HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole January 26 20161
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Committee of the Whole
January 26, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Carl Weimer, Ken Mann, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Barbara
Brenner, Todd Donovan, and Satpal Sidhu
Absent: None
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
CHAPTER 2, LAND USE (INCLUDES URBAN GROWTH AREAS) (AB2016 -047B)
(THE WASHINGTON STATE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT REQUIRES
PERIODIC UPDATES OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
REVIEW OF URBAN GROWTH AREAS UNDER RCW 36.70A.130, TO BE
COMPLETE BY THE END OF JUNE 2016)
Mark Personius, Planning and Development, introduced six presentations (on file) by
the seven cities on their urban growth area (UGA) recommendations and by Matt Aamot for
the unincorporated UGAs. The Cities must adopt their Comprehensive Plan updates by June
2016 and update their capital facilities plans. Council will hear presentations today and
have a discussion and make a recommendation at the next meeting.
City of Bellingham
Rick Sepler, City of Bellingham, introduced the City of Bellingham presentation.
Greg Aucutt, City of Bellingham, submitted and read from a presentation (on Me).
Matt Aamot, Planning and Development, answered questions about the Office of
Financial Management (OFM) and BERK study projections.
Aucutt continued his presentation and stated the development trend in Bellingham is
increasing.
Browne asked the size of the new development next to the Lakeway Drive Fred
Meyer. Aucutt stated the size is substantial. He will provide the exact unit count.
Donovan asked if Dewey Valley was included in the 2014 land capacity analysis.
Aucutt stated it was. He continued the presentation on annexed areas and the Caitac and
South Yew Street areas that are candidates for becoming UGAs.
Special Committee of the Whole, 1/26/2016, Page 1
1 Browne asked if rural areas are prohibited from becoming part of the city 50 years
2 into the future. Aucutt stated it would be difficult due to the cost of infrastructure and
3 current parcel sizes and development. They only analyzed the next 20 years. He continued
4 the presentation on the South Yew Street road UGA reserve area.
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6 Gary Davis, Planning and Development Department, answered a question about the
7 rural density of the South Yew Street UGA rezone. There is already much development in
8 that area, so the amount of new development is limited.
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10 Aucutt continued his presentation on the South Yew Street financial summary and
11 the South Caitac property.
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13 Brenner asked if Larson Road is included. Aucutt stated the City Council
14 recommends excluding the properties that front Larson Road. Those folks did not want to
15 be included in a UGA.
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17 Sidhu asked the number of people and the cost of lots in the South Caitac area.
18 Aucutt stated the infrastructure requirement is significant.
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20 Sidhu stated that it would be less expensive to infill using accessory dwelling units
21 (ADUs) or other methods.
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23 Browne stated he would like to know the cost of infrastructure per person.
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25 Donovan asked the process of annexation. Aucutt described the annexation process
26 and continued the presentation on the mid -range population projection and annual
27 population growth.
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29 Sepler concluded the presentation on the City Council recommendations and County
30 Planning Commission findings.
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32 Browne asked if the proposed population numbers have changed. Personius stated
33 they recommend a lower number than the multi - jurisdictional resolution.
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35 Sidhu stated consider having a common industrial area in the county and let people
36 live in other areas. It will lower the cost of living and increase the supply of residential land.
37 People rarely live close to where they work.
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39 City of Blaine
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41 Michael Jones, City of Blaine, submitted and read from a presentation (on file).
42 Connections between the Vancouver metro area and Blaine are crucial to Blaine's economy.
43 Their proposal is consistent with the multi - jurisdictional resolution and does not change
44 from the current Comprehensive Plan.
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46 Brenner stated she commends Blaine on their ADU policies.
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48 Sidhu asked how the City convinced residents that the ADUs would enhance, not
49 decrease, their property values. Jones stated homeowners recognize that people want to
50 have space for aging family members or an additional source of income after retirement.
51 They City developed a helpful guide on design standards and sample floor plans for ADUs.
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Special Committee of the Whole, 1/26/2016, Page 2
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Browne asked the impact fee for an ADU. Jones stated it is $1,000 for parks and
$770 for transportation facilities. If there is a new service connection for water and sewer,
that cost is $9,000.
Browne asked if there is a homeowner requirement to live in one of the two
residences. Jones stated there is.
Browne asked how they calculate total impact fees on apartments. Jones stated they
are based on an equivalent residential unit. They are essentially the same as a single family
residential unit. Multi- family units have a slightly less impact on traffic.
Browne asked for a comparison of all the impact fees in the different jurisdictions in
Whatcom county. Davis stated he will provide those documents.
Cities of Everson. Nooksack, and Sumas
Rollin Harper, Cities of Everson, Nooksack and Sumas, submitted and read from a
presentation (on file). The City of Everson proposal is consistent with the multi -
jurisdictional resolution. There is one small change to the UGA boundary. The Everson
Planning Commission supports the idea of ADUs and reduced lot sizes in the single family
zone.
The City of Nooksack proposal reduces its residential and employment allocations
from the multi - jurisdictional resolution and recommends UGA boundary changes.
Browne asked the difference in the land quality of the Everson and Nooksack UGA
areas. Harper stated the Everson UGA contains a variety of land that includes growth areas
to the east, which is low quality agricultural land, and rural lands. The proposed Nooksack
UGA and the UGA reserve are prime farmland. The City is giving up the 81 -acre prime
farmland UGA reserve area in exchange for the two proposed UGA areas that total 48 acres.
Harper concluded the presentation on the Nooksack proposal.
The City of Sumas proposal is consistent with the multi - jurisdictional resolution and
does not change the UGA boundary.
City of Ferndale
Jori Burnett, City of Ferndale, submitted and read from a presentation (on file). The
City of Ferndale proposal is consistent with the multi - jurisdictional resolution and includes a
change to the UGA boundary for employment land at Slater Road.
C t of Lynden
Amy Harksell, City of Lynden, submitted and read from a presentation (on file). The
City of Lynden proposal is consistent with the multi - jurisdictional resolution and includes
changes to the UGA boundary.
Buchanan stated the Committee would hold the last presentation on the
unincorporated UGAs to the next meeting.
Special Committee of the Whole, 1/26/2016, Page 3
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OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
The Council approved these minutes on March 22, 2016
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.
AT S
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Lena l3t't3v xSl atA " ours `I Clerk
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
rry uchanan, Council Chair
Special Committee of the Whole, 1/26/2016, Page 4