HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole AM April 19 20161 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Special Committee of the Whole
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4 April 19, 2016
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6
7 CALL TO ORDER
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9 Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.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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21 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHAPTER 11 AND APPENDIX G
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23 1. AUDIENCE MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO COMMENT SPECIFICALLY ON
24 WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHAPTER 11, ENVIRONMENT,
25 AND APPENDIX G, WATER RESOURCES PROGRAM AND SALMON RECOVERY
26 PROGRAM (AB2016 -047K)
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28 The following people spoke:
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30 Larry Brown, Sudden Valley Community Association, referenced the comments he
31 submitted on this chapter. They would like to cooperate with the Council on any Sudden
32 Valley stormwater projects on Sudden Valley property.
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34 Karlee Deatherage, ReSources for Sustainable Communities, stated she supports
35 proposed amendments from Councilmember Browne regarding gas wells. She also supports
36 proposed amendments from Councilmember Mann opposing hydraulic fracking and
37 completing implementation of the various water quality and quantity plans, as proposed by
38 Councilmember Brenner.
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40 Roger Almskaar submitted and read from handouts (on file) and stated consider the
41 information on regulatory takings and substantive due process takings. Whatcom County
42 should work with the cities to create more than one municipal wetland habitat mitigation
43 bank in the county. He referenced Goal 11B and stated development regulations should be
44 reasonable, clear, concise, avoid conflict, and be effective in protecting the environment. All
45 the chapters seem to have a lot of repetition. He hopes staff will eliminate redundancy and
46 repetition.
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48 Carole Perry stated the process is too difficult and confusing. Also, don't get rid of the
49 Planning Unit.
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51 Jim Hanson stated he approves of the proposed amendments. Today people have
52 nostalgia for a past they can't go back to and fear of an uncertain future. Sometimes people
53 think that fewer regulations will result in more prosperity. However, Chapter 11 is about the
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 1
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environment, which is the future for the children. He supports changes proposed by
ReSources and the environmental caucus.
Linda Twitchell, Building Industry Association, stated make the Council packet pages
on Comprehensive Plan proposed changes a different color to make them easier to find. The
Planning Unit role is defined by State law. It's more than a subcommittee of the Joint Board.
2. DISCUSSION AND PRELIMINARY COUNCIL DIRECTION ON COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN CHAPTER 11, ENVIRONMENT, AND APPENDIX G, WATER RESOURCES
PROGRAM AND SALMON RECOVERY PROGRAM (AB2016 -047K)
Browne referenced item one in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive
Plan Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend
Comprehensive Plan page 11 -12, beginning on line four, "In 2007, Whatcom County
completed a Climate Protection and Energy Conservation Action Plan that laid out specific
actions and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy
conservation efforts in response to potential climate change. In addition many insurance
industry experts are now factoring in the costs of climate change into insurance premiums
as the increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events around the world
results in a corresponding increase in claims costs.
Local government, residents and business must anticipate that as the climate
changes, more frequent and severe damage to private and public infrastructure will occur.
Maintenance costs and insurance premiums can be expected to increase accordingly."
The motion was seconded,
Brenner stated she has no information supporting the insurance industry experts.
She's not convinced climate change will result in more damage to infrastructure. These are
opinions of certain interests.
Browne stated he's seen information from insurance industry experts, including a
presentation he attended at an industry conference by someone who represents the
International Insurance Industry. It's not opinion.
Brenner stated she doesn't like the word "many," which implies more than half. She
isn't familiar with these professionals. She would have to see the background information.
Increased claim costs could be due to other factors.
Donovan stated these are statements of fact that he supports. It goes in the narrative
section.
Sidhu stated this language informs citizens that these maintenance costs will increase.
There are more severe changes and events that they must recognize.
Mann stated the insurance industry is changing its projections, models, and premiums
to account for climate change, regardless of the cause of that climate change. The industry is
an unbiased business source.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
Nays: Brenner (1)
Special Committee of the Whole — 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 2
Browne referenced item two in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
page 11 -13 to create a new policy, "11D -6: Identify and properly seal and /or burn methane
that is escaping into the atmosphere from wells, landfills and industry."
The motion was seconded.
Weimer suggested a friendly amendment, "...Identify the responsible parties and
agencies and encourage them to use efforts to properly seal..." The County doesn't have any
authority to seal a well.
