HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources October 27 20151 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Natural Resources Committee
3
4 October 27, 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
15 Present: Barry Buchanan, Carl Weimer, Satpal Sidhu
16 Absent: None
17 Also Present: Barbara Brenner and Rud Browne
18
19
20 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
21
22 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) PROGRAM
23 (AB2015 -324)
24
25 Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, submitted a handout (on file) and gave a
26 staff report. He described the history of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Lake Whatcom
27 and development of the AIS program and the basis for the fee structure and feedback from
28 boaters. The staff recommendation is that the program is working well as it is, without
29 raising the fees at this time. If fees were increased and there is less participation,
30 enforcement would fall on the County, since most of the lake is in the county. The contract
31 for the online program ends in 2016, so they will have to consider whether to change the
32 program.
33
34 The councilmembers discussed that the City is considering greater cost recovery
35 from boat owners; whether boats that only are on Lake Whatcom receive special treatment;
36 the frequency of people taking the online course; enforcement capacity; maximizing the
37 penalties for noncompliance, and; contracting with a local college or university to run the
38 online program.
39
40 Teagan Ward, City of Bellingham, answered questions.
41
42 2. UPDATE ON THE POLLUTION IDENTIFICATION AND CORRECTION (PIC)
43 PROGRAM (AB2015 -321)
44
45 Erika Douglas, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a presentation
46 (on file) and gave a staff report.
47
48 Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, concluded the presentation on the current
49 issues.
50
51 The councilmembers discussed the result of the enforcement on landowners referred
52 to the Planning and Development Services Department; gauging the pollution contribution
53 from Canada; reaching out to authorities in Canada; whether incentives for small farmers
Natural Resources Committee, 10/27/2015, Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
are working, including cost share incentives; the types of harmful bacteria in fecal matter;
the cause of the increase in bacteria; the reason for the additional 13,000 septic systems;
the septic system at the Rome Grange; how long an owner is allowed to do their own septic
inspections; the format of the available classes for homeowners; the Health Department's
authority to get onto a property to inspect the septic system and evict if a system is never
fixed; the process for contacting landowners, and; examples of bracketing sample sites to
identify potential contamination locations.
The following people answered questions:
• Matt Mahaffie, Planning and Development Services Department
• George Boggs, Whatcom Conservation District
• Wade Bessett, Health Department
• John Wolpers, Health Department
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 10:54 a.m.
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
S�
K
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
chanan'. -Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 10/27/2015, Page 2