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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council February 9 1989r WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING IN POINT ROBERTS February 9, 1989 The meeting was called to order at 7 :15 p.m. by Vice-Chairman Dan Warner, with Council members Emily Jackson, Tom Burton, Corky Johnson, Will Roehl, and Mary Vanderpol present; Chairman Hansey arrived at about 7 :30, but did not take the gavel from Warner until about 8 :45, following a short recess. Public hearings on the following two items were opened simultaneously by Warner, since discussion of both was likely to overlap. The Council's Clerk had distributed a note informing Council, of its options (attached). It was noted by counsel that the conditional use ordinance could not be acted upon immediately after the public hearing, because a special meeting notice must note the type of action that will take place at the meeting; although consideration is implied after public hearings in regular meetings, at a special meeting the agenda needs to specifically state that an item will be considered after a public hearing. Emergency ordinance instituting a 30 -day moratorium on gas stations in Point Roberts and Ordinance establishing gas stations as a conditional use in Point Roberts John L. Medbury 1926 Cliff Road Said he doesn't want urban sprawl, although urbanization of some sort is inevitable. County shouldn't sacrifice the area to profiteers, residents' needs should be considered first. Anne Medbury 1926 Cliff Road Liked the natural setting of Point Roberts; doesn't want it destroyed. Valerie Loreen Point Roberts Wants moratorium continued until area's comprehensive plan is in place. Martin Keeley Point Roberts Urged more careful emergency planning for the area, said fire department is inadequate in the event of a gas explosion or other related emergency. Said tourism trade could drop off if strip development occurs. Lola Loreen Point Roberts Chose to live in Point Roberts in spite of inconvenience, because like natural beauty. Asked for no more gas stations until comp plan completed. Marie Burns Point Roberts A U.S. resident; favored moratorium. Minutes, 2/9/89, Page 2 Ruby White 1783 Edwards Drive Point Roberts probably has more taverns than the local residents need; is no Justification to limit their existence, same as with gas stations. Following that sort of logic, Bellis Fair shouldn't be in Bellingham. Traffic problems won't be solved with a moratorium. Paul Ramport Tswassen, B. C. Represented Tswassen Property Owners Association; said traffic to Point Roberts is a problem for B.C., as well. Supported any move that would reduce traffic through Point Roberts. Bob Tull Bellingham Attorney Represented the anti-moratorium faction. Presented a petition urging Council to reject the moratorium. Said emergency moratoriums are an inappropriate tool to deal with Point Roberts' problems. Syd Wallace Point Roberts Spoke at length about the issue, listing relative statistics, etc. Said County revenues could be hurt by a moratorium, Point Roberts will never be self-supporting if such things continue. Hinted that the area may eventually become incorporated. More gas stations don't mean more traffic; border is saturated at its present level. Bob Tull Went through the proposed conditional use ordinance, suggesting changes to its content. He said Point Roberts should not be singled out, that the same standards and restrictions should be applied to other areas of the county. Jackson asked if people understand what they were signing when Tull's petition was circulated? Did they have accurate information about the issue? Tull said he assumed that most people got their informatlon from the press. Russ Allinson Point Roberts Showed a video tape of traffic in Point Roberts. Said people behind the moratorium are not anti - development. The meeting was recessed briefly, until 8:38 p.m. Chairman Hansey led the remainder of the meeting. Hansey explained that the Council could act on the 30 -day moratorium, extending it for 60 -days if it wanted. Pamela Coreya (name inaudible; didn't sign in) Point Roberts Said the one-year moratorium isn't legal. She is a real estate agent. (inaudible name, and no record because of tape flip) Said more and more permanent residents are coming to Point Roberts. Minutes, 2/9/89, Page 3 Ken Etler (name inaudible; didn't sign in) Point Roberts Said people over 50 are behind the moratorium, that young people need the Jobs generated by gas stations in order to make a living in Point Roberts. Stephanie Loss (name inaudible; didn't sign in) Point Roberts Said the issue is human life; doesn't know if health, safety and welfare of residents will be protected if gas stations allowed to proliferate. Urged the temporary moratorium be extended so the county has time to consider this. Donna Dawn (name inaudible; didn't sign in) Point Roberts Doesn't want row upon row of gas stations. John Liefring Dogwood Way Urged Council to have some fortitude, and institute the moratorium. Adriana Bettis Point Roberts Said she isn't anti-development, Just realistic; more gas stations aren't needed at Point Roberts. Jack Fraser Point Roberts is a fireman. Said no pro-moratorlum folks have been to any fire district meetings. If more residents Joined the fire department, could be better prepared for an emergency. Defended the department's record. Frank Peltier 54 Peltier Drive Said young people leave rapidly because there is no development at Point Roberts. Called them an endangered species. Said it's okay to put a lid on gas stations, but don't stop all development. Claudette Upton Point Roberts Agreed with Peltier and Fraser. Supports moratorium. Have been told by county's emergency services that no disaster plan is in place for the Point. Said traffic has increased by 40 percent in the past two years. Stafford Smith Bellingham Attorney Represented the Point Roberts Taxpayers Association. Said development should continue, but options should be preserved so that the development is beneficial. Said Tull's arguments that free market will prevail are not valid; also, special considerations or restrictions can be in place for Point Roberts because it is a unique part of the County. Distributed a letter talking about changes to the ordinances proposed. Sylvia Schronberg Point Roberts Minutes, 2/9/89, Page 4 Favors the moratorium. Hansey closed the two public hearings. He noted that five votes (2/3 of the Council) would be needed to pass the emergency ordinance. ROEHL MOVED TO ADOPT THE EMERGENCY ORDINANCE IMPOSING A 30 -DAY MORATORIUM. Roehi said that Point Roberts is unique; a moratorium is not the death knell of growth and development. Said if the goal is to establish Point Roberts as a resort area, he didn't think a proliferation of gas stations Would be a good contribution. He said residents don't want their kids to grow up to work at gas stations; higher quality development and Jobs are needed. WARNER MOVED TO AMEND THE EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO IMPOSE A 45 -DAY MORATORIUM. Warner said that quality of fife is the most important consideration, and that gas stations would ruin that. Motion carried to amend the ordinance. Jackson said she supported the moratorium because it supports the community and not individual developers. Johnson said he supported the moratorium, and that he didn't expect it would hamper residents' lifestyles. Vanderpol said he supported the moratorium as well, although it would not always be the best course of action because it steps on free enterprise. Because Point Roberts is unique, however, a short moratorium would be acceptable. Said he didn't support the conditional use idea. Hansey said he would vote against the emergency ordinance, as he did the first one. Using emergency powers to implement land use zoning is improper. He said a 45 -day moratorium won't help Point Roberts' problems of too many gas stations. it would be economically unfeasible for any more gas stations to be built, anyway. Burton said he was troubied by the moratorium, but had decided to support it. Point Roberts has been and always will be threatened because of its proximity to the Canadian border. It is not a free enterprise situation, it is one of opportunism. Forty-five days will give Council a chance to address the issue. Motion carried 6 -1, with Hansey in opposition. Johnson moved that the meeting be adjourned. The meeting was adjourned at 10 :05 p.m. ATTEST: Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk WHATCOM COUNT WHATCOM COUNT nal d G n Motion carried. CIL HiN ON Chairman