HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works March 25 20031
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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
Public Works and Capital Projects Committee
March 25, 2003
The meeting was called to order at 1:30 p.m. by Committee Chair Barbara
Brenner in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
L. Ward Nelson None
Sam Crawford
Also Present:
Sharon Roy
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
Dan McShane
Seth Fleetwood
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
1. RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF TEA -21 REAUTHORIZATION BILL HIGH
PRIORITY TRANSPORTATION PROJECT TO EXTEND SKAGIT RIVER
BRIDGES TO PROTECT RAIL AND HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION
CORRIDORS DURING A FLOOD (AB2003 -125)
Brenner moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Crawford stated his only concern is whether this could take some regional
transportation dollars that would otherwise be earmarked for Whatcom County.
Nelson stated these grant monies are specifically for these projects.
Caskey- Schreiber asked if Skagit County has flood zone areas to take some
of the overflow. She asked why it has to be at Interstate 5. Their pro- business
reputation may cause problems by allowing development in the flood zone.
Brenner stated these are interstate highways. They are already there. She
would agree if it were a new road.
Caskey- Schreiber stated she would like to see the economic studies
referenced in the resolution. She will try to get her questions answered tonight.
Nelson stated the letter from Skagit County is asking for Whatcom County
support. They are trying to maintain existing corridors. They are all going to cross
the Skagit River. They are trying to find a mechanism to maintain the important
north -south corridors for rail and road. Whatcom County would also benefit from
Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 3/25/2003, 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.
it. The cost of putting in new infrastructure far outweighs the amounts proposed
for the funding sources.
Crawford stated he understands Councilmember Caskey- Schreiber's
concern. With their continued development over the years, Skagit County has
squished the river corridors closer and closer together. Councilmember Caskey-
Schreiber is saying that local decisions were made to create that scenario, and now
Skagit County is saying it is going to widen the corridor. He understands that
irony, but he understands the request for federal funds to do something that needs
to be done one way or another. It will benefit Whatcom County.
Brenner stated Whatcom County has done the same thing itself, it terms of
Canyon Creek. They keep finding new ways to do things better. She supports the
request.
Caskey- Schreiber stated the river does not now threaten the I -5 corridor.
They want the corridor improved to safely convey a 100 -year flood event past the
most populated parts of the flood plain. It's not about maintaining the I -5 corridor.
It's about not ending up in Burlington.
Brenner stated they also say that if the bridges aren't modified, the
floodwaters will take out the Burlington Northern bridge, shutting down the rail line
for weeks or months and jump the riverbanks upstream of Burlington to flood I -5.
Crawford asked if this request is to protect transportation infrastructure or to
change the transportation infrastructure to protect other lands by allowing more
water to go under the freeway.
McShane stated it is both. Skagit County has a broad flood plain that it is
working on. He's not familiar with the different alternatives. He's heard that an
overflow corridor proposal was rejected.
Brenner restated her motion.
Motion carried unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
Art Thomas, 2620 Island View, Lummi Island, stated the Lummi Island
Transportation Committee met with Public Works Director Jeff Monsen about
forthcoming issues. Mr. Monsen mentioned a capital cost of approximately
$100,000 for parking. Mr. Monsen said he would provide recommendations to the
Council about where those funds would come from.
Brenner stated the Council already authorized that piece of property to be
bought and used for parking. She asked why it keeps coming back. She will
Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 3/25/2003, 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.
request a presentation from the administration. She's doesn't want to revisit this
over and over if the County has already spent the money and bought the property.
Thomas stated there was discussion of rewriting the ordinance, which now allows
collection of money for operating costs, so it could allow collection money for
capital costs.
Brenner stated she doesn't want to spend any more tax money to buy
another property if they've already got a piece of property. Nothing has been
done.
Bill Lee, 2171 Tuttle Lane, Lummi Island, stated some of the reasons they
have been given for there not being progress on the parking lot on Lummi Island is
the neighbors. A Lummi Island Community Club sub - committee was told that
litigation might be an issue. In that discussion, sub - committee members
suggested looking at other alternatives if the County can't go ahead with this. One
sub - committee member came up with four other options, which were given to the
Public Works Department. Two months ago, Jeff Monsen informed the committee
that the department decided to go ahead and build on the property the County
already purchased. He asked Mr. Monsen if the other options were not
appropriate, but he never got an answer.
Brenner stated it's not about whether the options are appropriate. There
may be several appropriate pieces of property, but the County already spent
taxpayer money on this property. She doesn't know why this keeps coming up.
She understands some neighbors don't like it. Lee stated the broad view on the
island is that the parking needs to be built.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the issue is on hold. There is
lots of discussion going on with representatives of the community. There is still
some disagreement about its use, even though the County already bought the
property.
Brenner stated there is always some opposition when the County does
something. The property was purchased for this purpose. Now that it is
purchased, she doesn't understand why it is not being developed. She would
schedule this item at the next Public Works Committee meeting.
Bud Jewell, Centerview Road, stated one of the neighbors did object to the
parking lot development. The property is a wet piece of property, but that can be
solved. People have objected to the lights that would go up. However, the
property is on the inside curve, and it is in an ideal location. For sale signs have
been put up on the property.
Brenner stated she would like to also discuss at the next Public Works
Committee the notice she received about the West Smith Road development. She
found out that the County would put in sidewalks from the Ferndale city limits to
Northwest Road. Sidewalks will cost a lot of money and are a city service. She
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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.
asked why they are putting them on Smith Road. People in that area do not wish
to be a part of Ferndale. The County provided water and sewer instead of digging
a new well at that location. This is how they end up giving away County property
to the cities. She didn't object as much to the sewer and water, but now people on
Smith Road want to be annexed into Ferndale because they have to pay more for
those services now. It is not appropriate for the County to provide city -level
services. The area is not in the urban growth area.
Crawford stated the overall project was part of the six -year transportation
improvement plan.
Brenner stated she didn't remember seeing the sidewalks included in the
plan.
Nelson suggested getting the question to the Public Works Department to
find out what the policy is first.
Brenner stated she understood that it was an administrative decision. She'd
like to find out if this urban level of service is something the County does. The
cities don't pay back the County for those improvements.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 1:56 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
/X—E&i71
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Barbara Brenner, Committee Chair
Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, 3/25/2003, Page 4