HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning October 8 19962
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Planning and Development Committee
October 8, 1996
The meeting was called to order at 2:30 p.m. by Committee Chair Alvin Starkenburg in
the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue.
Also Present:
Marlene Dawson
Kathy Sutter
Absent:
None
13 Staff Present:
14 Michael Knapp, Planning and Development Services
15 Elizabeth Sjostrom, Planning and Development Services
16 Sandy Mackey, Attorney
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18 REVIEW OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN/LAND
19 USE /CAPITAL FACILITIES ELEMENTS (AB96 -051D) (The committee will be
20 accepting written public comment only. People wishing to speak to the Council on this
21 issue should plan to attend one or more of the three scheduled public hearings).
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23 Starkenburg commented this chapter is a large one, encompasses many details and is
24 difficult to deal with (as far as numbers). Mackey has been working with staff.
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26 Knapp emphasized the current working process, which will take longer to move through
27 in order to be in compliance with the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB). He noted
28 the public also needs more time to comment. The first public hearing will be October 15. After
29 all hearings have been completed, work sessions will be scheduled (to be announced). Staff will
30 return to Council in January 1997 with revisions. He estimated the final public hearings would
31 take place by the end of January or February with a possible date of adoption in February. This
32 estimated schedule would allow everyone more time to address the issues in order to comply with
33 the GMHB.
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35 Sjostrom stated today's session would allow Council the.opportunity to obtain a good
36 understanding of the options with the Comprehensive Plan. The main goal is compliance with the
37 GMHB. She stated staff needed direction from Council on how to proceed with this.
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39 Mackey noted one of the major challenges for the GMHB is dealing with rural
40 communities. The challenges in the central areas are different from those of the rural areas. In
41 turn, each county is different from the other counties in the state. He cited several fundamental
42 issues: making conscious choices; awareness of the consequences of these choices; and consistent
43 choices with legislative criteria.
Planning Minutes, 10/8/96, Page 1
1 Topics discussed regarding Land Use included: urban and rural growth areas; completion
2 of a needs analysis; Capital Facilities Plan; city- related urban growth management boundaries;
3 sprawl prevention techniques; interlocal agreements; urban development /facilities; agricultural
4 lands /industry; current development pattern in rural areas; cost issues of density; consistency;
5 realistic assessment of areas; protection for incompatible uses of areas; community uniqueness;
6 the use of subareas as a decision - making tool; population of rural areas; concurrence as a
7 prerequisite to. development; moratorium regarding growth management; how to finance;
8 compliance with the GMHB; clustering with the density bonus; transfer of development rights
9 (TDRs); and incentives.
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11 Starkenburg noted that Chapter Four, Capital .Facilities, was not discussed due to time
12 limitations. He stated that Land Use will be revisited and Capital Facilities will. be dealt with at
13 the next Planning and Development Committee meeting (October 15).
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ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
ATTEST:
Bennett, Recording
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Alvin Starkenburg, Council emb r
Planning Minutes, 10/8/96, Page 2