Browne accepted the friendly amendment, " "11D -6: Identify wells, landfills, and
industrial sites and the responsible parties, and encourage them to properly seal and /or burn
methane that is escaping into the atmosphere from wells, landfills, and industrial sites."
Weimer asked if the intent is that the County would identify the wells, landfills, and
industrial sites.
Browne stated it would, in the case of the wells. They don't want to approve houses
to be built on top of them.
Weimer stated he is concerned about the inclusion of industry. The Cascade Natural
Gas pipeline system through Bellingham leaks all over. They could spend millions of dollars
in identifying those leaks. Possibly focus only on the wells. Leaking methane from landfills
and industry is a big deal, but he's not sure the County wants to get into the business of
identifying and enforcing.
Sidhu stated the language should indicate other sources, not just industry, "wells,
landfills, and industrial si other sources...." Even with landfills, it's the responsibility of the
landfill owners to manage the methane, not the County. The County should not be in the
business of identifying, controlling, and capping wells and reducing methane. The County
should just find the responsible party and enforce the regulation, or encourage them to limit
that methane leak.
Weimer suggested a friendly amendment, "11D -6: Identify responsible parties
and agencies, and encourage them to identify wells and other sources, and use efforts to
properly seal and /or burn methane that is escaping into the atmosphere."
Donovan stated he's concerned about identifying other sources. Every single cow is a
source of methane.
Browne accepted the friendly amendment and restated the motion to amend
Comprehensive Plan page 11 -13 to create a new policy, with an additional change, "11D -6:
Identify responsible parties and agencies, and encourage them to identify and properly seal
and /or burn methane that is escaping into the atmosphere from wells."
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Browne referenced item three in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive
Plan Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend
Comprehensive Plan page 11 -17, line 22, to insert new paragraphs:
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 3
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Gas wells - Several exploratory oil & gas wells have been drilled around the
county over the last 70+ years. Some of these present potential
environmental hazards due to ongoing leakage of gas.
Old Landfills - There are several known abandoned landfills in the County and
possibly some that are unknown. There are also sites around the County that
contain large numbers of abandoned vehicles and other debris. As with most
landfills these locations pose some degree of risk of hazardous substances
leaking into local aquifers.
The motion was seconded.
Brenner stated she would like to specify the number of known landfills.
Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department, stated he doesn't
know that number.
Brenner suggested a friendly amendment, "...several known abandoned
landfills...."
Browne accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Browne referenced item four in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
page 11 -17, Goal 11F, "Minimize potential loss of life, damage to property, the expenditure of
public funds, and degradation of natural systems resulting from development in hazardous
areas such as floodplains, landslide -prone areas, seismic hazards areas, volcanic impact
areas, abandoned mine and exploratory gas well locations, potentially dangerous alluvial
fans, and other known natural hazards by advocating the use of land acquisition, open space
taxation, conservation easements, growth planning, regulations, and other options to
discourage or minimize development, or prohibit inappropriate development in such areas."
The motion was seconded.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Brenner referenced item five in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive
Plan Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend
Comprehensive Plan page 11 -19, Policy 11F -12, "Consider conducting a public process with
affected citizens, technical experts, and decision - makers to establish recommended levels of
public risk for each of the identified natural hazards. In developing recommended levels of
public risk for natural hazards, consider the appropriate variables affecting developments in
hazardous areas. These variables may include:
• Specific types of risk associated with the particular hazard area...;
• The gradation of hazards associated with a particular geo- hazard.. -;
• Level of detail necessary to map hazard areas.. -;
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 4
Different levels of risk associated with different ownership classes (e.g. public
ownership versus private ownership) -;
Different levels of risk associated with different types of land uses...; and
Mitigation measures related to specific adverse impacts of development in hazard
areas.
Once a set of risk levels have been identified, propose these risk levels for
adoption by the County Council as the levels to which future development must
be designed and the deti d-a -apfiate locations for the "
The motion was seconded.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Browne referenced item six in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
page 11 -20 to create a new policy, "11F -16: Identify known locations of abandoned mines
and wells that could produce methane and /or other hazardous substances and where danger
exists, prevent construction from occurring above them." Don't allow houses to be built
above the mines and wells, which should be on file with the Department of Ecology.
