HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole 3pm January 12 20161
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Committee Of The Whole
January 12, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 3:04 p.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Satpal Sidhu, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Ken
Mann, Todd Donovan and Carl Weimer
Absent: None
1. OVERVIEW OF THE 2016 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE AND URBAN
GROWTH AREA (UGA) REVIEW PROCESS, AND DISCUSSION OF
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHAPTER 1, INTRODUCTION AND GROWTH
PROJECTIONS (AB2016 -047)
Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department, submitted and
read from a presentation (on file) on the Comprehensive Plan and urban growth areas
(UGAs). The development regulations and critical areas ordinance will come forward in a
few months.
Matt Aamott, Planning and Development Services Department, continued the
presentation on population growth.
Browne asked if the land going into agriculture has prime agricultural soils. Aamot
stated he believes it does. There are criteria for designating agricultural areas, which are
set by the Supreme Court. Those are evaluated in the findings. He can look into it.
Brenner stated she would like to know how well attended were the advisory
committee meetings by the committee members.
Gary Davis, Planning and Development Services Department, continued and
concluded the presentation on the Planning Commission recommendations, population
projections, and next step.
Mann stated that when discussing population capacity, references to the urban
growth area (UGA) include the area inside the city limits. Davis stated that is correct. It
includes the capacity inside the city limits, but it does not include the reserve areas.
Donovan asked if the UGA capacity does not include the proposed additional area.
Davis stated the Planning Commission allocation includes the Caitac property and the Yew
Street area.
Weimer asked if there is a capacity calculation for the non -UGA areas. Davis stated
there is not.
Committee of the Whole - 3:00 p.m., 1/12/2016, Page 1
1 Weimer asked if they will talk about City policies to reduce capacity in the rural area.
2 Davis stated they'll talk about it with the Cities.
3
4 Browne stated he would like to see the minutes for the Planning Commission vote on
5 the Yew Street Road conversion. He asked if the Growth Management Act allows the
6 County to encourage growth in rural areas that aren't prime agricultural lands, particularly
7 the areas that don't meet the "Prior Converted Cropland" designation from 1985. He asked
8 what options the GMA allows to upzone areas, outside of UGAs, to drive growth into areas
9 that are not good agricultural soils. Davis stated it's difficult to designate higher than rural
10 densities outside the UGAs beyond the limited areas of more intense rural development
11 (LAMIRDs). Outside a UGA, there is infill potential in LAMIRD boundaries, but not beyond.
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13 Browne asked if the County can transfer development rights into a newly- created
14 UGA. Davis stated it may be possible. New UGAs have to include capital facility plans for
15 the urban uses.
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17 Sidhu asked if one city's boundaries must be contiguous. Davis stated he will look
18 into whether that's possible.
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20 Linda Twitchell, Building Industry Association of Whatcom County, stated the
21 Bellingham Planning Commission voted unanimously to extend in both directions. The
22 Bellingham City Council voted 3 -4 to not extend. The County Planning Commission agreed
23 with the Bellingham Planning Commission. Also, the Planning Unit wasn't involved in the
24 Comprehensive Plan work. She asked if the Chuckanut Ridge is still in the UGA. Davis
25 stated it is not.
26
27 Darcy Jones described the most recent proposal for the Caitac property.
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29 Wendy Harris stated ask the State Department of Commerce to present a short
30 course on planning for growth management issues to the new councilmembers. Counties
31 have never imposed a higher population projection on a city than the city has proposed.
32 Also the Planning Commission proposal was done without any consideration of critical areas.
33 Critical area constraints will change what land is available.
34
35 Personius stated they are working with the Department of Commerce on presenting
36 the short course.
37
38 Morris Brown, Sudden Valley Board, stated they have filed their comments to the
39 Council.
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41 Clayton Petree stated the Planning Commission recommendation will result in
42 disagreement about UGA areas. Consider the proposals from the Cities.
43
44 Browne stated he would like to explore the possibility for accessory dwelling units to
45 achieve infill.
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47
48 OTHER BUSINESS
49
50 There was no other business.
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Committee of the Whole - 3:00 p.m., 1/12/2016, Page 2
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
The Coungi) Approved these minutes on March 8, 2016.
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Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Committee of the Whole - 3:00 p.m., 1/12/2016, Page 3