HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2015-031WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2015 - 175
CLEARANCES
Initial
Date
Date Received in Council Office
A enda Date
Assigned to:
Originator:
5/19/2015
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5/26/2015
NR /Intro
Division Head:
6/9/2015
NR/ Intro
Dept. Head:
6/23/2015
NR / Council
Prosecutor.
7/7/2015
Council
Purchasing/Budget.-
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT.
Ordinance establishing the Wildlife Advisory Committee
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
Requested Date:
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public
hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
Ordinance establishing the Wildlife Advisory Committee
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COMMITTEE ACTION.• COUNCIL ACTION.•
5/26/2015: Amended, discussed and held in Committee 5/26/2015: Held in Committee
6/912015: Discussed and held in Committee /9/2015: Held in Committee
/23 /2015: Amended and discussed /23/2015: Substitute amended and introduced 7 -0
7/7/2015: Adopted 7 -0, Ord. 2015 -031
is
Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution
Number:
Ord. 2015 -031
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the Coun 's website at: www.co.whatcom.wa.us /council.
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SPONSORED BY: Buchanan & Browne
PROPOSED BY: Buchanan & Browne
INTRODUCTION DATE: 6/23/2015
ORDINANCE NO. 2015 -031
ESTABLISHING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 2.118, CREATING THE WHATCOM
COUNTY WILDLIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) requires
Whatcom County to engage in comprehensive land use planning; and
WHEREAS, the GMA indicates that Whatcom County's comprehensive land use
planning efforts should foster land use patterns and develop a local vision of rural
character that will be compatible with the use of the land by wildlife and for fish and
wildlife habitat; and
WHEREAS, goal nine (9) of the GMA, in Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
36.70A.020, is to retain open space, enhance recreational opportunities, conserve fish
and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop
parks and recreation facilities; and
WHEREAS, in RCW 36.70A.160, the GMA directs local governments to identify
open space corridors within and between urban growth areas useful for recreation,
wildlife habitat, trails and connections between critical areas; and
WHEREAS, habitat conservation areas must be identified, designated and
protected through the use of best available science, according to RCW 36.70A.172; and
WHEREAS, goal eleven (11) of the GMA is to encourage the involvement of
citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and
jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County is required by RCW 36.70A.130(1) to regularly
review and update the comprehensive plan, with the latest update due by June 30,
2016; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County staff recommends revisions and amendments
based on several elements and objectives, including updating the narrative and policies
to address current issues and planning initiatives or to reflect new policy direction; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County citizens have expressed to the County Council their
desire for the County to incorporate wildlife management and conservation planning for
fish and wildlife habitat into the Whatcom County land use planning process; and
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1 WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council would benefit from the advice and
2 recommendations of those with background and technical expertise, including but not
3 limited to, in wildlife management, conservation science, and wildlife biology, when
4 making land use policy decisions, and
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6 WHEREAS, the County Council acknowledges the community has finite resources
7 requiring good fiscal and environmental stewardship, and the community would benefit
8 from achievable wildlife management recommendations, and;
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10 WHEREAS, the County Council recognizes people are part of the landscape and
11 within a watershed diverse uses interact and depend on limited resources, requiring
12 balanced wildlife management recommendations which provide visible community and
13 ecological services, and;
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15 WHEREAS, the Council authorizes Planning and Development Services
16 Department to fund a .25 FTE to staff the wildlife advisory committee from the
17 Conservation Futures Fund.
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19 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that
20 Whatcom County Code 2.118, creating the Whatcom County Wildlife Advisory
21 Committee, is hereby established as outlined in Exhibit A of this ordinance, and;
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BE IT FINALLY ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that this ordinance
will sunset within one year of its adoption.
ADOPTED this 7th day of July , 2015.