The motion was seconded.
The committee discussed likely versus known locations of mines and wells and
whether the County will have to do the analysis of where those locations are.
Personius stated there is a map from the State Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) of known locations of those abandoned wells. Staff doesn't have regulations over
those wells. If there were a development proposal over abandoned gas wells, the staff could
use the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) to condition the closure of those wells as part
of the development approval process.
Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department, answered questions.
The councilmembers discussed the County's role, beyond education, in preventing
people from building on top of old and unsafe mines and wells.
Browne stated he's primarily interested in areas where danger exists. He amended
his motion to create a new policy, "11F -16: Identify known locations of abandoned mines
and wells that could produce methane and /or other hazardous substances, and where
immediate danger of methane and hazardous substance leaking exists, prevent construction
from occurring above them."
Brenner moved to hold this motion in Committee and allow staff to review it.
The motion to hold was seconded.
The motion to hold in Committee carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 5
1 Brenner referenced item seven in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive
2 Plan Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive
3 Plan page 11 -26, Policy 11H -4, "pert Complete the implementation of local and state
4 Watershed Management Plans, the Lower Nooksack Strategy, the Lake Whatcom
5 Management Program, NPDES Phase II Permitting, and the WRIA Watershed Management
6 Projects." She would like to get something done.
7
8 The motion was seconded.
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10 Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, stated some plans have other entities that are
11 responsible for completion, or there is out -of -date information that can't be implemented.
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13 Weimer stated many of these things will never be complete, such as the national
14 pollution discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit. Even the watershed management
15 plan includes processes that require periodic plan reviews and reassessments.
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17 Brenner withdrew her motion.
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19 Mann referenced item eight in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
20 Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
21 page 11 -26 to create a new policy, "11H -6: Oppose the use of hydraulic fracturing in oil and
22 gas wells (also known as "fracking ") to avoid the associated degradation of water quality in
23 aquifers and other ground water."
24
25 The motion was seconded.
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27 Mann stated the County doesn't have legal authority to prohibit fracking. The County
28 can only comment on the SEPA process. The County can have a policy to oppose fracking in
29 the SEPA process, if it's legally supportable. It's possible that they could include more
30 language, such as a list of very tight conditions. He's open to that option, especially if it
31 strengthens their legal position. However, he would rather keep it simple.
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33 Weimer stated most of the studies done to this point show there is a connection
.i4 between water problems and some fracking. The word "associated" makes it seem water
35 quality problems are a foregone conclusion. In reality, it's some portion of that. In the
36 majority of places, there have been no studies showing water problems. He supports
37 opposing fracking because of possible degradation.
38
39 Mann amended and restated his motion, "11H -6: Oppose the use of hydraulic
40 fracturing in oil and gas wells (also known as "fracking ") to avoid the potential degradation of
41 water quality in aquifers and other ground water."
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43 The councilmembers discussed whether this policy opposes any federal laws.
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45 The motion carried by the following vote:
46 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
47 Nays: None (0)
48
49 Brenner referenced item nine in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive
50 Plan Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive
51 Plan page 11 -27, Policy 11I -1, "Manage stormwater runoff to minimize surface water quality
52 and quantity impacts, an4 downstream impacts on channel morphology, property owners,
53 and aquatic species and habitats."
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 6
1
2 The motion was seconded.
3
4 Linda Twitchell, Building Industry Association, stated the motion makes it sound like
5 they will manage stormwater runoff to minimize property owners and aquatic species and
6 habitats. That doesn't make sense.
7
8 Brenner withdrew her motion to amend item nine. She referenced item seven in
9 the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan Chapter 11 beginning on Council
10 packet page 22, and moved, "...Watershed Management Plans, the Lower Nooksack...."
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12 The motion was seconded.
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14 The motion carried by the following vote:
15 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
16 Nays: None (0)
17 Absent: Browne (out of the room)(1)
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19 Brenner referenced item ten in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
20 Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and stated she withdraws her proposed
21 motion.
22
23 Weimer referenced item 11 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
24 Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
25 page 11 -28, Policy 11I -11, "Place a high priority on integrating impervious surface reduction
26 incentives into policies, regulations, and standards feF the Lake '°'hateem and Lake Sarni =t
27 to ds."
