HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources March 21 2007WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Natural Resources Committee
Agricultural Preservation Committee
March 21, 2007
Henry Bierlink called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. at the Fire Hall, 19th street,
Lynden, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Carl Weimer None
Dan McShane
Seth Fleetwood
Also Present:
Barbara Brenner
THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE FOLLOWING
AGENDA ITEMS:
• Report on the Northwest Agriculture Business Center by David Bauermeister
• Report on the Starling /Beaver Control by Henry Bierlink and Brian Cieslar
• Report on the Agricultural Advisory Committee by Chuck Antholt
• Bertrand Water Program by Henry Bierlink
• Ten Mile Water Program by Dorrie Belisle
• Fishtrap Water Program by John Gillies
• Board of Directors Report and 2007 Budget by Andy Enfield, Rich Stipe, and Paul
Troutman
(Clerk's (Vote: There was a ten - minute break at 2:20 p.m.)
DISCUSSION WITH WHATCOM COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE ON
"WHY WE ARE COMMITTED TO AN AG LAND WORK PROGRAM AND WHAT WE HOPE
TO GET OUT OF IT"
Bierlink stated that the cost and availability of agricultural land is the biggest threat
to the future of farming. They must keep a solid agricultural infrastructure. With the pace
that they've been losing farmland, the 100,000 -acre threshold won't last unless they do
something smart. They would like to hear from the elected officials about their hopes for
the future and perspectives on the problems. He introduced the Councilmembers.
Weimer discussed his background in water issues. Agriculture is important to protect
water. Many people talk about protecting rural character, but that means something
different to different people. Many conflicts have been created. They must come up with
good land use rules to protect rural character. Also, there will be more importance in the
future to have local agriculture. There is a County work plan to protect agricultural issues.
McShane stated this is one of his most important issues on the County Council.
Solutions aren't that simple. It will be difficult to find solutions. He discussed his
experiences living in rural communities. The Growth Management Act is a tool to protect
resource lands. Local agriculture is important. This has to do with more than local
sustainability, and is about worldwide sustainability. It is okay to protect large scale
Special Natural Resources Committee, 3/21/2007, Page 1
farming. They shouldn't wipe out people's equity when preserving agricultural lands. He
appreciates focusing on specific areas.
Fleetwood discussed his background. There has been a lot of growth and
development, and an associated loss of farmland, in Whatcom County since he was young.
They must preserve this incredibly valuable resource. The people in Whatcom County want
to protect agriculture. Preserving agriculture will not be easy. He looks forward to working
on this issue.
Brenner discussed her background. The County must make sure to protect the
farmer, in addition to protecting the land. They must do what they can now to make things
better. She's here to listen to the farmers.
Weimer stated people views growth now as a bad thing, but -it gives them the
potential to make transfers of development rights (TDR's) work. All the cities in the county
want to grow. The Growth Management Act requires the County to allow the cities to grow,
but they can condition growth on the cities. A question is how they tie future growth with
TDR's. Find the legal mechanisms that will allow them to do that.
Antholt asked how urban Bellingham can become a receiving area for TDR's, and if
they should promote that.
Weimer stated they should consider it for all the cities. It's difficult to set up a
receiving area in a city neighborhood, but that's where they should be.
McShane stated they must find those receiving areas in the city. One opportunity is
in the urban growth areas. The County Council will have to condition UGA expansion on
flowering population increases in areas like the agricultural areas. People must recognize
that the TDR program is the best way to preserve agricultural land.
(Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side B.)
Fleetwood stated the pressure to create a TDR receiving area will have to come from
the County, and the County must continue to resist the cities' requests to expand,
Brenner stated they must make sure they don't use urban growth areas for dumping
grounds. She is leery about putting people in urban growth areas. Decisions are being
made with no representation for those residents. The County must be conservative in sizing
UGA's.
McShane stated people in Snohomish County wanted to enjoy driving around the
farmland in the County. That's a value for the people in a city. Conversation between
urban and rural residents is important. He's optimistic that infill in the city can happen in a
way that the residents are comfortable with.
The Economic Development Investment (EDI) fund is controlled by the County
Council, and the Council wants to promote economic development associated with
agriculture. The County must invest in agriculture, and also forestry. He encourages
people to fund agricultural public facilities that support agriculture. People can apply for
those funds at any time.
Bierlink explained the source of the EDI funds. The Bertrand watershed
improvement district (WID) will submit EDI applications.
Special Natural Resources Committee, 3/21/2007, Page 2
1
2 Roger Bajema stated the County leaders must pressure the State legislators to revise
3 state funding laws. He asked what the Council is doing to oppose State taxing laws.
4
5 Brenner stated there is no open space tax break for a farm's home site. Anything
6 agriculture related, including a farmer's home site, should receive the open space
7 agriculture tax discount. Also, a property tax should be based on the sale price of the
8 property, not the market value.
9
10 Bajema asked what they are going to do with farm buildings that are no longer used.
11 Farms are shutting down every day. Those unused buildings are a big problem. Ten dairies
12 are closing this week.
13
14 McShane stated the question is how to deal with that issue, and also not create a
15 loophole to allow people to get around zoning. This issue will have to be discussed soon.
