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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning January 12 1993WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE January 12, 1993 The meeting was called to order at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 1000 N. Forest St., 2nd floor, by Dan Warner, senior member. Also present: Absent: Barbara Brenner, late Larry Harris HARRIS NOMINATED WARNER TO BE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. The motion carried unanimously. 1. DISCUSSION OF ARLECHO CREEK CLEARCUT ISSUE (AB92 -399) Topics discussed: Update; withdrawal of application; public attempting to buy; Lummi Nation involvement. Persons speaking: Gordon Scott, Planning; Harris. 2. CONSIDERATION OF REZONE AMENDING THE CHERRY POINT - FERNDALE SUBAREA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP FROM UR TO LI PARK AND THE OFFICIAL WC ZONING MAP FROM UR3 TO LII FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 ACRES (AB93 -005) Topics discussed: Map of the areas involved; summary and background; recommendation of Planning Department; lack of compatibility with surrounding uses, of predictable patterns of development, and of meeting utilization requirements; compatibility with light industrial because of noise, freeway, and railroad; cluster development and buffer increase; Growth Management Act requirements. Persons speaking: Jeff Griffin, Planning; Harris; Warner; Brenner; Dan Taylor, Planning Dept. John Friberg, 2628 Thornton Rd.: Half -owner of the property. Pointed out that the residential is the property that has been zoned out of compatibility. Friberg outlined the ways that this property meets the requirements for the LI zoning. He said his truck traffic would not be using the route through Ferndale and that the neighbor impact would be minimal because of the sparse population. He said this land is perfectly suited for light industrial, not for the residential for which it is presently zoned. HARRIS MOVED TO RECOMMEND SUPPORT OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO DENY THE REZONE. The motion carried unanimously. 3. CONSIDERATION OF PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION TO DENY COMP PLAN MAP AND ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FROM RURAL (R10A AND R5A) TO URBAN RESIDENTIAL (UR3) FOR APPROX. 565 ACRES TO GENERAL COMMERCIA (GC) FOR APPROX.15 ACRES IN THE URBAN FRINGE SUBAREA REQUESTED BY THE TRILLIUM CORP ON BEHALF OF CAITAC USA, PROPERTY OWNER (AB93 -004) Topics discussed: Summary and background; Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Cordata North; staff original recommendation to table the proposal until the Urban Fringe Subarea Plan is completed; current recommendation to deny; reasons for staff recommendation; future appropriateness of that development; consideration of this area in the Urban Fringe Subarea Plan; possibility of a hearing; infilling and room available; status of development if this area should be included in the urban fringe area; length of time an EIS is valid; timetable if Council doesn't have a hearing. Persons speaking: Carl Batchelor, Planning Dept.; Brenner; Taylor; Harris; Ken Henderson, Council member. BRENNER MOVED TO RECOMMEND COUNCIL HOLD THEIR OWN HEARING ON CORDATA NORTH. Jean Gorton, 1313 Commercial, Trillium Corp.: Requested that the Council hold a public hearing. The Planning Commission hearing was held in June; new information has come up since then, particularly concerning in -fill. This issue is closely related to the problems under consideration with Growth Management. She said that none of the positive support letters was kept in the background information portion of the file on Cordata North. Donna Macomber, POWRR member: Said that they feel enough material has been presented, but they would be happy to have another hearing. Darrell McClelland, 600 S. State St., #408: Said that the proposed project has been around for a long time. He pointed out that the number of houses in this project covers about 15 months' inventory in the needs of the housing industry. He pointed out the benefits to the community of this Planned Unit Development as contrasted to selling the property off in ten acre parcels, which is the current zoning. He pointed out that some numbers show that the room currently available for infilling is inadequate. The county needs about 100 new houses per month. Lloyd Austin, 1838 Lakeside Dr.: He said none of the plans he had seen had anything that looked like low cost housing. He pointed out the problems this development is facing with water requirements. Locating the needed water should be their first priority. Planning Minutes, 1112193, Page 2 Art Castle, 1301 Meador: Recommended having a hearing because of the benefits to those involved. There are some major policy decisions that need to be made, and this hearing would help sift through some of those. Phil Serka, 400 N. Commercial St.: This is such a major project that only by having a hearing could Council do justice to both the community and the issues involved. This will give assistance to identifying the issues Council will need to deal with under the final Growth Management Act decisions. He recommends having a hearing so that all parts of the issue could be aired. Kathy Beattie, 2106 Harris St.: If Council holds a public hearing, what is the purpose? If it's for Council information, that information is available for Council to read at this time. Bill Henshaw: 2653 N. Park Dr.: Pointed out the importance of citizen involvement- - it's a statement of policy by the Council. Commended Council for hearings held around the county. It is important that the information be aired fully and completely before any decisions are made. Brenner withdrew her motion to recommend a hearing, but she would like to see Cordata North dealt with when the Urban Fringe Subarea Plan is finished. Harris pointed out that this is nothing more than a rezone request. He pointed out the requirements for making a rezone; this one does not meet those criteria. It is project driven. HARRIS MOVED TO RECOMMEND SUPPORT OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO DENY THE REZONE. There was discussion on the difference between tabling the issue and denying at this time. Gorton reviewed the effects of Growth Management on the proposal, which had been made before Growth Management was adopted. Gorton said that she would like to see the Council be strong and take action after a hearing that aired the issues rather than doing it now, an action which would leave the project in limbo. The motion carried unanimously. 4. CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST TO AMEND CHERRY POINT - FERNDALE SUBAREA COMP PLAN AND OFFICIAL WC ZONING MAP FOR APPROX. 14 ACRES IN SECTION 5, TOWNSHIP 39 N, RANGE 2 E, FROM RURAL FIVE ACRES TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL (AB93 -419) Planning Minutes, 1112193, Page 3 This item was taken first. Topics discussed: Ordinance; whether or not to act on it in Committee; concern about water. Persons speaking: Taylor; Warner; Serka; Harris. 5. OTHER BUSINESS Taylor brought up a problem with the Forestry ordinance which Scott explained; the problem is with the reserve tract. Planning will be returning with a "housekeeping" amendment to clean up the ambiguity. Taylor discussed the next County -wide Planning Policies meeting at Sehome on the 28th and the format envisioned. After this meeting and compilation of the input, the next step would be a work session with the Council. The decisions would then be sent to the oversight committee and on to the cities. Vicki Mathison, Planning Dept., explained the formatting of the input from the last public meeting and the method of putting that together with the policies affected. Specific dates are being worked on, and Planning hopes that closure will be in March. Harris reviewed with Taylor the DNR's jurisdiction in surface mining matters since the Baker decision of December 28, 1992. Bob Woods, Budget Analyst, clarified the areas of DNR's jurisdiction and the County's jurisdiction. Land use regulations take precedence. Planning will look at current regulations in terms of the Baker decision. Taylor said he would be handing out schedules of rezones. Look for them in the mailboxes. The meeting was adjourned at 2:55 p.m. ATTEST: PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE /Fr Nan ohn, Assistant Clerk Dan Warner, Chairman Planning Minutes, 1112193, Page 4