HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole February 9 20161 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Committee of the Whole
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4 February 9, 2016
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7 CALL TO ORDER
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9 Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. in the Council
10 Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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13 ROLL CALL
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15 Present: Barbara Brenner, Ken Mann, Satpal Sidhu, Carl Weimer, Todd
16 Donovan, Rud Browne and Barry Buchanan.
17 Absent: None.
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20 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
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22 1. BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, AND PRELIMINARY COUNCIL DIRECTION ON
23 URBAN GROWTH AREAS, WHICH ARE ADDRESSED IN COMPREHENSIVE
24 PLAN CHAPTER 2, LAND USE (INCLUDING DISCUSSION ON SUDDEN
25 VALLEY) (AB2016 -047B)
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27 Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department, submitted and
28 read the overview of the day's presentation (on file) and answered questions.
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30 Matt Aamot, Planning and Development Services Department, stated the Planning
31 Commission concurred with the staff recommendation on all three urban growth areas. He
32 continued the presentation on the Birch Bay unincorporated urban growth area (UGA).
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34 Mann asked for historical information on employment information. Aamot stated
35 they don't have good statistics for that information. He described the formula for
36 determining the employment projection.
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38 Weimer stated the area proposed for residential expansion in the Birch Bay area
39 used to be an oil and gas exploration land and may have problems. Personius stated they
40 are looking into, it.
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42 Aamot continued the presentation on the Cherry Point UGA.
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44 Brenner asked if the Cherry Point UGA employment capacity is based on existing or
45 potential future capacity. She asked how many people work there now. Aamot stated it's
46 based on what exists now. There is an estimate of how many people work there now in the
47 Hart Hodges report.
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49 He continued the presentation on the Columbia Valley UGA.
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51 Brenner asked why the growth allocation is not the same as the capacity. Aamot
52 stated the capacity is the number of people who can be accommodated by the existing land.
53 The allocation is the medium allocation from the Berk report.
Committee of the Whole, 2/9/2016, Page 1
Brenner stated it seems the growth allocation should be the same as the population
capacity. Aamot stated they can pick a different number if they want to. A method was
used that looked at the proportion of growth the UGA received between 2000 and 2010, and
applied that percentage.
Mann asked how the non -city UGAs are allowed to expand. Aamot stated they must
determine how best to accommodate the expected growth, such as expanding boundaries or
increasing density. The UGAs population is not capped. The criteria used to change
boundaries is the same as city UGAs.
Browne asked if expanding with the current density in the Columbia Valley is possible
since they have septic systems. Aamot stated there are water and sewer districts in the
UGA, and any new urban development in those areas would require public water and sewer.
Some new septic systems may be feasible in the other areas within the UGA.
Weimer asked if the nearby UGA reserve area can be eliminated. The air quality in
the valley is some of the worst in the State. He asked why they encourage people to move
to an unhealthy area. Aamot stated they can remove that. They are following the existing
subarea plan, which can be updated in five or six years.
Brenner stated new wood stoves don't produce as much air pollution. She asked if
there will be an area for a larger grocery store. Aamot stated they included commercial
zoning in the area. The councilmembers discussed the feasibility of a new, larger grocery
store in the Columbia Valley.
Gary Davis, Planning and Development Services Department, continued the
presentation on the growth monitoring report.
Mann asked if the term "non- urban" includes the UGAs. Davis stated the term "non -
urban" refers to all the area outside the UGAs.
Weimer asked how the Office of Financial Management (OFM) Small Area Estimates
Program (SAEP) varies compared to the building permit information in the non -urban areas.
Davis stated he doesn't have the details for how the SAEP numbers were determined. It's
based largely on permit activity, but other factors went into it. Staff determined the non -
UGA numbers by taking the SAEP numbers for all the UGAs and subtracted from the OFM's
countywide estimate, which is also a different methodology from the SAEP. They are
cautious about the non -UGA number because it's not a product of the OFM.
Donovan asked for the permit data from the city UGAs. Davis stated they can get
that information, however the SAEP data provides the same information.
Weimer stated the historical growth share of non -UGA areas is approximately 24
percent. Changing the allocated share percentage to 17 won't alter the actual historical
growth share. He asked if there are policies that will drive that change. Davis stated that is
one of the reasons for the tools report. It includes all the alternatives for possible policy
changes that could be considered for both urban areas and non -urban areas.
Davis concluded the presentation.
Brenner asked if the City Council growth projections will change.
Committee of the Whole, 2/9/2016, Page 2
Greg Aucutt, City of Bellingham, stated they will not. The Council decided to use the
mid -range forecast, because the cost associated with the expansion of a UGA was too much
at this time. It is a number they can accommodate within the existing boundaries. They
can infill up to about 30,000 people. Also, the high growth forecast wasn't likely because of
the historical growth.
Brenner asked if the City used Dr. McLaughlin's growth projections. Aucutt stated it
did not. The City projection was a compromise between the high and low growth rates.
