HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning October 12 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
Planning and Development Committee
October 12, 2004
Committee Chair Seth Fleetwood called the meeting to order at 3:07 p.m. in
the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner None
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
Also Present:
Sam Crawford
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL=
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Fleetwood stated the changes to these items seem pretty minute.
Sylvia Goodwin, Planning Division Manager, stated a letter from 1,000
Friends of Washington said the County should have evaluated boundaries of all
urban growth areas (UGA's) and shrunk them if necessary. However, the County is
not required to do that. She referenced the State Department of Community,
Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) frequently asked questions (FAQ's) and
Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 36.70A.130(3). UGA boundaries only have to
be reviewed once every ten years. Otherwise, all the amendments are minor. The
changes include some clarification of net versus gross density. In Sudden Valley,
they made sure infill of commercial development is within existing commercial
zones.
Caskey- Schreiber referenced Council packet page 159 and asked if the Birch
Bay Subarea Plan and Comprehensive Plan are in sync. Goodwin stated they are.
The Comprehensive Plan is still the countywide document.
Caskey- Schreiber referenced Council packet page 163, which mentions the
change in the Sudden Valley UGA to add light industrial development in the
neighborhood commercial and resort commercial zones. Goodwin stated the
language used to allow limited industrial development. Staff added "light" because
industrial development is not allowed in neighborhood zones. Some storage and
light industrial use is allowed.
Brenner referenced the second bullet on page one of the letter from 1,000
Friends. She asked the point of the example given in that item. Goodwin stated
she can only speculate the point of the example. The point may be that smaller,
denser UGA's would be more supportive of transit. All cities are now updating their
Planning and Development Committee, 10/12/2004, 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.
city comprehensive plans. Changes to city UGA boundaries will be docketed next
year or the following year. The County has until 2007 to look at those boundaries.
Brenner asked if they expect to enlarge any of the city UGA's. Goodwin
stated they don't know at this point.
Amy Pederson, Planner II, stated staff also needs to change the document to
correct the names of Water District 10 and the Lake Samish water district.
Barbara Ryan, Bellingham City Council Member, asked if anyone on the
Council is willing to rethink the Sudden Valley decision. The City's concern is water
quality. People who live close to the drinking water source are those who cause the
most pollution. In creating that urban growth area, everyone has ignored that a
UGA is where they want density and is designed to have urban amenities, including
industry and commercial territory. A UGA should be built out to a density of no less
than four units per acre. A UGA is supposed to be a city. However, since Sudden
Valley is in the middle of the watershed, becoming a city is not a desirable thing.
Hold the decision on the Sudden Valley UGA to give the City, County, and Sudden
Valley Community Association an opportunity to re -think this decision. People
know they don't want urban density and industrial development in Sudden Valley.
There is no way to allow these people to increase their tax base.
Brenner asked if they can revisit that issue at this point.
Caskey- Schreiber stated the provision for Sudden Valley to be a UGA expires
at the end of 2006 if it doesn't become incorporated. Take another look at this at
that time. At that time, they will be redesignated as a recreational subdivision.
That's in two years. Sudden Valley won't be able to incorporate in two years. She
agrees with Ms. Ryan about not having Sudden Valley in the UGA, but would rather
go through the process.
Brenner asked if they can revisit it now instead of in 2006. There will be
changes that will take place in the next two years, even if its not incorporated.
Urbanization will occur because this UGA is in place. Goodwin stated the Council
could reconsider it. This is the Comprehensive Plan review process. As far as
urbanization, the lots are platted and water and sewer are available. Urbanization
will occur whether or not Sudden Valley is a UGA, depending on the market.
Fleetwood asked if sewer never would have been permitted had Sudden
Valley kept its rural status. Goodwin stated that's a theory of some.
McShane stated that if the City is interested in this issue, the City should
look carefully at what is before the County Council right now, which is a
Comprehensive Plan amendment for all three stand -alone UGA's. Within each of
those areas are goals and policies. The City should look at the policies for the
Sudden Valley provisional UGA. Also, look at policy 2AA -24. The County would
not approve incorporation unless that policy was accomplished. Instead of having
Planning and Development Committee, 10/12/2004, 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.
animosity between Sudden Valley residents and the City, work together to achieve
assurances. When created, the UGA in Sudden Valley was the first ever downzone
in that area. Had it not been designated a UGA, the recreational area would have
expanded. The Council shrunk the UGA boundary.