28
29 The motion was seconded.
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31 The councilmembers discussed whether the amendment would weaken the priority for
32 Lake Whatcom.
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34 The motion carried by the following vote:
35 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
36 Nays: None (0)
37
38 Brenner referenced item 12 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive
39 Plan Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend
40 Comprehensive Plan page 11 -28, Policy 11I -12, item six, "6. Ensure that existing
41 stormwater standards are adequately enforced within Stormwater Special Districts,
42 Watershed Protection Districts, and the NPDES areas."
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44 The motion was seconded.
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46 The motion carried by the following vote:
47 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
48 Nays: None (0)
49
50 Brenner referenced item 13 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
51 Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
52 page 11 -30, Goal 11 -3, "Support water conservation, reclamation, reuse measures, and
53 education as a means to helping ensure sufficient water supplies in the future."
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 7
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The motion was seconded.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Donovan referenced item 14 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
page 11 -30 to create a new policy, "113 -3: Develop and implement plans fef Fneet!Hg to
comply with the Department of Ecology's instream flow and water management rules and
water resources management programs."
The motion was seconded.
Mann asked what the plans say about measuring water use by various users.
Stoyka stated the flow levels are currently set at the median flow, which means the
flow is naturally met half the time. The intent of instream flow is to protect the low flow
when it falls below the minimum level. Regarding measuring water, they are talking about
writing a water supply plan to find ways to meet the water needs of the farmers while
protecting instream flow. The water resource inventory area (WRIA) 1 watershed
management plan has plans for data collection, data management, and stream gauges.
Mann stated add a new policy under Goal 113 that talks about measuring and
recording water use by different water users.
Browne stated metering agricultural water uses could be counterproductive. Be
cautious about forcing agricultural users to use the maximum amount of water under their
water rights in order to maintain those water rights. If water use is not metered, energy
costs will encourage them to conserve water instead.
Sidhu stated he agrees with Councilmember Browne. All they want to do is quantify
the agriculturally used water. Metering is not a necessary option. It's expensive. The value
they will get is miniscule. They know per acre how many inches of water is needed each year
for each crop. It's simple math. Metering is counterproductive and scares people. People
will increase the amount of water they use because they are afraid of losing the water right.
If they need to know how much water agriculture uses, they can easily do the math.
Donovan stated Chapter 2 addresses metering or measuring water.
Weimer stated the bigger issue is who is using legal water versus illegal water.
Browne asked what plans the County would implement, in terms of instream flow and
water management rules. The County doesn't hold the water rights or consume the water.
Donovan stated assume the Department of Ecology will set the standards and plans,
and the County should strive to work with those standards and plans.
Browne asked the process by which the County would get involved in water rights,
allocation, distribution, or stream flows. Stoyka stated the County would be involved in
trying to manage its water overall through the watershed management plan and other water
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 8
1 management activities. The County doesn't directly regulate water rights, but it is indirectly
2 involved in finding solutions.
3
4 Browne asked if staff understands how to use this policy, if the Council approves it.
5 Stoyka stated they could, through the County's land use authority and when issuing building
6 permits based on wells. They have to comply with all the water rights and instream flow
7 requirements when they do that. To some degree, they would look at that when adopting the
8 Coordinated Water System Plan and other water system plans. The County has a role to
9 make sure its actions are in compliance. The policy does provide guidance to staff.
10
11 Donovan stated it's a conservation policy. The County would think about how to
12 encourage conservation.
13
14 Sidhu stated the language is saying that the County will comply with Ecology's rules.
15
16 Personius stated that if adopted as proposed, it won't change the staff's approach to
17 how they work with Ecology or other partners and stakeholders in the WRIA 1 process. They
18 are already doing these things. The policy just affirms what they're already doing.
19
20 The motion carried by the following vote:
21 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
22 Nays: None (0)
23
24 Brenner referenced item 15 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
25 Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
26 page 11 -31, Goal 11 -K, "Prioritize the Lake Whatcom watershed as an area in which to
27 minimize development, repair existing stormwater problems (specifically for phosphorus),
28 and era r-e-fer-estt -,.y- -p -ic-es-- do -rtet continue forestry practices that do not negatively impact
29 water quality. Provide sufficient funding and support to be successful." Make the language
30 more positive.