Brenner asked if the costs of development would be borne by the developers. Aucott
stated the developers would be responsible for their onsite costs. For offsite improvements,
developers are only responsible for their portion of the cost of the improvements. The
taxpayers are responsible for the rest.
Browne asked for information on the Yew Street existing deficiencies compared to
the new development costs. Aucott stated he can't provide that information at that time.
To answer a previous question, the development on Lincoln Street is 248 units with 650
beds. A development on Garden Street is 138 units with over 400 beds.
Clayton Petree stated there are existing deficiencies at Yew Street that have to be
done regardless of whether Yew Street is annexed.
Sidhu asked if the City will make an effort to meet the target projection. Aucott
stated it isn't a target. It's an estimate of what may occur.
Donovan asked if there are UGA expansion plans and if it's likely the Cities will annex
these areas. Aucott stated they have annexed most developed land. There is no guarantee
that the residents will petition for annexation.
Brenner stated Cities are allowed to annex an area without a vote of the people.
Aucott stated the County and fire district must agree.
Brenner stated existing deficiencies have to be fixed. It shouldn't be calculated as
something that a developer costs a City, if it needs to be done anyway. Aucott stated it
doesn't affect the cost, but it may affect the timing of when the improvements are needed.
Weimer asked what decision the Committee needs to make today. Aamot stated the
Cities need preliminary guidance to complete their capital plans by June.
The committee discussed the differences among the Bellingham UGA population
allocation and projected employment capacity recommendations from the City Council, City
Planning Commission, County Planning Commission, and County staff. Personius stated the
Growth Management Act (GMA) requires that allocation to be similar to capacity, within
about five percent. The alternative doesn't change zoning or UGA boundaries.
Mann asked what will happen with Blaine. Personius stated Blaine is unique.
Because the City has incorporated all the area, it's a UGA by definition. They can't undo it
unless the City chooses to do so.
Weimer stated he is concerned about the Lynden and Nooksack expansion into
agricultural land, which is contrary to policies.
Brenner stated she's not yet comfortable with the numbers for Bellingham.
Committee of the Whole, 2/9/2016, Page 3
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2 Browne moved to preliminarily agree with the County staff recommendation of the
3 final environmental impact statement (EIS) allocation for the City of Bellingham at 31,050
4 with no UGA boundary change. The motion was seconded.
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6 The motion carried by the following vote:
7 Ayes: Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
8 Nays: Brenner (1)
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10 Amy Harksell, City of Lynden, stated the two parcels have already been lost to
11 farmland use. The City will mitigate by participating in a transfer of development rights
12 (TDR) program and looking into agricultural mitigation fees. The two parcels meet the
13 delisting criteria of not being agricultural lands of long -term commercial significance. The
14 soils aren't great, there are flood issues, and there is current infrastructure. A stormwater
15 detention facility attracts business and industry to land within the city limits instead of
16 outside the city limits.
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18 Sidhu asked the long term growth plan for Lynden, which is surrounded by prime
19 agricultural land. All cities need to prevent expansion into farmlands. She stated they will
20 try to increase density to prevent expansion into farmland for as long as possible. Changing
21 the character of the community is slow, but they are working to increase density and have
22 strong policies against expanding into farmland.
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24 The councilmembers continued to discuss the Lynden UGA and protecting agricultural
25 land, TDR receiving areas, how to ensure areas are designated at a much higher density,
26 protecting the Lynden airport and extending the runway for economic benefit, and the UGA
27 reserve.
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29 Weimer moved to preliminarily accept the allocation number of 6,403 for the City
30 of Lynden. The motion was seconded.
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32 The motion carried by the following vote:
33 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
34 Nays: None (0)
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36 Rollin Harper, City of Nooksack, spoke about compensating for the loss of agricultural
37 land. The City is willing to give up the existing reserve areas in exchange for the proposed
38 additional acres.
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40 Weimer moved to preliminarily accept the allocation numbers from the Planning
41 Commission and staff for the rest of the areas, except Bellingham and Lynden. The motion
42 was seconded.
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44 Donovan asked about the Birch Bay capacity and allocation. Aamot described the
45 proposed areas and density.
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47 Weimer stated look into the location of the gas wells.
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49 Browne stated look into heating options for Columbia Valley.
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51 The motion carried by the following vote:
52 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
53 Nays: None (0)
Committee of the Whole, 2/9/2016, Page 4
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Weimer stated Sudden Valley's request doesn't change any of the UGA numbers.
Larry Brown stated he would like to address Sudden Valley at the next meeting.
Sudden Valley is not asking to become a city. They request that County plans have no
impact to Sudden Valley. All the lots are already platted. Have a better mechanism to
engage with the County to address and resolve all their issues and concerns.
Brenner stated she has gotten complaints about civil rights problems in Sudden
Valley. Make sure people's civil rights are protected in the community association bylaws.
Brown stated a group is unsatisfied that the governing structure is democratically elected.
He invites councilmembers to speak to the board members any time they wish.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
The Ccune;il approved these minutes on March 8, 2016.
ATTEST r
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- Drown ' A, d ' ncil Clerk
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Committee of the Whole, 2/9/2016, Page 5