HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources June 23 20151 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Natural Resources Committee
3
4 June 23, 2015
5
6 CALL TO ORDER
7
8 Committee Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. in the
9 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
10
11
12 ROLL CALL
13
14 Present: Barry Buchanan, Carl Weimer, Satpal Sidhu
15 Absent: None
16 Also Present: Barbara Brenner and Pete Kremen
17
18
19 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
20
21 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING A PROPOSED ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING
22 WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 2.118, CREATING A WILDLIFE ADVISORY
23 COMMITTEE (AB2015 -175)
24
25 Sidhu moved to recommend introduction.
26
27 Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department, answered
28 questions.
29
30 The committee discussed staffing requirements; funding from the conservation
31 futures fund; creating the advisory committee temporarily for review of the Comprehensive
32 Plan instead of being an ongoing committee; including a sunset date in the ordinance and
33 reevaluating the need for the advisory committee at the sunset date, and; what the
34 advisory committee can accomplish before the 2016 Comprehensive Plan update.
35
36 Sidhu moved to add a Whereas statement to make this committee temporary and
37 reevaluate at the end of the term whether to extend or make the committee permanent.
38 Sunset the committee one year after this ordinance is created.
39
40 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
41 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, and Sidhu (3)
42 Nays: None (0)
43
44 Buchanan submitted a substitute ordinance (on file) and moved to amend
45 paragraph B in the function statement according to his substitute. Delete section
46 2.118.030(B), add the two new Whereas statements, and renumber:
47
48 "WHEREAS, the County Council acknowledges the community has finite resources
49 requiring good fiscal and environmental stewardship, and the community would benefit from
50 achievable wildlife management recommendations, and;
51
52 WHEREAS, the County Council recognizes people are part of the landscape and
53 within a watershed diverse uses interact and depend on limited resources, requiring
Natural Resources Committee, 6/23/2015, Page 1
1 balanced wildlife management recommendations which provide visible community and
2 ecological services, and;"
3
4 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
5 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, and Sidhu (3)
6 Nays: None (0)
7
8 Weimer moved to amend the last sentence in section 2.118.030(A), "The
9 committee will provide ... and recreation facilities. The -u-IE —am-FR ttee- s4-ial-l-- pfevid -e-a-n-- an- wck) -k
10 report en The full committee shall provide a
11 recommendation on the need for an ongoing wildlife advisory committee."
12
13 The committee discussed language for Exhibit A to indicate that the committee won't
14 continue.
15
16 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
17 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, and Sidhu (3)
18 Nays: None (0)
19
20 Sidhu moved to amend to change the terms:
21 "2.118.060 Term of Office.
22 The committee shall serve until the sunset date or July 31, 2016.
23
24 A TfIl' Staggered -T-e+
hnir -a
25 ,-- ;Fee- ei;fe-- f i te+ en Tec
f- sa! Members shall initially sefve
26 t- ern9- effd-ifng- en- 9,a-n�ar-y 31, ]
27 ii -. C.-.ur of the initial seven Tech ..,iea Mefftbefs- s-he44H}ially serve
28 teFM ;,zg -- ear -7 -=y 31, 2919-
29 B. There € R - al•1 eleven (II)- „ember terms will be f u v .
30
31 The councilmembers discussed the desire to focus on the technical aspects of the
32 committee's function by first appointing members with technical expertise.
33
34 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
35 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, and Sidhu (3)
36 Nays: None (0)
37
38 The councilmembers discussed how often the advisory committee should meet.
39
40 Sidhu moved to amend 2.118.070(B), "The committee shall determine its own
41 meeting schedule, but shall meet at least quaFterly bimonthly.”
42
43 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
44 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, and Sidhu (3)
45 Nays: None (0)
46
47 Weimer moved add a Whereas statement that Council authorizes up to .25 full -
48 time equivalent (FTE) for Planning and Development Services Department staff to support
49 the Wildlife Advisory Committee, funding to be allocated from the conservation futures fund.
50
51 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
52 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, and Sidhu (3)
53 Nays: None (0)
Natural Resources Committee, 6/23/2015, Page 2
1
2 The motion to introduce as amended carried by the following vote:
3 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, and Sidhu (3)
4 Nays: None (0)
5
6
7 OTHER BUSINESS
E,
9 There was no other business.
10
11
12 ADJOURN
13
14 The meet� adjourned at 10:12 a.m.
15 ' `'' Al r
17 ATTE yT:. ' ' \l HA ,
18
20
22 s
23 Dark Bro�+cr a i o oun` erk
26 —�
27
28 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Barry hanan, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 6/23/2015, Page 3