HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources April 8 20081 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Natural Resources Committee
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4 April 8, 2008
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6 Committee Member Seth Fleetwood called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m. in the
7 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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9 Present: Absent:
10 Bob Kelly Carl Weimer
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12 Also Present:
13 None
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16 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
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18 1. RESOLUTION RE- AFFIRMING THE PDR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE RANKING
19 AND AUTHORIZING WHATCOM COUNTY PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT
20 RIGHTS ADMINISTRATOR TO PROCEED WITH THE ACQUISITION PROCESS
21 FOR ROUND 6 APPLICATIONS (AB2008 -087A)
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23 Samya Lutz, Planning and Development Services Department, stated one of the
24 applicants in the February resolution has dropped out, and two more applications came in.
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26 There are issues regarding the overall Purchase of Development Rights (PDR)
27 Program. There are no federal match dollars this year. The County still has federal match
28 money from a previous contract that will take the County through acquisition of about three
29 of these properties. They have to use the money before the end of August.
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31 State funding may become available from a new program. The Council will have to
32 approve an application for that funding. If they don't have State or federal funding, the
33 Council will have to decide how much it wants to contribute from the conservation futures
34 fund. Right now, the County has about $300,000.
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36 They hope to reopen applications in 2009, but they definitely won't in 2008. The
37 Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) decided to not open another round of
38 application, regardless of the federal decision on the Farm Bill.
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40 Kelly asked the cost of the applications they have. Lutz stated they have funding,
41 with a conservation futures fund match, for the top three properties. The amount needed
42 from the conservation futures fund is about $300,000 for easements on the three
43 properties. There are other incidental costs such as appraisals.
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45 Fleetwood stated the request today is to amend the Council's February decision.
46 Lutz stated that is correct. She indicated the location of the properties on a map.
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48 Rod Erickson, Purchase of Development Rights Oversight Committee, stated that
49 since February, one applicant dropped out and they received two new applications. The
50 biggest issue now is funding. (Inaudible)
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52 Lutz stated the preliminary estimate for the first property is $221,200 for Bouchard.
53 That estimate could change. The preliminary estimate for the second property, the
Natural Resources Committee, 4/8/2008, Page 1
1 Bauthues property, is $126,400. In the past, 50 percent of those costs have come from the
2 federal grant and the other 50 percent has come from the conservation futures fund. With
3 approval today, she will move forward to order appraisals and doing due diligence. The
4 third property may be over $400,000. It is much larger and more valuable. It has 13
5 development rights.
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7 Kelly moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
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9 Motion carried unanimously.
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11
12 OTHER BUSINESS
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14 There was no other business.
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16
17 ADJOURN
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19 Th meeting adjourned at 9:48 a.m.
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23 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
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32 Dana Brown 'brevis „,,0'Vncil� erk S h Fleetwoo ;Acting Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 4/8/2008, Page 2