HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning September 17 1996WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Planning and Development Committee
September 17, 1996
The meeting was called to order at 2:35 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:
Michael Knapp, Planning and Development Services
Elizabeth Sjostrom, Planning and Development Services
Tom Brown, Council Member
Barbara Brenner, Council Member
Ward Nelson, Council Member
Dan Gibson, Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Sandy Mackay, Attorney (working on the Comp Plan)
Terry Galvin, Planning Services
Bob Woods, Council Budget and Program Analyst
1. REVIEW OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
ENVIRONMENTAL/ECONOMIC 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.)
Starkenburg suggested Council members go through the Comp Plan chapters as
scheduled, handing their written comments to Sjostrom at the end of the sessions. The public
hearings will be held also as scheduled - -10/15 (the first four chapters), 10/22 (the next four
chapters), and 10/29 (Land Use /Capital Facilities). There may be another public hearing - -to be
scheduled at a later date - -and then a work session will be held.
Knapp stated both these chapters are very much related, and the economic chapter,
though not required, satisfied the required goal #5 of the Growth Management Act, "which
encourages economic development and economic opportunity for all citizens of the state"
(page 7 -1).
Sjostrom emphasized the importance of this chapter, as it provides the means and
direction of land use and facilities goals.
Planning Minutes, 9/17/96, Page 1
I Gibson noted Mackey was present to talk about more specific advice and direction on
2 legal issues regarding land use in relation to the Comp Plan and growth management.
4 Mackey briefly gave a personal background of his work. Topics discussed included:
5 impact fees and their alternatives; level of service goals relating to impact fees; amount of impact
6 fees collected; definition of and valid impact fees; schools as an entirely separate issue; and
7 development projects.
9 Concerns were expressed regarding the following: payment of site location for a
10 company; service- related jobs; rail service; enhancement of local job markets, as well as attracting
11 large companies and international trade; and including intermodal transfer and other
12 transportation/rail in the economic chapter.
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14 (Clerk's Note: A short break was taken.)
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16 The discussion then moved to the environment chapter. Knapp spoke to the balance
17 between economics and the environment.
18
19 Galvin pointed out the action items, page 11 -25. Topics discussed included: the
20 Environmental Task Force (ETF); the three components of this plan (water resources, natural
21 systems, and natural hazards); integration and future regulatory reform; funding, including new
22 revenue sources and unfunded mandates; wildlife management plans (page 11 -21, Policy
23 11 -4); inaccuracy of some of the attached maps; and property designated under the flood plain.
24 Several maps were reviewed (attached to the chapter).
25
26 Knapp suggested adding to page 11 -29, Water Resources, #18: "...through non -
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27 regulatory actions such as education, incentives, r3upp1petic, and
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28 technical/financial assistance."
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ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Recording Secretary
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Planning Minutes, 9/17/96, Page 2