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Home My WebLink AboutCommittee of the Whole September 11 1991WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE September 11, 1991 The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 1000 N. Forest St., by Council Chairman Dan Warner. Not present at this time but arriving shortly after the meeting's start were Council Members Marge Laidlaw, Emily Jackson and Bob Imhof. DEVELOPING A PROCESS AND FRAMEWORK FOR COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICY(AB91- 315 ) This meeting was called by the County Legislative authority within the time line specified by the Growth Management Act (SHB 1025, 1991 session). Representatives of most governmental agencies within the County's boundaries were invited to attend (see attendance list Exhibit A). The meeting's purpose was to initiate the collaborative process that will provide the framework for the adoption of county -wide planning policies. Introductory comments were made by Executive Shirley Van Zanten. The meeting was led by Planning Director Dan Taylor, with discussion centered around the documents provided at the meeting by Taylor (see Exhibit B). The results are outlined in Exhibit C. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. ATTEST: �f Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk RR:sc \,am\c0tW.911 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON A Daniel M. Warner, Chairman EXHIBIT A to Don Bauthues Meridian School District 214 W. Laurel Rd. Bellingham, WA 98226 Louise Bjornsen Bellingham City Council 210 Lottie Bellingham, WA 98226 Bill Boulton Mt. Baker School District P.O. Box 95 Deming, WA 98244 Jim Cumberland KGMI 2219 Yew St. Bellingham, WA 98226 Tim Douglas City of Bellingham 210 Lottie Bellingham, WA'98225 Shirley Forslof Whatcom County Auditor P.O. Box 398 Bellingham, WA 98225 Sylvia Goodwin City of Blaine P.O. Box 490 Blaine, WA 98230 Ed Griemsmann Port Of Bellingham 625 Cornwall Bellingham, WA 98225 Bill Hager Port of Bellingham 625 Cornwall Bellingham, WA 98225 Larry Harris Whatcom County Planning Commission 6375 Eastwood Rd. Deming, WA 98244 9/11/91 Minutes Dave Bell Fourth Corner Economic Devel. Group P.O. Box 2803 Bellingham, WA 98227 Mary Bott City of Everson P.O. Box 434 Everson, WA 98247 Bob Carmichael Whatcom County Prosecutors Office 322 W. Commercial Bellingham, WA 98225 Patricia Decker City of Bellingham 210 Lottie Bellingham, WA 98225 Pat Floyd City of Blaine P.O. Box 490 Blaine, WA 98230 Don Gischer Bellingham City Council 210 Lottie Bellingham, WA 98225 Rick Gordon Whatcom Transportation Authority 2200 Nevada Bellingham, WA 98225 Gloria Hagen Blaine City Council P.O. Box 490 Blaine, WA 98230 Arne Hanna City of Bellingham 210 Lottie Bellingham, WA 98225 Ken Henderson Ciy of Bellingham Planning Commiss. 210 Lottie Bellingham, WA 98225 Bob Imhof Walter Issac Whatcom County Council City of Lynden 1000 N. Forest, Suite 203 323 Front St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Lynden, WA 98264 Emily Jackson Whatcom County Council 1000 N. Forest, Suite 203 Bellingham, WA 98225 Annie Jordan City of Ferndale P.O. Box 936 Ferndale, WA 98248 Matt Legerway City of Everson P.O. Box 315 Everson, WA 98247 Vickie Matheson Nooksack /Everson 109 N. 34th St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Martin Minkoff Whatcom Transportation Authority 2200 Nevada Bellingham, WA 98225 Mike Quinn City of Sumas P.O. Box 67 Sumas, WA 98295 Jay Taber Whatcom County Trails Committee 1212 Raymond Bellingham, WA 98225 Dave Tjoelker City of Everson P.O. Box 513 Everson, WA 98247 Alma Wagner City of Blaine 1441 Runge Ave. Blaine, WA 98230 Keith Willnauer Whatcom County Assessor 311 Grand Avenue Bellingham, WA 98225 Bob Woods Whatcom County Council Analyst 1000 N. Forest, Suite 203 