HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources January 13 20041
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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
Natural Resources Committee
January 13, 2004
Committee Chair Sharon Roy called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Seth Fleetwood None
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
Also Present:
None
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
1. RESOLUTION AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL
PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM GUIDELINES
(AB2004 -029)
(Clerk's Note: The committee discussed the two agenda items concurrently.)
2. RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE RANKING OF APPLICATIONS AND
AUTHORIZATION TO CONTINUE WITH PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT
RIGHTS ACQUISITIONS FOR ROUND 2, 2003 (AB2004 -029A)
(Clerk's Note: The committee discussed the two agenda items concurrently.)
Kraig Olason, Senior Planner, stated round one of the Purchase of
Development Rights (PDR) Program was conducted last summer. Round one
includes the Gorsinger property on E. Hemmi, the Mouw property, and the Holz
property. The appraisals took awhile. The last two appraisals for the Mouw and
Holz properties have just been finished. The applicants are reviewing the
appraisals now. The first applicant, Gorsinger, did not think the appraisal for his
property was enough and declined the sale. Mr. Gorsinger has seven development
rights, and thought he had to do a long -plat. His appraisal was done assuming a
short plat, so he didn't get full credit for all his lots. He added value to short
platted lots because they contained additional development rights.
Mr. Mouw is still considering his appraisal. It came out much lower than
estimated. The appraisal was $285,000 instead of $600,000 because he is outside
the urban growth area (UGA). There wasn't much speculative value for the
appraiser to apply. The County hasn't done a lot of rezones in a long time, so
there is no data to show speculative value.
Natural Resources Committee, 1/13/2004, Page 1
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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 asked if the appraiser considers political climate. The
County has been asked for those rezones in the past. A different council may
approve the rezone. Olason stated the appraisal is historically based. The
appraiser looked at other value beyond agricultural value.
The final appraisal was on the Holz property. This property is 75 acres on
Hemmi Road. The value is $845,000 because there are existing lots on the
property. The two parcels they're looking at are existing parcels. There are
remainder parcels on both existing lots. The owner has the existing value plus the
ability to short -plat the other two parcels into four lots each. That owner is
thinking seriously about moving forward.
Caskey- Schreiber asked if the Gorsinger property can receive an extra
bonus because it is on a high traffic corridor. Olason stated the rating includes
road frontage criteria. This property is off the roadway. There is a parcel between
the Gorsinger property and the Guide Meridian.
Roy stated the County can't influence the appraiser.
Olason stated Skagit County had values based on points. A property would
receive more value based on the points. Whatcom County has a point system that
ranks the applications, and then they go to the appraisal process. Skagit County is
going to have to give up its point process if it wants any federal money. Part of
the problem with the appraisal process is that they can't infuse community values
into the process.
He'll come back to the Council in a month or two with at least one purchase
proposal. Also, the County retained an attorney to work on the installment
purchase agreement, which they've received. It will be helpful for the County.
They haven't determined the rate the County will pay. That's something the
Council should start thinking about.
Olason showed the location of the round two properties on a map. The
property rated number two is not in the target area. The soils are good on the
farm. The owner bought up a lot of small parcels to create the farm, which is 155
acres.
Caskey- Schreiber asked if they are getting enough applications from the
target areas. Olason stated they are not.
Fleetwood asked if there is a marketing program for this PDR Program.
Olason stated there isn't. If they have a good purchase of this property, the word
will get out.
Roy stated these people talk to each other.
Natural Resources Committee, 1/13/2004, Page 2
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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 that once some of the purchases are complete, the
interest will pick up.
Olason stated the project ranked number one for round two is the
Timmerman property, which is 135 acres. It is adjacent to the UGA.
They thought about looking at the long plats to put together an assessment
of value, and feeding that information to the appraisers.
Caskey- Schreiber stated that would be great, especially if they revise the
subdivision rules, which might make it more feasible.
The Timmerman property is prime farmland. It has a huge facility. The
value may be a little higher than the Mouw property.
