HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil March 22 2005 pm1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special County Council
March 22, 2005
Council Chair Laurie Caskey- Schreiber called the meeting to order at 1:30
p.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present:
Barbara Brenner
Sharon Roy
L. Ward Nelson
Dan McShane
Sam Crawford
Absent:
Seth Fleetwood
1. DISCUSSION REGARDING PARKS DEPARTMENT COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN
Mike McFarlane, Parks and Recreation Department Director, stated the public
information gathering phase is closing. They've held a number of meetings with
various interest groups throughout the county. He submitted information (on file).
They gathered comments during the workshop. He's also working on the capital
development and maintenance elements of the plan and the implication on staffing
levels due to future development.
General trends, priorities, and recurring themes that have come from the
public include:
• Providing more saltwater beach access and sheltered areas, specifically at
Cherry Point, Lily Point, Portage Island, the Birch Bay tidelands,
Semiahmoo Spit, and Legoe Bay;
• developing and improving existing park properties, specifically at Lake
Samish, properties at the north and south ends of Lake Whatcom, the
South Fork areas, Bay Horizon, and Semiahmoo;
• trail recreation, restoration, and access, including connecting communities
and facilities with multiuse trails and preserving existing trails through
easements on private and public lands;
• maintaining connections to neighboring jurisdictions,
• improving existing trail facilities through better signage, better trail
treads, and improved campgrounds and rest areas;
• developing water trails for canoe and kayaking, primarily on the Nooksack
River and Lake Whatcom;
• preserving county landscapes and viewpoints, including the forested
Interstate 5 corridor from Skagit County to Whatcom County, rural
landscapes, scenic viewpoints, and wildlife viewing areas, which will
require an inventory through interdepartmental cooperation;
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 1
1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
• providing additional public access to all rivers and lakes, specifically new
large regional parks in Lynden along the Nooksack River, the South Fork
area near Van Zandt, the Mosquito /Jorgenson Lake area, and the Birch
Bay dike for fishing and boating, including better access for the disabled;
• protecting and preserving natural and historic cultural sites, including
archaeological and wildlife viewing areas;
• purchasing the Plantation Rifle Range property to preserve the County's
considerable investment;
• developing Bay Horizon Park as a community facility;
• developing a beach restroom at Birch Bay, which requires land
acquisition;
• identifying and better signing County park properties;
• supporting local communities' subarea park planning efforts and projects;
and
• handling traffic and trespass concerns around community park facilities in
unincorporated areas.
Caskey- Schreiber asked for a list of the priorities just described. McFarlane
stated he would do that soon, in another format. He would like to get input from
the Council on other priorities.
Brenner asked how the meetings were advertised. McFarlane stated the
meetings were announced through the media and posted at senior and community
centers. No one came to the Samish Park workshop or the Acme /Van Zandt
workshop. They received letters and phone calls regarding certain issues.
Roy stated she received feedback from people in her community. She heard
that a lot of time was spent at the meeting on countywide issues, not issues specific
to the community. However, it's good people were asked to look at countywide
issues. McFarlane stated that happened a number of times. Since, they've been
working with the local community committee planning efforts.
Nelson stated people want to discuss issues in their areas, but their activities
are countywide.
Brenner asked if the councilmembers could have their own copies of the color
maps. McFarlane stated he could provide copies. On May 3, he will address the
Council on budgeting and financial strategies.
Tom Beckwith, Beckwith Consulting, stated a principal they used is called
rural -by- design. He took the whole system apart, looked at the various pieces, and
mapped them to look at particular elements individually. During that process, they
recorded countywide and local ideas. Chapter nine of the plan is for regional issues
and chapter eleven of the plan is for local issues. The local versions reflect what
the local population wants to do. The local versions may be different from each
other. Regional efforts will be funded countywide, and local efforts will be funded
locally, within the region.
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 2
1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
Specific facilities will be included in the plan. Look at whether the plan is
complete, look whether the regional plans are truly regional, and identify the hot
projects they will fund in the next six years.
