HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil March 2 19931
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Regular Meeting
March 2, 1993
The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 1000 N. Forest
St., 2nd floor, by Marge Laidlaw, Chair.
Also present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner
Larry Harris
Ken Henderson
Bob Imhof
Dennis Vander Yacht
Dan Warner
READING AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the January 26 regular meeting and the January 28 and February 4
special meetings were approved with minor changes.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY ROLAND MIDDLETON, WHATCOM COUNTY
BUILDING AND CODES SEPA OFFICIAL.
Topics discussed: Purpose of SEPA; categoric exemptions from SEPA; two thresholds
of exemptions; SEPA not a land use regulation, but actually an investigative and regulatory
tool for decision makers; which ordinances are not under SEPA review; regulations on land
use or environment must go through SEPA review; elimination of last minute fixes; the
possibility that some ordinances adopted by the Council have needed, but not received
SEPA review; contracting with outside parties to do the EIS, scope of SEPA; threshold
determination and methods for public appeal; SEPA only has regulation over jurisdiction;
appeal avenue for SEPA determination.
Speakers: Middleton; Harris; Warner; Brenner; Laidlaw; Henderson; Nate Brown,
Manager, Building and Codes.
HEARINGS
1. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF COUNTY -OWNED
PROPERTY AND COUNTY TAX TITLE PROPERTY, REQUEST #75
(AB93 -045A)
Laidlaw opened the public hearing.
1 Hearing no one, Laidlaw closed the public hearing.
There was discussion of the possibility of some of the parcels being sold being in the
Lake Whatcom Watershed. Barb Cory stated that two of the parcels are in the watershed,
but are very small strips of land.
WARNER MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
The motion carried unanimously.
OTHER ITEMS
1. COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES (AB92 -080)
Planning Director Dan Taylor began the discussion.
HARRIS MOVED TO STRIKE THE WORD "GENERALLY" FROM PAGE 3,
NUMBER 4, LINE 1.
The motion carried unanimously.
WARNER MOVED TO CHANGE THE WORD "INCLUDING" TO "SUCH AS"
ON PAGE 1, NUMBER 6, LINE 1.
The motion carried unanimously.
HENDERSON MOVED TO CHANGE PAGE 3, NUMBER 13, LINE 1 TO READ
"CITY SIB SHALL ENCOURAGE...."
Motion failed 1 -7, with Henderson in favor.
LAIDLAW MOVED TO STRIKE THE WORD "WATER" FROM PAGE 4,
ALTERNATIVE 2, LINE 6.
The motion carried 6 -1, with Imhof opposed.
LAIDLAW MOVED TO CHANGE THE TITLE OF LETTER K, PAGE 8 TO
READ, "WATER QUALITY %KMX ."
The motion carried unanimously.
There was discussion on the development of an interjurisdictional economic impact
analysis model.
Council Minutes, 312193, Page 2
1 WARNER MOVED TO CHANGE LINE 3, LETTER L, PAGE 9 TO READ, "...BE
DEVELOPED AM ' ' ' ' TEL
::::::::::::::.........:::::......:::::...:......::......................:::.:..:..:: ...::...:...:..................
3
4 The motion carried unanimously.
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6 There was discussion on annexations.
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8 The Glossary was discussed.
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10 There was discussion on the need to define the urban fringe sub -area plan.
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12 HARRIS MOVED TO DEFINE THE URBAN FRINGE SUB -AREA PLAN AS
13 THE PORTION OF THE COUNTY IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF BELLINGHAM'S
14 SUBURBAN GROWTH. IT IS A PLAN DESIGNATING THE INTERFACE BETWEEN
15 URBAN AND RURAL LAND USES. SOME PART OF THE URBAN FRINGE AREA
16 MAY BE INCLUDED IN AN URBAN GROWTH AREA.
17
18 The motion carried unanimously.
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20 The issue of population growth discussed. Dan Taylor stated that this issue was
21 brought up at the last work session, but there was not enough time to work on it. He
22 referred to a memo submitted to the Council on February 25 (on file, AB92 -080) which
23 contains a revision to B(6), Urban Growth Areas and Urban Versus Rural Distinctions, that
I may correct the problem and clarify the intent.
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26 WARNER MOVED TO AMEND B(6) TO REFLECT THE FOLLOWING
27 WORDING FROM DAN TAYLOR'S MEMO:
28
29 As required by RCW 36.70.110, 20 -year Office of Financial Management
30 population projections for Whatcom County shall be accommodated in Urban
31 Growth Areas. The projection for year 2012 is a county -wide population of
32 174,399. A consultant study and local expertise leads to a conclusion that a
33 population of 189,100 by the year 2010 is more probable. Whatcom County's
34 1992 population is 137,100; therefore, and increase of 52,000 people in the
35 next 18 -20 years is anticipated.
36
37 To avoid tightening the urban land supply and rising housing costs, the county
38 and cities shall use the 189,100 projection as the planned projection and shall
39 provide urban growth boundaries that accommodate a growth at least 50%
40 greater than anticipated. The growth boundaries therefore should provide a
41 land base that accommodates 215,100 people [137,100 + (52,000 x 150 %)].