The last application for round two is also outside the target area and is
primarily developed. There are a lot of subdivisions around it. The property has
water rights, and is very valuable. The neighboring creek has the Fourth Corner
Nursery on it. There is still some opportunity there. This is the property rated
number three.
Caskey- Schreiber stated the Vander Yacht property is an area that is heavily
developed into rural, one unit per five acres (R5A) lots, which are expensive to
service. If they can prevent that from happening more, they can eliminate service
needs in that area. Olason stated this parcel would be priced heavily. There is a
lot of value there.
Caskey- Schreiber stated water is a big issue in that area.
Fleetwood stated he liked the idea of adjacency to other agricultural areas
being given weight. This parcel is isolated from other agricultural areas and is built
out. Use the County funds in places that are in similar areas.
Caskey- Schreiber stated the parcel is next to the nursery. There is
agricultural potential worth preserving.
Olason stated he made some minor changes to the point system, which is
proposed in the resolution amending Whatcom County's Agricultural
Purchase of Development Rights Program guidelines (AB2004 -029).
Caskey- Schreiber stated she would like to get more federal dollars for the
PDR program when she goes to Washington D.C. soon. She asked for a write -up
on what the councilmembers should talk about and with whom. Olason stated he
would provide that information.
Natural Resources Committee, 1/13/2004, Page 3
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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.
Olason stated they are still working the bugs out of the ranking system. He
would also like approval to move ahead with the appraisals for the three round two
properties.
Roy asked if the three properties are at a different point in the process.
Olason stated they will get someone to do the appraisals as soon as someone is
available.
Roy asked if a property owner could change his or her mind if he or she
rejects the initial offer. Olason stated that if the owner declines an offer, he or she
is welcome to reapply.
Caskey- Schreiber stated the negotiation process is sometimes lengthy. She
asked what happens if the County investigates the true cost of a long -plat
subdivision and comes back with another offer. Olason stated his property is only
going to rate higher if he comes back into the program. Staff has to figure out
how to deal with long- platting. If there is a house, it's difficult to get more than
three extra lots. That's where Mr. Gorsinger got stuck. He asked money to find an
appraiser who can work with long- plats. He will come back with a supplemental
budget request for funds to do the appraisals and possibly closing costs. Now that
they've done three, they know the cost of the appraisals, which is about $2,500
each and good for a year.
Caskey- Schreiber stated that if they're paying that much, they should be
able to get an appraisal that can do long- plats. Olason stated they may have to
work on long -plat valuations as a separate project, and then have that data
available to the appraisers. They may have to have an independent consultant
survey the area to find as many long -plats as they can. See how much people will
tell the consultant about the cost. It is much more complicated than a short plat.
Caskey- Schreiber moved to recommend approval of resolution
amending Whatcom County's Agricultural Purchase of Development Rights
Program guidelines (AB2004 -029).
Motion carried unanimously.
Caskey- Schreiber moved to recommend approval of the resolution
adopting the Purchase of Development Rights Oversight Committee
ranking of applications and authorization to continue with Purchase of
Development Rights acquisitions for round 2, 2003 (AB2004- 029A).
Motion carried unanimously.
Caskey- Schreiber asked the progress of the PDR Oversight Committee.
Olason stated attendance has been spotty through the winter. They have been
meeting about once per month. The committee has to talk about how it wants to
do things differently, if it does want to do things differently. He hasn't had time to
Natural Resources Committee, 1/13/2004, Page 4
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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.
talk with the committee about that. They may end up doing a round three before
making any changes.
Roy stated it doesn't appear that there are any glaring issues they
overlooked. It's going relatively smoothly. Olason stated it's good to go slow
during the first few rounds. If the Council then wants to bond for a certain amount
of money, then they can have a wider application period.
It also depends on how well the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
match comes through. If that money is what they're relying on, it's probably not a
good idea to look to the USDA as the primary source of funding.
They should have the opening for 2004 applications for the Farmland
Protection Program sometime soon.
Roy asked if Mr. Olason would let the Council know when the applications
are going in. Olason stated he would.
Roy stated the councilmembers lobby their representatives. Olason stated
Snohomish County will not apply this year, which is good news.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Sharon Roy, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 1/13/2004, Page 5