He indicated maps that show areas in public ownership; habitat areas that
are protected by federal, state, and local legislation, and; forest and agricultural
lands. He looked at areas currently being used for pasture, farmlands, and crops
that complement the agricultural preservation programs to see what areas will be
left open so they can incorporate trails.
Nelson asked if Mr. Beckwith used the forestlands in rural forestry. Beckwith
stated he did.
He looked at actual use, not just zoning. The importance of forestland and
trees varies in different regions. Countywide, he looked at the prime, highest
quality forest. Locally, he looked at where the wooded sites and farms are located.
The scenic value of both farms and forests provides value in terms of locating parks
and trails.
He also mapped historic conservation features. Much of this information
came from local anecdotal information. The public wants these historic features
incorporated and featured in park facilities. The saltwater trail system was one of
the top five public priorities. Also, interest in freshwater trail systems on the forks
of the Nooksack River showed up more than the main stem. People know where
those access sites are located and should be preserved. Now, there are no regional
major access points along the Nooksack River. In the Cherry Point area, the county
does not have a major, regional, pronounced saltwater access point where they can
do multiuse things.
The regional multiuse parks are to fish, swim, camp, picnic, and do all things
related to the outdoors except athletics. It is a number one objective of almost all
communities. The amount of state and national parks is not going to increase, but
the need for these parks is going to increase. They don't have things along the
Nooksack River, in saltwater areas, or around Lake Whatcom, even though the
County has begun to acquire properties.
For trail corridors, people desire to walk as much of the beach as possible,
including from Birch Bay going south, from Bellingham going north, and around the
Lummi reservation to Lummi Island. Now, there is a mix of public and private
tidelands. Preserve the current, backdoor routes through those areas.
The hiking trail system is extensive. Many advocacy groups want different
trails to be connected. Connect the trails in sections. They can't do all at once.
The same is true for horse trail systems. Set up key destination points for the
horse trail systems. Corral sites can be used to train and ride. The trail system is
shrinking down to only areas where there is a compatible use and an interest in
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 3
1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
riding. As Bellingham has urbanized the past ten years, viable trail areas have
shrunk to the outskirts of the city.
Caskey- Schreiber stated it is difficult to ride a horse on a high- traffic trail.
Riders try to go where other people don't go. Beckwith stated there is value for
that on Sumas Mountain, Sunset Farm, and in other areas.
The off -road recreational mountain bike system is growing as much as the
horse trails shrink. Generally, the rider wants to transition from urban areas to
rural areas.
The on -road bicycle system he's looking at is for recreation, not
transportation. Most of the areas are on rural roads and the riders are going for
the scenic rides. These areas are for scenic rides, but people ride at their own risk.
There are rides all over the place.
The multipurpose trail system incorporates all the other trail opportunities,
where the highest volumes will be, and where they most want to conserve
resources. The key issue is to start developing the system in sections. Get those
within the six -year plan to begin development soon.
Off -road and cross - country uses are shrinking because they are not
environmentally suitable and they are not compatible with other uses. People don't
want them in their neighborhood. The use is shrunk to areas where they exist now
and where there are existing facilities and use patterns. A private park is used for
occasional seasonal rides for a motorcycle use. Basically, the intent was benign
neglect. The County will support program activities in one location, with the hope
that it will prevent use in other areas as long as the riders mind their behavior
elsewhere. If they don't mind their manners, the County will retract its support.
Caskey- Schreiber stated she's glad Hannegan Speedway is there because it
is in high demand. Keep it going without having to commit other areas. Beckwith
stated that is the strategy. Keep the strategy viable to discourage the activity in
other areas.
Crawford stated a large segment of the population uses off -road vehicles.
Hannegan Speedway is a racing, not recreational, course. Roads off Mosquito Lake
Road is an example. De facto use areas are already there. Another question is
where they direct snowmobile riders. Beckwith stated this is a very diverse
activity. Those who use the speedway are motorcycles, not all- terrain vehicle
(ATV) and four -wheel riders. Those are different activities. Those riders use
backcountry and logging roads. It works as long as they're dispersed. It works as
long as the riders don't begin to concentrate.