Ryan stated she appreciates the Council reducing density throughout the
watershed. Once a city becomes a city, according to the RCW's, it has the right to
change its own zoning, annex areas, and create its own UGA. The threat to the
watershed if Sudden Valley became a city would be increasing density to generate
city revenue.
McShane stated it is possible that legally the County can't fulfill policy 2AA-
24, which means that the policy won't be accomplished, so the area can't become a
city. If the County violates the Growth Management Act, it can be challenged. He
would also like to work on the Bellingham UGA areas that are also in the
watershed.
Roland Harper, Sehome Planning and Engineering, stated he represents the
cities of Everson and Nooksack. The cities support the proposed changes for
Everson and Nooksack. The density goal is achievable. The UGA land supplies for
both cities are adequate. They anticipate a fair amount of growth. They don't need
to expand at this time.
Caskey- Schreiber asked if they anticipate either of the cities going to a
higher density in the downtown cores. All cities should think about that so they
don't have to sprawl out to grow. Harper stated he's considered it. However, there
is not a lot of interest in redevelopment of the Everson commercial core. The same
is true for Nooksack. That idea will come eventually in Everson.
David Davidson, City of Sumas, agreed with Mr. Harper for the City of
Sumas. The small city planners considered the Growth Management Hearings
Board standard of compact urban growth. Four units per acre or above is compact
urban growth density. Any density less than that becomes hard to justify. He
submitted a handout (on file). Page four refers to density being net, or buildable,
acreage.
The market is at work. In the City of Sumas, 68 percent of the housing built
in Sumas from 1990 to 2000 was not single - family housing. That was astounding.
The bulk of the zoning in Sumas is 6,000 square feet that allows multi - family
housing as a conditional use. Multi- family housing is what people are building.
Sumas is not seeking to expand its UGA. It has a pending application to convert
some of the UGA from long -term to short -term.
Brenner moved to recommend approval to the full Council of items one
through five.
Planning and Development Committee, 10/12/2004, 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.
McShane suggested amending agenda bill item A132004 -339, policy 2AA -25,
°...fedesignated a FeeFeatienal subdivi as a limited area of more intensive rural
development."
Fleetwood moved to amend agenda bill item A132004 -339, policy 2AA -25,
...fedesignated a reeFeatienal subd;,•; as a limited area of more intensive rural
development."
Motion to amend carried unanimously.
McShane suggested amending agenda bill item A132004 -339, to add a
sentence to policy 2AA -24, "The County will not support incorporation unless a
legally binding agreement is reached."
Fleetwood stated there is some question of whether an agreement would be
legally binding. He moved to amend agenda bill item A132004 -339, to add a
sentence to policy 2AA -24, "The County will not support incorporation unless a
legally binding agreement is reached."
Goodwin stated she has to run these amendments by Senior Civil Deputy
Prosecutor Dave Grant to see if these two changes require a public hearing. The
committee can still vote to send the items to the concurrency meeting.
Motion to amend carried unanimously.
Motion to recommend items one through five to the full Council, with
amendments to AB2004 -339, carried unanimously.
Goodwin asked if staff may correct the name of Water District 10 wherever
necessary.
The committee concurred.
1. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE / WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, CHAPTER 2 — SUDDEN VALLEY PROVISIONAL URBAN GROWTH
AREA (AB2004 -339)
(Clerk's Note: See the above discussion.)
2. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, CHAPTER 2 — COLUMBIA VALLEY /KENDALL URBAN GROWTH
AREA (AB2004 -340)
(Clerk's Note: See the above discussion.)
Planning and Development Committee, 10/12/2004, 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.
3. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, CHAPTER 2 — LAND USE, CITY OF EVERSON URBAN GROWTH
AREA (AB2004 -343)
(Clerk's Note: See the above discussion.)
4. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, CHAPTER 2 — LAND USE, CITY OF NOOKSACK URBAN GROWTH
AREA (AB2004 -346)
(Clerk's Note: See the above discussion.)
S. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, CHAPTER 2 — LAND USE, CITY OF SUMAS URBAN GROWTH
AREA (AB2004 -347)
(Clerk's Note: See the above discussion.)
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Seth Fleetwood, Committee Chair
Planning and Development Committee, 10/12/2004, Page 5