ATTE:, T C3 •.•C)
Da aMs" I "r of the Council
APPR?*ED AS'To' al`dlim
Civil Deputy Prosecutor
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Carl Weimer, Council Chair
WHATCOM COUNTY EXECUTIVE
WHATCOM_CerO$TY, W,4SHINGTON
Jack Louws,
ve
(Approved ( ) Denied
Date Signed: 9, /S
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EXHIBIT A
Chapter 2.118
WILDLIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sections:
2.118.010
Established
2.118.020
Purpose
2.118.030
Function
2.118.040
Qualifications
2.118.050
Membership
2.118.060
Term of Office
2.118.070
Organization — Meetings
2.118.080
Committee Staffing
2.118.010 Established.
The Wildlife Advisory Committee is hereby established.
2.118.020 Purpose.
The committee will advise the Whatcom County Planning and
Development Services Department staff and the Whatcom County Council
on the value of wildlife and habitat management issues as they relate to
the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan, with the goal of integrating
wildlife management and protection into the community planning process,
2.118.030 Function.
A. The committee will provide recommendations on integrating wildlife
management and protection issues relative to fulfilling goal nine (9) of
the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA): to retain open
space, enhance recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife
habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and
develop parks and recreation facilities. The full committee shall provide
a recommendation on the need for an ongoing wildlife advisory
committee.
B. Each committee recommendation will consist of
i. Identified issue or constraint
ii. Discussion of ecological process, function or species addressed
iii. Range of solutions considered
iv. Preferred solution
v. Cost of implementation. A cost benefit analysis is required when an
existing industry recognized method is available; at a minimum a
discussion of project costs and positive or adverse impacts where
community and ecological uses intersect.
vi. Cited and reviewed references
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1 C. The Technical Advisory sub - committee, as defined in Section
2 2.118.050(B), will:
4 i. Prior to the end of 2015, develop the initial inventory,
5 characterization, and assessment, which includes an analysis of
6 risk, of existing ecosystem conditions (Existing Condition Report),
7 and to make management recommendations using best available
8 science that will provide appropriate habitat conditions for local
9 species, with an emphasis on biodiversity and healthy ecosystem
10 processes and functions. This may include recommendations
11 regarding wildlife corridors, landscape ecological planning, wildlife
12 management, avoiding human /wildlife conflict.
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14 ii. Continue to provide periodic updates to the Existing Condition
15 Report or to address technical questions from the Whatcom
16 County Council, Whatcom County staff, or the Wildlife
17 Management Committee.
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19 2.118.040 Qualifications.
20 To qualify for County Council appointment to fill any vacancy on a board,
21 committee, or commission, a person shall be a qualified registered voter
22 and be a member or employee of the agency or group he or she is
23 appointed to represent.
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25 2.118.050 Membership.
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27 A. The committee shall consist of 11 members.
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29 B. Seven of the 11 members will have technical expertise in wildlife
30 and habitat management or current or past professional experience
31 such as, but not limited to, at least one of the following: wetlands
32 manager, wildlife biologist, population biologist, natural resources
33 manager, watershed scientist, conservation specialist, forestry
34 protection, and tribal representative.
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36 C. The committee members shall serve without compensation.
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38 2.118.060 Term of Office.
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40 The committee shall serve until July 31, 2016.
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42 2.118.070 Organization — Meetings.
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44 A. Meetings of the committee shall be open and accessible to the
45 public and shall be subject to the Open Public Meetings Act.
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47 B, The committee shall determine its own meeting schedule, but shall
48 meet at least bimonthly.
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50 C. The committee shall be responsible for taking complete and
51 accurate written records.
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D. Whatcom County staff shall be responsible for assuring the
meetings are audio recorded.
E. Written and audio recordings of meetings, resolutions, findings,
and recommendations shall be kept, and such records shall be
public.
F. The committee shall comply with Whatcom County Code 2.03 -
Boards and Commissions.
G. The committee shall adopt its own rules and procedures for the
conduct of business.
H. The committee shall elect a chairperson from among its members
who shall preside at its meetings.
2.118.080 Committee Staffing.
A. The Whatcom County Planning and Development Services
Department and Whatcom County Public Works Department shall
provide geographic information system (GIS) data and other
information to the committee as requested.
B. The Whatcom County Planning and Development Services
Department and the Whatcom County Public Works Department
shall provide technical assistance and assist with meeting
coordination.
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