Bellingham, WA 98225 Gary Jefferis Bellingham School District P.O. Box 878 Bellingham, WA 98225 Marge Laidlaw Whatcom County Council 1000 N. Forest Suite 203 Bellingham, WA 98225 Egbert Mass City of Lynden 401 BC Avenue Lynden, WA 98264 Dave McEachran Whatcom County Prosecutor 311 Grand Ave. Bellingham, WA 98225 Leo Mullen Bellingham Herald 1155 N. State St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Joann Smith City of Bellingham Planning Dept. 210 Lottie St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Dan Taylor Whatcom County Planning Department 284 W. Kellogg Rd., Suite B Bellingham, WA 98226 Shirley Van Zanten Whatcom County Executive 311 Grand Avenue Bellingham, WA 98225 Dan Warner Whatcom County Council 1000 N. Forest, Suite 203 Bellingham, WA 98225 Sharon Wolf Boundary Review Board 1800 James Bellingham, WA 98225 EXHIBIT B to 9/11/91 Minutes SECTION 2, SHB 1025 COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES SUMMARY OF INTENT STATEMENT * ** THE LEGISLATURE RECOGNIZES THAT COUNTIES ARE REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARIES, AND CITIES ARE PRIMARY PROVIDERS OF URBAN GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES WITHIN URBAN GROWTH AREAS. * ** A "COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICY' IS A WRITTEN POLICY STATEMENT OR STATEMENTS USED SOLELY FOR ESTABLISHING A COUNTY -WIDE FRAMEWORK FROM WHICH COUNTY AND CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLANS ARE DEVELOPED AND ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER. * ** THIS FRAMEWORK SHALL ENSURE THAT CITY AND COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLANS ARE CONSISTENT AS REQUIRED IN RCW 36.70A.100. R. C. W. 36.70A.100 COMPREHENSIVE PLANS- -MUST BE COORDINATED THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF EACH COUNTY OR CITY THAT IS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO R.C.W. 36.70A.040 SHALL BE COORDINATED WITH, AND CONSISTENT WITH, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO R.C.W. 36.70A.040 OF OTHER COUNTIES OR CITIES WITH WHICH THE COUNTY OR CITY HAS, IN PART, COMMON BORDERS OR RELATED REGIONAL ISSUES. * ** NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO ALTER THE LAND -USE POWERS OF CITIES. SECTION 2 SHB 1025 COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES GENERAL REQUIREMENTS * WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE ACT, THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY MUST CONVENE A MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF CITIES TO ESTABLISH A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS THAT WILL PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK FOR ADOPTION OF THE COUNTY PLANNING POLICY. * THE FRAMEWORK WILL DETERMINE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE COUNTY AND CITIES AGREE TO ALL PROCEDURES AND PROVISIONS INCLUDING: - DESIRED PLANNING POLICIES - DEADLINES - RATIFICATION OF FINAL AGREEMENTS AND DEMONSTRATION THEREOF - FINANCING (IF ANY) OF ALL ACTIVITIES * AGREEMENT MUST BE REACHED BY OCTOBER 1, 1991 TO AVOID INTERVENTION AND /OR SANCTIONS FROM THE GOVERNOR * BY JULY 1, 1992, THE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY SHALL ADOPT A COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICY * FEDERAL AGENCIES AND INDIAN TRIBES MAY PARTICIPATE IN AND COOPERATE WITH COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICY ADOPTION PROCESS. * A SANCTION OR SANCTIONS MAY RESULT FROM FAILURE TO ADOPT COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICY THAT MEET REQUIREMENTS AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 26 OF THIS ACT. * CITIES AND THE GOVERNOR MAY APPEAL AN ADOPTED COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICY TO THE GROWTH PLANNING HEARINGS BOARD WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICY. * POPULATED COUNTIES WITH CONTIGUOUS URBAN AREAS MUST ADOPT MULTI - COUNTY PLANNING POLICIES. OTHER COUNTIES MAY ADOPT THESE POLICIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEVELOPED PROCESS. SECTION 2 SHB 1025 COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 1. POLICIES TO IMPLEMENT R.C.W. 36.70A.110 (i.e. URBAN GROWTH AREAS) 2. POLICIES FOR PROMOTION OF CONTIGUOUS AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT AND PROVISION OF URBAN SERVICES TO SUCH DEVELOPMENT 3. POLICIES FOR SITING PUBLIC CAPITAL FACILITIES OF A COUNTY- WIDE OR STATE -WIDE NATURE 4. POLICIES FOR COUNTY -WIDE TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND STRATEGIES 5. POLICIES THAT CONSIDER THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SUCH AS HOUSING FOR ALL ECONOMIC SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION AND PARAMETERS FOR ITS DISTRIBUTION 6. POLICIES FOR JOINT COUNTYAND CITY PLANNING WITHIN URBAN GROWTH AREAS 7. POLICIES FOR COUNTY -WIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT 8. AN ANALYSIS OF THE FISCAL IMPACT R.C.W. 36.70A.110 COMPREHENSIVE PLANS -URBAN GROWTH AREAS 1. EACH COUNTY THAT IS REQUIRED TO ADOPT A COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN UNDER R.C.W. 36.70A.040 SHALL DESIGNATE AN URBAN GROWTH AREA OR AREAS WITHIN WHICH URBAN GROWTH SHALL BE ENCOURAGED AND OUTSIDE OF WHICH GROWTH CAN OCCUR ONLY IF IT IS NOT URBAN IN NATURE. EACH CITY LOCATED IN SUCH A COUNTY SHALL BE INCLUDED WITHIN AN URBAN GROWTH AREA. AN URBAN GROWTH AREA MAY INCLUDE MORE THAN A SINGLE CITY. AN URBAN GROWTH AREA MAY INCLUDE TERRITORY THAT IS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF A CITY ONLY IF SUCH TERRITORY ALREADY IS CHARACTERIZED BY URBAN GROWTH OR IS ADJACENT TO TERRITORY ALREADY CHARACTERIZED BY URBAN GROWTH. 2. BASED UPON THE POPULATION FORECAST MADE FOR THE COUNTY BY THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, THE URBAN GROWTH AREAS IN THE COUNTY SHALL INCLUDE AREAS AND DENSITIES SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT THE URBAN GROWTH THAT IS PROJECTED TO OCCUR IN THE COUNTY FOR THE SUCCEEDING TWENTY -YEAR PERIOD. EACH URBAN GROWTH AREA SHALL PERMIT URBAN DENSITIES AND SHALL INCLUDE GREENBELT AND OPEN SPACE AREAS. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF JULY 1, 1990, EACH COUNTY REQUIRED TO DESIGNATE URBAN GROWTH AREAS SHALL BEGIN CONSULTING WITH EACH CITY LOCATED WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES AND EACH CITY SHALL PROPOSE THE LOCATION OF AN URBAN GROWTH AREA. THE COUNTY SHALL ATTEMPT TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH EACH CITY ON THE LOCATION OF AN URBAN GROWTH AREA WITHIN WHICH THE CITY IS LOCATED. IF AGREEMENT IS NOT REACHED, THE COUNTY SHALL JUSTIFY ITS POSITION IN WRITING. THE CITY MAY OBJECT. WHEN APPROPRIATE, DCD SHALL ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICTS, INCLUDING THE USE OF MEDIATION SERVICES. 3. URBAN GROWTH SHOULD BE LOCATED FIRST IN AREAS ALREADY CHARACTERIZED BY URBAN GROWTH THAT HAVE EXISTING PUBLIC FACILITY AND SERVICE CAPACITIES TO SERVE SUCH DEVELOPMENT, AND SECOND IN AREAS ALREADY CHARACTERIZED BY URBAN GROWTH THAT WILL BE SERVED BY A COMBINATION OF BOTH EXISTING PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES AND ANY ADDITIONAL NEEDED PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY EITHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SOURCES. IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT URBAN GOVERNMENT SERVICES BE PROVIDED BY CITIES, AND URBAN GOVERNMENT SERVICES SHOULD NOT BE PROVIDED IN RURAL AREAS. GROWTH MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ON A PROCESS AND SCHEDULE TO ADOPT COUNTY -WIDE PLANNING POLICIES BY JULY 13 1992 Mid - October The Oversight Committee, using