HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning September 10 1996WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Planning and Development Committee
September 10, 1996
The meeting was called to order at 2:33 p.m. by Committee Chair Alvin Starkenburg in
the Council Committee Room, 311 Grand Avenue.
Also Present:
Marlene Dawson
Kathy Sutter
Absent:
None
Staff Present:
Gordon Rogers, Transportation Planning Manager, Council of Governments
Ed Henken, Engineering
Michael Knapp, Planning and Development Services
Elizabeth Sjostrom, Planning and Development Services
Mike Donahue, Public Works
Tom Brown, Council Member
Barbara Brenner, Council Member
Bob Woods, Council Budget and Program Analyst
Sue Blake, Water Resources
1. REVIEW OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
TRANSPORTATION/UTILITIES ELEMENTS (AB96 -051D) (The committee will be
accepting written public comment only. People wishing to speak to the Council on this
issue should plan to attend one of the three scheduled public hearings.)
Knapp gave a presentation on the background of the transportation chapter. Topics
discussed included: what might not be in compliance; what his department examined when the
Plan was reviewed; surveys completed as part of the record; and level of service.
Sjostrom addressed transportation issues, which included: what needs to be addressed;
level of service; where the County will be in the next 20 years; and impact fees. She stated
mobility should be added to the action plan (page 6 -16, #1).
Rogers also spoke on the background of the transportation chapter. He noted that the
focal points of the Plan included: the Citizens Committee, which created this document; JHK &
Assoc., the consultants who wrote the Plan under the department's guidance; and a traffic model
associated with the Plan.
Planning Minutes, 9/10/96, Page 1
I Henken commented on the level of service; and the State Department of Transportation
2 (DOT) service level C recommended for rural areas. He suggested moving the information on the
3 Whatcom Connector (page 6 -19) to the section on 20 -year improvements.
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5 A question and answer period followed. Rogers spoke in answer to a question regarding
6 level of service. He stated the state has stressed planning but is not providing funding. If the level
7 of service is increased, funding must be provided. State and county levels of service affect each
8 other. He defined "level of service" as volume times capacity, which is based on the number of
9 lanes.
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11 Other topics discussed included: development moratorium; funding for local roads and
12 improvements; high vs. low level of service; revisiting Capital Facilities annually; traffic modeling;
13 and levels of specific planning (goals; policies; and action plan).
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15 Starkenburg noted that impact fees would be discussed at a later time.
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17 Safety and mobility were then discussed, which included: bicycle facilities, funding and
18 plan; current road improvements and new construction need to meet proposed level of service;
19 and all border crossings.
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21 Knapp requested Council members write their suggestions and give them to Sjostrom.
22 Knapp noted that the Comp Plan will be passed by resolution, not an ordinance.
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24 Knapp then spoke on utilities, Chapter 5 (handouts on file). He briefly reviewed page 5-
25 13, Current Status and Future Needs of Water Purveyors Serving Proposed Urban Growth Areas.
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27 Rogers briefly gave background information on utilities (page 5 -1).
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29 Blake spoke to water resources and developing a coordinated water system plan. She
30 suggested all water policies be combined into one chapter.
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32 Other topics discussed included: the City of Nooksack; the definition of "rural levels of
33 service "; public water system and the Health regulations (page 5 -10); water conservation (page 5-
34 19, #7); action plan with the State Department of Ecology; and the role of utilities in the Comp
35 Plan.
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37 Lee Denke requested public notices as to date, time and subject.
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Planning Minutes, 9/10/96, Page 2
I ADJOURN
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3 The meeting was adjourned at
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6 'l
8 Jill Nixon, Recording Secretary
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10 ATTEST:
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16 avis, Counci Clerk
4:30 p.m.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Alvin Starken urg, ouncil Mem er
Planning Minutes, 9/10/96, Page 3