16
17 Fleetwood asked about the ten farms that are shutting down this week. Bajema
18 stated the local dairymen fund a program to buy out willing buyers to keep production costs
19 down. When a herd leaves, the facility becomes vacant. No one is fixing up these empty
20 dairies. They are a tax burden. In less than a year, there will be fewer than 100 dairies in
21 the county, and there used to be 600 farms.
22
23 Unidentified citizen stated the farm ground from Smith Road to Bellingham is
24 questionable. It is a logical place to put people, and keep people out of the good farm
25 areas.
26
27 Brenner stated that she likes the idea of protecting buildings that are being used and
28 keeping the tax down on unused buildings. The rules would have to change. One idea is to
29 charge by square footage for exceptions.
30
31 Bajema stated there are many new storage buildings being built. Instead, give an
32 incentive to owners to use the vacant buildings that already exist.
33
34 Bierlink stated that is an issue that has to be talked about and is on the work plan.
35
36 Antholt asked about the Lake Whatcom drinking watershed regulations give the
37 Council negotiating power with the City, and if that can be applied to agriculture.
38
39 McShane stated the desire is to keep whole peoples development value in the
40 watershed by creating a receiving area. The City should be very interested in doing that.
41 The City owns many development rights because they've bought land in the watershed.
42 They should be selling the development rights. Regarding agriculture, identify areas for
43 agriculture transfer, and don't cloud it with the receiving area issue. The formula for the
44 Lake Whatcom watershed will be different for the targeted agricultural areas.
45
46 Dorrie Belisle asked about the UGA. expansion. There needs to be funding and
47 education to owners in the sending and receiving areas, so everyone knows what is going
48 on.
49
50 McShane stated he agrees. One option to buy time is to approve a UGA expansion,
51 but have it pending a well - crafted interlocal agreement between the County and City that
52 includes many things, including TDR's. That will be difficult. That is a rough concept that
Special Natural Resources Committee,- 3/21/2007, (Page 3
1 he doesn't know enough about yet. The Council has been pushing the County
2 administration to provide resources and make this project a priority.
3
4 Weimer stated the Council must make the timing work right now.
5
6 Belisle asked if there is a problem with the UGA being the State and the TDR being
7 County.
8
9 Fleetwood stated there isn't a conflict. The County has the legal right to do it, but
10 they must balance a variety of interests. One idea is a conditioned, tiered UGA approach.
11
12 Bierlink asked if there can be receiving areas in the county, such as in Kendall and
13 Birch Bay.
14
15 Fleetwood stated this can't work without inter - jurisdictional cooperation.
16
17 Kraig Olason, Planning and Development Services Department, stated part of that
18 issue is sewer availability. Birch Bay has sewer. Ultimately, look at where density can be
19 accommodated and in environmental compliance. There could be infill in some county areas
20 that are more populated. Ultimately, the City is necessary for a long -term TDR program.
21
22 McShane stated there must be a willing buyer and willing seller.
23
24 Brenner stated the sending areas and receiving areas must have a direct relationship
25 to each other.
26
27 Antholt stated there must be enough County staff to help.
28
29 Brenner stated the Council supports these staff positions, but the County Executive
30 makes those decisions.
31
32 Fleetwood stated Councilmember Caskey - Schreiber wanted to be here today, but
33 was ill.
34
35 Paul Troutman asked if his property tax open space agricultural exemption can be
36 maintained if his property is annexed into the city. He also asked if his greenhouse
37 business will have to pay the stormwater fee based on impervious surface, and if he will
38 have to pay State B &O tax. The amount of taxes in a city is a concern. He is in the urban
39 growth area currently.
40
41 McShane stated there isn't a lot the County can do, since he's in the urban growth
42 area. It has to do with the interlocal agreement. This type of situation is something to
43 consider. He is against the stormwater fee being charged to those in the urban growth area
44 because of the lack of representation. The question is whether the City wants to preserve
45 agriculture within the city limits. If so, it can create exemptions.
46
47 Shonie Schlotzhauer, Sustainable Connections, asked for an explanation of how the
48 TDR program works.
49
50 Brenner stated developers don't want density bonuses, because people want building
51 lots of a certain size. The people who own the property are generally not the developers,
52 but are stuck with the costs of higher density.
53
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area.
John Gillies asked about the idea of a reverse TDR program, used to de- density an
Brenner stated it will create more pressure for sprawl somewhere else.
Gillies stated developers would have to pay for the high end houses and big lots they
want by taking something out of the agricultural land. They would still have to buy and
transfer a development right from the agricultural zone.
McShane stated they try to set planning goals of meeting density in certain areas.
The market is such that the most profitable density is two houses per acre instead of six
houses per acre.
John Belisle asked the cost of the TDR being sold in Lake Whatcom.
Olason stated the cost is between $5,000 and $7,000. It could be less.
John Belisle stated the sending area is getting very few development rights. This
program has very small numbers, for both costs and number of density purchased.
(Clerk's Note: End of tape two, side A.)
Joe Unidentified, stated development rights are great, but they are not realistic
economically. There must be another form of tax credit or something else to deal with the
land issue.
(Clerk's Note: The Committee members finished their discussion and left the meeting
at 3:45 p.m.)
Olason explained the maps developed for the agricultural work program.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:00 p.m.
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Dan cShane, Committee Chair
Special Natural Resources Committee, 3/71/2007, Page 5