subcommittees as desired or necessary, will develop a first draft or at least a detailed outline and issues paper. Late October Presentation at Council of Governments full Council's dinner meeting for overview and informal feedback. (Copies would also be made available for each elected official for individual feedback if unable to attend meeting). December 15 Oversight Committee refines /or completes draft and submits to each jurisdiction by Thanksgiving if possible, but by December 15 at the latest. January 30 Planning Commissions of each jurisdiction hold hearings and make recommendations to their Councils. Early March Oversight Committee reviews all recommendations from Commissions and develops an overall recommendation. Mid -March Presentation at Council of Governments full Council's dinner meeting for final overview and recommendation. Mid -May Oversight Committee makes changes in accordance with suggestions of COG's full Council and submits to each jurisdiction. Mid -June Councils of each jurisdiction review their Planning Commission recommendations and final recommendation from Oversight Committee and Council of Governments full Council, adopt policies, and forward to County Council. (Hearings at Council level for each City optional). Last Week June Whatcom County Council holds final hearing and adopts proposed County- wide planning policies and submits to the Department of Community Development. Tribes participate in the process to the degree desired through any or all of the following: - the Oversight Committee - COG full Council - Tribal hearings This process presupposes a strong public education effort running parallel. Major, formal public input is designed to come at the Planning Commissions hearing stage and,, informally, throughout the process. Any changes made after Council hearings will have to be minor or final product will not represent consensus of all jurisdictions. EXHIBIT C to 9/11/91 Minutes Growth Management Meeting 09 /11/91 Flip Charts Recap - Page 1 Schedules: - City Final Plans Before June - County Should Review EARLY June - Possible Schedule: 1) JAN - Planning Commission Meetings 2) FEB - Council Discussions 3) MAR - Councils /C.O.G. Dinner Meeting 4) MAY - Councils Public Hearings 5) JUN - County Council Public Hearings Things to Consider: - Joint City Council /Planning Commission Meetings - Town Hall Meetings - County Wide Policies Developed Should Be Broad - Organizations Can Have Varied Processes Within Common Milestones - By Late JAN Cities /Commissions Should Have A Basic Plan - Criteria of Various Boundaries Must Be 'Tight" By July Oversight Committeee - Will Put Together The Initial Proposal(s) - Will Have Planning Department Staff Support - Will Correlate & Refine Data /Proposals - S.E.P.A. Will Be Coordinated Through Planning Staff - Will Prepare Information For The Public - Will Maintain Mailing Lists To Disseminate Drafts/Info Members Should Include: - County - Cities - School Districts - Port - Special Districts - Tribes * * The Oversight Committee Should Be At C.O.G. Dinner Growth Management Meeting 09/11/91 Flip Charts Recap - Page 2 Oversight Committee Contd.... - Everybody Is Responsibles For The Costs Of Their Consultants /Staff - County will'Trime The Pump" For the Oversight Committee But Expects All Share - We Should Try To Avoid Hiring Consultants Issues That Will Come Up: - Money /Costs - Ground Water - Natural Resource Protection - The Overall "Look" Of The County - Alternatives To Roads /Road Building - Inter- Agency Coordination & Cooperation - Shifting Economic Development To Smaller Cities - Preventing Strip Development = "No More Federal Way's" - "Go Cougars" - Water Planning Coordination Between County & Cities - Citizen Support Of Effort - Power Outages - Active Media information Campaign