Crawford stated that if the County says, as a part of the plan, that this is it, a
large segment of the County will create a backlash because they feel left behind.
The irresponsible users exist, but wait and see if irresponsible use occurs.
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 4
1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
McFarlane stated the information provided today comes from the workshops, but
isn't necessarily what will be proposed. Also, the State indicated it wants the
County to find an off -road vehicle solution the State may close its lands to off -road
vehicles. The County needs to spend time on this issue and talk to the State. That
informal recreation now is occurring on State property.
Caskey- Schreiber stated horse riders use State property, also.
Brenner stated the issue with North Fork Road was about people driving up
there for the scenic views. On Mosquito Lake Road and other places, this issue is
about people going onto private lands. That's not okay. If people get hurt on those
lands, the owner is liable. The County can't force private landowners to be
responsible for those people.
Nelson stated make sure the off -road vehicle (ORV) users are included in the
planning process. More emergency room visits are from horseback riders than ORV
riders.
(Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
Nelson continued to state that if they are going to assume liability, the
County must talk about liability in all recreational activities. None are perfectly
safe. They must discuss what approach to take.
Beckwith stated sponsoring an event is not the same as assuming liability for
an event. One could indirectly sponsor an event.
Nelson asked if the County assumes liability for horseback riding trails.
Beckwith stated it does to a certain extent.
McFarlane stated there are trail development and maintenance standards for
trails on County property. Meeting those standards reduces liability.
McShane stated that no matter what the County does, the proposed ORV
map will create a backlash.
Brenner stated trail standards doesn't reduce liability. It may reduce the
potential for problems and accidents. The liability is there on County property.
Caskey- Schreiber stated all horse riders assume that riding is risky, and
accept that level of risk. No court would say that a trail is too dangerous for an
activity that is already high risk.
Beckwith stated there is a difference between a developed and maintained
trail and a trail used by user groups. The County is liable for anything on the map
that is maintained. For areas that are not officially on the trail map, don't assume
liability.
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 5
1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
Facilities available for cross - country, snowboarding, and snowmobiles are
multiple use trailheads.
A desire to preserve scenic road corridors is a higher priority expressed
during the workshops. This system is latticed all across the county. A key issue is
not over - improving the corridors and preserving the view from the road. This is
complicated. The County can preserve and buy areas for trailheads. Preserving
scenic views is different. It may be done through design standards, not acquisition.
Local recreation areas addressed needs for local athletic fields near
elementary schools. A second need is investing in middle and high school athletic
fields. Make those fields useable all year long. The facility at Smith and Northwest
roads is highly organized and solely dedicated to soccer. Find other suitable places
for similar facilities to meet the demand. The concern is the Smith and Northwest
facility won't be enough given the population growth. User groups will develop and
maintain these types of facilities, subject to a public access policy. The County
doesn't want to run and operate these facilities. Don't get in the way of private
groups creating these facilities. Do find out where such uses should go, or they will
create a terrible land use conflict.
Brenner asked why they would create a land use conflict. Beckwith stated
they conflict with agricultural zoning and open space. They create a tremendous
amount of traffic. Other counties are having to take out similar existing facilities.
Hal Hart, Planning and Development Services Director, stated these facilities
require a lot of time from County staff because they generate lots of complaints.
Neighbors who move to rural areas don't want to live next to such busy facilities.
Beckwith stated community centers are found in every community. They
serve a variety of age groups. These are local facilities that depend on the County
deciding what to fund. The County can provide landlord assistant services to get a
facility, subject to a community's ability to pay. These aren't regional facilities that
service everyone across the county. These are tremendously expensive.
Nelson asked if they looked at other types of community centers, such as
granges and fairgrounds. Beckwith stated they are in another category. They are
local facilities.
Enterprise facilities include things like a gun club and park facilities that can
be rented out. They are revenue- and user - driven facilities. In some cases, sites
have an opportunity for rental use built in, but the County is not going out to look
for these facilities. Some of them could be user - driven, with an entrepreneur to run
it. If there is not enough countywide support to fund a program or facility, a user
group may step in and assume the service.