42 it is recognized that a portion of the 20 -year population growth will occur
43 outside the Urban Growth Areas, since people will continue to make choices
44
Council Minutes, 312193, Page 3
to live in rural areas of the county. This will provide an additional safety
factor in terms of land supply.
The adequate of the developable urban land supply shall be evaluated at least
every five years and adjusted accordingly to accommodate actual population
growth and development patterns and to ensure we are not creating an
excessive land base contributing to sprawl.
Henderson made a friendly amendment to Warner's motion to change the wording
..::.;.:;:
111,11 in the last paragraph to read "....evaluated at least every five 111.10 years....."
Warner accepted the friendly amendment.
Warner's motion carried unanimously.
BRENNER MOVED TO AMEND SECTION D ON PAGE 5 BY ADDING A
NUMBER 9 WHICH READS AS FOLLOWS: "EACH JURISDICTION SHOULD
EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR PROVIDING SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS., SECTION
D, UNDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH A NEW NUMBER."
The motion carried unanimously.
WARNER MOVED TO REFER THE POLICIES AS AMENDED TO THE
CITIES FOR REVIEW.
The motion carried.
There was discussion on whether the Council still wants to have a March 11 meeting
on the Capital Facilities Plan and the possibility of a need for an interim plan.
WARNER MOVED TO DELETE THE MARCH 11 MEETING.
There was discussion on the motion.
The motion carried with Harris, Brenner and Henderson opposed.
Brenner suggested using that time for a Planning and Development Committee
meeting; the Council deferred to the Committee Chair to make that decision in conjunction
with staff.
2. NOMINATION AND POSSIBLE APPOINTMENT TO OPEN SPACE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AB93 -064)
Council Minutes, 312193, Page 4
1 IMHOF MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND NOMINATE AND APPOINT
IN ONE EVENING.
3
4 The motion carried unanimously.
5
6 IMHOF MOVED TO NOMINATE AND APPOINT THE ONLY APPLICANT,
7 ALVIN VAN DALEN, TO THE OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
8
9 The motion carried unanimously.
10
11 REPORTS AND OTHER ITEMS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS
12
13 Harris reported that it was recommended to the Washington Environmental Council
14 this afternoon that they take up the referendum on the Critical Areas Ordinance (92 -058E)
15 decide whether or not they would support the Council on a pro bona basis, providing legal
16 counsel. Harris will report to Council members as soon as he hears, probably tomorrow.
17
18 Brenner spoke about a meeting she attended with the affordable housing ad hoc
19 committee today. The topic of discussion was the issue of accessory units. Brenner said she
20 will be bringing forth a draft ordinance on this issue.
21
22 Laidlaw reported that the County Auditor has told her of a State law which limits the
23 maximum voter registrations for a precinct to 900. Several Whatcom County precincts are
4 approaching that, so the Auditor will be bringing a request to Council to increase the
1,5 number of precincts in the county to allow for growth. She also reported that WTA has one
26 singular driver who has racked up 525,000 miles without an accident; he's Jeff Fox, the
27 organist at the Mt. Baker Theater.
28
29 Imhof spoke to the RECOMP issues addressed at the Public Services meeting last
30 Tuesday evening. He said he has lots of information, so if Council members have questions
31 or curiosity, see him. He also said that the co- generation plant at GP should be fired up in
32 the next two to three weeks for testing; anyone who would like to take a tour, contact
33 Imhof. He also reported that both Trojan and Puget Power are applying for waivers so they
34 can be authorized to burn oil for up to forty days should their natural gas supply be cut off
35 for some reason.
36
37 Henderson spoke to the coordination of economic development in Whatcom County
38 and future meetings of representatives of the Port, the Cities, the County Executive, and the
39 Council which any Council member can attend if interested. He reported that the question
40 of Blaine's participation in the WTA is still "up in the air'; no one can get to Blaine by bus
41 yet. He also said that Northwest Regional Council's contract is coming up in mid -April and
42 he will schedule the ad hoc committee meeting on a Council meeting day in mid -April to
43 review the contract.
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Council Minutes, 312193, Page 5
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Imhof stated that he would like to see the Council reconsider the Intermodal project,
CUSTER rezone; he would prefer to have it done as a contract rezone where Council has
a lot of input into what can be done rather than having it pushed through and enlarged
another way. He asked Council members to read the recent article in the Herald regarding
transportation. Laidlaw asked the Attorney if the Council could reconsider after a case has
been filed in Superior Court. Gibson stated that he did not feel that the Council could
discuss this if it has been filed.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
1. SUMAS MOUNTAIN APPEAL (AB92 -003A)
WARNER MOVED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The motion carried unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned into Executive Session at 8:50 p.m.
The meeting was called to order after Executive Session at 9:15 p.m.
HARRIS MOVED THAT THE COUNCIL RECONSIDER ITS DECISION
REGARDING JOINING THE APPEAL OF THE FRIENDS OF SUMAS MOUNTAIN
VS. THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
There was discussion on the motion.
The motion failed 3 -4, with Harris, Brenner, and Laidlaw in favor.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
ATTEST:
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Marge idlaw, Chair
Council Minutes, 312193, Page 6