HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning October 21 20081 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Planning and Development Committee
3
4 October 21, 2008
5
6 Committee Chair Seth Fleetwood called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. in the
7 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
8
9 Present: Absent:
10 Laurie Caskey- Schreiber None
11 Carl Weimer
12
13 Also Present:
14 Barbara Brenner
15
16
17 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
18
19 1. ORDINANCE AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE TITLE 20 TO ESTABLISH
20 DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR THE INSTALLATION OF WIND
21 ENERGY SYSTEMS IN WHATCOM COUNTY (AB2008 -270A)
22
23 Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
24
25 Motion carried unanimously.
26
27
28 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
29
30 1. ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE WHATCOM COUNTY SIX YEAR CAPITAL
31 IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE 2009 -2014 PLANNING PERIOD (AB2008-
32 349)
33
34 Matt Aamot, Planning and Development Services Department, gave a staff report
35 and stated the capital improvement program (CIP) includes five park improvement projects
36 over the six -year period. It also includes 13 trail projects. It includes the East Whatcom
37 Regional Resource Center and consolidated services building at Smith Road and Northwest
38 Road. The CIP includes a new jail and Sheriff's office, including emergency management.
39 The level of service (LOS) for juvenile facilities will soon not be met, and they will need to
40 address that issue during the next round.
41
42 The CIP references the six -year transportation improvement program (TIP). The
43 existing ferry will not meet the existing LOS, and they should address that also.
44
45 Caskey- Schreiber stated there has been very little progress on some projects. She
46 asked if they keep extending the plan if goals aren't met. Aamot stated a reason to include
47 projects is to get funding. Not everything in the plan will be done in six years.
48
49 Caskey- Schreiber referenced page F -12 and the conservation futures fund as a
50 source to fund the Bay -to -Baker Trail. She asked if that is realistic, given the Executive's
51 plan to axe the fund.
52
Planning and Development Committee, 10/21/2008, Page 1
1 Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated they shouldn't characterize it as axing
2 the fund. The administration proposes to reduce the revenue to a fund that has $3.5 million.
3 A number of projects can be done. The proposal can be reviewed in two or three years, and
4 they can adjust the revenue if necessary. The County staff is making progress on many of
5 the projects in the CIP.
6
7 Caskey- Schreiber stated the finish dates for the East County Regional Center and
8 other projects are unrealistic, even though they are moving forward slowly. Desler stated
9 revenue for that project is a concern. The Interfaith Medical Clinic has delayed becoming a
10 partner. The administration is working on the project daily. They are prepared to address
11 the construction of that project beginning in 2009.
12
13 Brenner stated office space projections on page F -24 aren't accurate. It's hard to
14 grasp these estimates with the given revenue. They have other options. It may be time to
15 look at other options.
16
17 Caskey- Schreiber referenced page F -32. She asked the reality of the cost for the
18 new law and justice center. She would like an update on the progress of this project. She
19 asked why the cost went from $8 million to $42 million.
20
21 Desler stated many people continue to support building a new jail. He updated the
22 Council on the site selection process a few months ago. The administration is continuing
23 with site selection and will continue to update the Council.
24
25 There are multiple challenges with this project. First, since they developed the
26 proposal, they predicted the jail would cost $56 million to $60 million for a 589 -bed facility
27 for 2022. There are now new projections of needing 1,180 beds by the year 2025 for
28 approximately $150 million, according to consultants and experts. This is based on what's
29 happened with the price of concrete and steel in the world market over the last few years.
30 Commodity prices may go down, but they haven't seen that happen. Those numbers
31 represent the challenges they may not be able to meet. The nature of the plan has changed
32 due to the new estimates.
33
34 Caskey- Schreiber asked where they are going to get this money. The County
35 doesn't have a bond capacity for that amount. Desler stated there is no reasonable way to
36 pay for a $160 million facility.
37
38 Caskey- Schreiber asked if they can get the estimates back down to a range of $10
39 million. They can't pay for the current model. Desler stated they can pay for a facility of
40 $50 million to $60 million with the corrections tax, real estate excise tax (REET) 1 resources,
41 and by stretching themselves. They will have to do with less, but they have to replace the
42 existing jail. The interim jail wasn't meant to be long -term. The true challenge is operation,
43 not building the facility. For each 100 beds they add, they need to add $2.5 million annually
44 to the County budget.
