HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning September 15 20151 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Planning and Development Committee
3
4 September 15, 2015
5
6 CALL TO ORDER
7
8 Committee Chair Ken Mann called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in the Council
9 Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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11
12 ROLL CALL
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14 Present: Ken Mann, Barbra Brenner, and Rud Browne
15 Absent: None
16 Also Present: Barry Buchanan and Carl Weimer
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18
19 SPECIAL PRESENTATION
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21 1. PRESENTATION OF THE TRAIL TOWN PROGRAM ALONG THE GREAT
22 ALLEGHENY PASSAGE: A MODEL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WHATCOM
23 COUNTY (AB2015 -254)
24
25 Marty Grabijas gave an introduction on pedestrian connectivity in the Glacier area.
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27 David Kahley, Trail Town Program, submitted handouts and submitted and read from
28 a presentation (on file) and described the benefits of a designated Trail Town and the
29 amenities needed for trail tourism. He described types of businesses they've funded,
30 including campgrounds, food service and restaurants, clothing stores, historic buildings, and
31 theaters.
32
33 The councilmembers discussed whether the trails are shared use with cars; the fiscal
34 performance of the loans, including performance loss and interest earned; the amount of
35 economic development increase, including intangible benefits; trail - building projects by the
36 county jurisdictions who participate in the program; the success of the nonprofit's loan
37 program; how many jobs created provide family wages; challenges with land acquisition for
38 the trails, and; the possibility of connecting roads and trails to complete the full route until
39 trails can be complete.
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41 Grabijas submitted handouts (on file) and spoke about the surveys they conducted
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43 Carol McDonald spoke about long -term positive effects such as the motel tax and
44 retail sales tax and the false notion that private properties will lose value if next to a trail.
45
46 Vern Yadon, Kendall /Columbia Valley Connectivity Association, submitted a handout
47 (on file) and described how the association is working on this effort.
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49 Daniel Probst, Cascade Mountain Runners, submitted a handout (on file) and spoke
50 about the need to develop and fund more trail corridors in Whatcom County.
51
52 Mary Anderson, Kendall /Columbia Valley Connectivity Association, spoke about the
53 estimated annual trail usage.
Planning and Development Committee, 9/15/2015, Page 1
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Todd Ellsworth asked about the next steps and if The Progress Fund is looking to
make Whatcom County its next project.
Lonni Rahm, Bellingham / Whatcom County Tourism, stated the estimates provided
are real and substantial.
The councilmembers discussed expanding the wayfinding system in Whatcom County
and the possibility of using transient facilities, such as food trucks and porta - potties.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The m, 1 adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
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Dana l3roWn- 56#ii-i; )CeLW i,;Clerk
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATC COU TY COUNCIL
WHAT M COU TY WASHINGTON
Ken k ann, Committee Chair
Planning and Development Committee, 9/15/2015, Page 2