions about options for saving rural lands without
53 the information they need; the responses from the cities on the land capacity analysis, in
Planning and Development Committee, 3/31/2009, Page 1
1 terms of whether any City urban growth area (UGA) needs to shrink, and; the County's
2 response to any resistance to shrinking a UGA.
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4 The following person spoke:
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6 David Stalheim, Planning and Development Services Department Director.
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9 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
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11 1. RESOLUTION INITIATING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ZONING AMENDMENTS
12 FOR 2009 (AB2009 -178)
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14 David Stalheim, Planning and Development Services Department, gave a staff report
15 on items the staff recommendation for docket items A, B, and D.
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17 Docket # 2009 -A: Blaine UGA to Birch Bay UGA (Lincoln Road west of Blaine Road)
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19 Weimer moved to recommend docketing of this item, but he will vote against it,
20 because he agrees with the staff recommendation.
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22 Motion failed 0 -3.
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24 Docket # 2009 -B: Bellingham UGA Expansion (Smith /Guide Meridian)
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26 Weimer moved to recommend docketing of this item, but he will vote against it,
27 because he agrees with the staff recommendation.
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29 Motion failed 0 -3.
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31 Docket # 2009 -D: Bellingham UGA Expansion (Columbia Avenue)
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33 The following people spoke:
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35 . Simi Jain, Zender Thurston P.S., 1700 D Street, Bellingham, stated she
36 represents the applicant.
37 . David Stalheim, Planning and Development Services Department Director.
38
39 Discussion included the practical effect of the change and timing of this with the
40 urban growth area review.
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42 Weimer moved to recommend docketing of this item, but he will vote against it,
43 because he agrees with the staff recommendation.
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45 Motion failed 0 -3.
46
47 Docket # 2009 -G: 10 -Year UGA Review and Revision (County -wide)
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49 Weimer moved to recommend to the full Council docketing this item.
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51 Motion carried 3 -0.
52
53 Docket # 2009 -1-1: Lot Consolidation (County -wide)
Planning and Development Committee, 3/31/2009, Page 2
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2 The following people spoke:
3
4 Bob Wiesen, 3314 Douglas Road, Ferndale, stated structure the program so
5 it's fair to property owners. People need to know it will affect their property.
6 If there were a working transfer of development rights (TDR) program, the
7 County could then successfully do this without making everyone mad. The
8 County must control the receiving area for TDR's. Don't depend on
9 Bellingham or the other cities to take County TDR's.
10 Mary Dickinson, Building Industry Association of Whatcom County
11 Governmental Affairs Director, stated the application as submitted was
12 incomplete. If this is docketed, the County will have to do a State
13 Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) study. Property values are tied to loans.
14 There will have to be a Growth Management Act (GMA) analysis.
15 Lesa Starkenburg - Kroontje, attorney, stated her farming clients recommend
16 that this be considered within the overall agricultural plan. The issue has to
17 do with land valuation and lending capacity.
18 Cathy Lehman, Futurewise Whatcom Chapter Director,"sLibm�tted a' handout
19 (on file) and stated she supports lot consolidation. ,It`s 1,4mprove :upon the
20 existing lot consolidation regulation. �''�.,, ' iV
21 Allison Aurand, citizen, stated consider something that L"orre fair than° what
22 exists now, such as Skagit County's program.?: „ "f'"'`" ,r
23 David Stalheim, Planning and Development Sery-iees. Department Director,
24 answered questions. t
25
26 Discussion included the reason for the vague applicatioii wh0t0i jtllis., could be
27 folded into docket item 2008 -G, the agriculture program update;.the difference -between
28 Skagit County's program and Whatcom County's program, and; whe he, r they:will` look at
°,,t
29 some of these kinds of policies this through the rural lands analysis.
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31 Kelly moved to recommend to the full Council docketing this item.
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33 Motion carried 3 -0,
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35 Docket # 2009 -I: Public Recreation to Rural (Geneva UGA)
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37 The following person spoke:
38
39 Heather Templin, Ferndale, stated she is the property owner. This was an
40 error making a lot unbuildable. It is now mistakenly zoned parkland.
41
42 David Stalheim, Planning and Development Services Department Director, gave a
43 staff report.
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45 Weimer moved to recommend to the full Council docketing this item.
46
47 Motion carried 3 -0,
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49 Stalheim stated add a 2006 zoning application, #ZON2006 -00005 regarding rural
50 forestry to urban in the Columbia Valley UGA, to the list of docket items
51
52 Kelly moved to add item #ZON2006- 00005, rural forestry to urban in the Columbia
53 Valley UGA, to the list of docket items.
Planning and Development Committee, 3/31/2009, Page 3
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Motion carried 3 -0.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes TrAscription
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Laurie Cask - Schreiber, Committee Chair
Planning and Development Committee, 3/31/2009, Page 4