45
46 Fleetwood asked if the County can bond $50 million to $60 million without going
47 back to the voters. Desler stated the County can. That was the plan in 2004 and the plan
48 today. They have a commitment with the cities to pay the County back for the cost of
49 operating their jail bed needs. That ends in 2013, when close to $1 million in revenue is
50 freed up. The jail tax brings in about $3.1 million annually. By 2012, the County will pay off
51 its bonds and become debt free. They can start new capital projects at that point.
52
Planning and Development Committee, 10/21/2008, Page 2
1 Brenner stated it's time to look at how much is spent on all capital facilities each
2 year. Discuss other options.
3
4 Fleetwood asked why they would adopt this with the budget. Aamot stated the
5 County Charter requires a six -year capital plan in the budget. The Growth Management Act
6 (GMA) recommends that this be updated every two years.
7
8 Fleetwood asked if they would keep the current jail and the interim jail, along with
9 the new jail. Desler stated the best thing for the community is to have one jail. They made
10 a public commitment to only operate the minimum security jail for ten years.
11
12 Fleetwood stated that could be renegotiated.
13
14 Brenner asked if the administration needs to start discussing things with the Council,
15 so the Council knows what's going on. Desler stated he would be happy to talk with the
16 councilmembers about any of these issue whenever they want. The administration reaches
17 out to the Council before making decisions. The Council approved that the staff work on site
18 selection. The administration doesn't take any actions unless it gets the Council's full
19 support. The administration did engage a number of people on how to address the future
20 location of the jail. They got the leaders of the City of Bellingham involved, and they have
21 been involved every step of the way. Now, the City is saying it is opposed to the location the
22 County found. They are talking with the Mayor about it. They need the Mayor's cooperation.
23 The City Mayor's policy is different from the previous mayor.
24
25 Brenner stated everything's changed. They keep going through the motions of doing
26 this stuff. Think about different strategies. Have a City- County meeting with
27 councilmembers to discuss this. She asked the legal ramifications of the County moving
28 ahead without City approval.
29
30 Fleetwood asked if the County needs the City for water and sewer. Desler stated
31 they need to study the most recent letter from the City.
32
33 Brenner stated that if the County doesn't have agreements with other jurisdictions,
34 things will get even more expensive.
35
36 Desler stated many other counties will make sure they are doing the right thing and
37 that they've maximized all the other options first.
38
39 Brenner stated the big ticket items add up every year. They keep hearing that
40 revenues are flat, or worse. They need a reality check.
41
42 Desler stated the budget proposed plans to spend less for facilities over the next two
43 years. They propose to do additional work in the Civic Center building to consolidate Public
44 Works Department staff. The result is the need for fewer people in the department and to
45 get out of Copper building lease payments. Acquire the central plaza building, and eliminate
46 the lease payments for that building. Everything else will require the Council to make a
47 deliberate decision to move forward, including the East County Regional Resource Center.
48
49 Brenner stated the lower amounts budgeted for the first two years of the CIP will
50 eventually make them deeper into the hole.
51
52 Caskey- Schreiber stated it's been a while since they've had a meeting on the future
53 direction for capital facilities. It's time for another meeting. Put this on hold until the budget
Planning and Development Committee, 10/21/2008, Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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
is passed to see if it's connected to reality. She asked when the school impact fees
ordinance is coming forward.
David Stalheim, Planning and Development Services Director, stated it is before the
Planning Commission at its November meeting. He will contact school districts to participate.
Caskey- Schreiber stated she is fine with moving this forward or holding it until the
budget.
Fleetwood stated he approves this at this time. It's a laundry list of needs, and
doesn't bind the County to anything. He also doesn't object to it going to the Public Works
Committee in two weeks.
Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council. He asked about level of
service for trails. He asked if they are required to meet a level of service or can lower the
level of service. Aamot stated the level of service is a local decision. Staff suggests lowering
the LOS for juvenile detention and the ferry.
Fleetwood asked if the level of service is modified through a Comprehensive Plan
amendment. Aamot stated it is. It would have to be docketed.
Motion carried unanimously.
Brenner asked if they can amend it within two years. Aamot stated they can if
docketed. It's a Comprehensive Plan amendment.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 3:42 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
```�+++++Illlt/r/ ///
.� e O
_.: •o TY -
bana °6rii&pINi6A•` ouqcil Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
d Chair
Planning and Development Committee, 10/21/2008, Page 4