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 6
1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
McShane stated Newhalem is in Whatcom County. He's been hearing
discussion about moving most of those people out of there and what should be
done with that community. Beckwith stated he's working on another project for
that area. That area provides an opportunity for a private facility and a visitor
center.
Beckwith stated classify regional and local facilities. Shrink out six -year
targets. Look for what is threatened and needs to be preserved, look at what
balances out population centers, and look at what engages other players as much
as possible.
Roy asked if the Parks Department will have a focused effort on getting
grants once the plan is done. McFarlane stated he's just started discussions on how
to pull critical areas and shorelines into this plan. When they are done with
information gathering from the public, the next step is to have that discussion. The
consultant contract required that issue be in the plan.
Beckwith stated the public grant well is unhealthy, but the private grant well
is growing.
Crawford stated the plan is more comprehensive than he imagined. There is
a lot more than is not on the lists, such as the Black Mountain Forestry Center.
Beckwith stated the rural -by- design concept to look at scenic corridors is
significant.
Terry Reckford, Beckwith Consulting Landscape Architect, stated scenic
qualities of the corridor is very important to people. Eighty percent of someone's
experience of a place is from the road. Recognizing that fact in the plan is
important. Figure out tools to preserve the scenic areas.
Scenic corridors degrade over time. There are tools available to preserve
views. The tools have to do with clustering buildings in a particular area instead of
spreading them out, sharing driveways, building in a style consistent with the
corridor, and keeping building off the ridgelines. Vegetation management has to do
with preserving trees and buffers along the roadways, replanting, and using native
materials. The roadway and utilities tool has to do with how the infrastructure is
developed. Create a land use map overlay for scenic corridors. Offer incentives for
following the design preferences. The County can manage its own utilities when
developing infrastructure.
Brenner asked if the County could allow tax incentives. Reckford stated it is
a tool used elsewhere, and they will explore what tools are available in this county.
Reckford showed sketches of other areas of the country that have used
development tools to create rural -by- design.
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 7
1
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
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
Caskey- Schreiber stated one "before" sketch is exactly what's happening on
East Smith Road and all over the county. It's ugly, sprawling buildout that takes
away from the feeling that that one is in a beautiful county with open space.
Brenner asked how soon the Council can expect to finalize something to
preserve scenic roads.
Troy Holbrook, Senior Planner, stated this plan is scheduled to come to the
Council in May or June this year. The work plan is to implement these plans
through development regulations.
Brenner stated they should begin as soon as possible.
Roy asked if design standards along the view corridors are a component of
the plan. Reckford stated he would call it performance standards instead of design
standards.
McShane stated there are a variety of approaches to get there. As a
councilmember, he's received the most calls about individual home construction on
a ridge near Interstate 5, south of Bellingham. There is a value to how people view
their community. Reckford stated it's important to document this kind of thing as a
component of the plan, and to take proactive steps to implement the standards.
They're trying to document and formalize it in a way to pursue implementation.
McShane stated the gateway into Whatcom County, the hills above the
Skagit Flats, means a lot to people. Many people were upset to see houses built
along the ridgelines. Beckwith stated the County needs to identify where these
corridors are. Next, the County will have performance -based tools to use that will
only require the County to manage how development occurs, which are effective
and cheap. If the County doesn't give the public effective tools, builders won't
achieve what they want. People will get frustrated. If the same amount of money
is used more effectively, they could build the trails and viewpoints while still
preserving this. The good property development examples are more valuable than
the bad property development examples. The Council needs to act quickly,
because the opportunity will go away.
Caskey- Schreiber stated it won't be an easy sell. Getting people to cluster
lots in the rural, one unit per five acres (R5A) zone will be difficult.
McFarlane stated he will continue to take comments on the draft document.
Roy stated she was glad to see the Planning Director and Planning
Department staff present for the meeting. She wished the Public Works
Department staff had been here.
Caskey- Schreiber stated this visioning process for the Parks Department is
very timely.
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee
minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they
are not the final approved minutes.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 2:55 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
The Council approved these minutes on April 12 , 2005.
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber, Council Chair
Special County Council 2 - Parks Plan, 3/22/2005, Page 9