31
32 The motion was seconded.
33
34 Browne stated he is opposed to the motion. The language implies that the County will
35 be actively involved in continuing forestry, which is not the County's role. The County can
36 provide the opportunity, and let the industry decide if they want to do it.
37
38 Brenner stated ensuring something makes the County actively involved.
39
40 The motion failed by the following vote:
41 Ayes: Brenner (1)
42 Nays: Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, and Weimer (5)
43 Absent: Donovan (out of the room) (1)
44
45 Brenner referenced item 16 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
46 Chapter 11 beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
47 page 11 -31, Policy 11 -K -5, "Evaluate and pursue, as appropriate, the use of incentives to
48 encourage voluntary lot consolidation voluntary and workable transfer or purchase of
49 development rights, current use taxation, and participation in open space conservation
50 programs." Transfers of development rights should be voluntary and workable. Until there is
51 a program that works well, it should be voluntary.
52
53 The motion was not seconded.
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 9
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Brenner referenced item
Chapter 11 beginning on Council
page 11 -33, to Restore Policy
towards voluntary achievement
Valley.."
The motion was seconded.
17 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
2K -16 with edits, "Work with the community association
of the density reduction of even more lots within Sudden
Brenner stated continue working toward achieving more reductions in density. They
are talking about potentially buying up foreclosure lots in Sudden Valley to remove the
development rights. People in Sudden Valley may want to buy a lot next door to expand the
size of their property.
Weimer asked how the Sudden Valley representative feels about it.
Larry Brown, Sudden Valley Community Association Board, stated this particular
density reduction program started many years ago and was finalized. If the Council is
suggesting that the community association further give up the ability to support its
infrastructure through dues by preventing development of the remaining 200 lots, they would
have to object. The reduced dues they collect from the density reduction they've done
already total about $1 million per year. That cost has to be borne by the existing
homeowners. There is simply no money left in their pockets to pay more.
Brenner stated no one can prohibit the County from purchasing lots that go into
foreclosure. This doesn't need approval from Sudden Valley.
Brown stated it's unlikely that those 200 vacant lots will go into foreclosure, given how
long they've been owned and how long taxes have been paid on them. The County does
have the right to purchase them and resell them without their building right, but he hopes
the County would sell them under the normal process and put them back on the market for
potential building and potential income.
Mann stated the program is voluntary, and the language is benign.
Browne stated it would be done in concert with the community association.
Donovan stated that to be voluntary, the County may come up with an incentive for
the community association to approve of the density reduction. The policy would allow for
those types of incentives. He suggested a friendly amendment, "...reduction of even nqeFe
additional lots within Sudden Valley."
Brenner accepted the friendly amendment, "Work with the community association
towards voluntary achievement of the density reduction of even RgeFe additional lots within
Sudden Valley."
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Browne referenced item 18 in the Proposed Council Changes to Comprehensive Plan
Chapter it beginning on Council packet page 22, and moved to amend Comprehensive Plan
page 11 -33, Policy 11K -16, "if the consider
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 10
selling t"^ng as -- lauik arNe lets-If lots in the Lake Whatcom watershed come available due
to a tax foreclosure the County should acquire them, remove the developments rights and
then place them back on the market through the public auction process to recover any
residual value." The County and City of Bellingham have worked to purchase lots in the
watershed to reduce phosphorus loading. One opportunity to do that is when lots in the
watershed come up for tax foreclosure.
The motion was seconded.
Donovan asked if this will obligate the County to bid on everything that is foreclosed,
regardless of the value. He asked if the County would have to acquire an expensive,
waterfront lot, for example.
Browne stated it would have to be a vacant lot. He's not aware of any vacant lots that
have been sold for more than a few thousand dollars.
Donovan stated someone could get the County into a bidding war if the County is
obligated to acquire the lot. They might need to modify that language.
Browne stated his intention is to acquire lots that are passed up in an auction. He
would like to hold this item to work on the language.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meetiingladjourned at 11:30 p.m.
The- u. 1 6 011ad these minutes on May 17, 2016.
ATff ST,• " AT CO If/ +�` WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
C); GQU WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Dana Brown- Davis; Council- Jerk B Council Chair'- --,-.,
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
Special Committee of the Whole - 9:30 A.M., 4/19/2016, Page 11