HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources May 2 20171
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Natural Resources Committee
May 2, 2017
CALL TO ORDER
Committee Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Carl Weimer, Satpal Sidhu and Todd Donovan
Absent: None
Also Present: Barbara Brenner, Rud Browne, Ken Mann, Barry Buchanan
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. DISCUSSION REGARDING WATER RESOURCES LEVEL OF SERVICE AND
FUNDING OPTIONS (AB2017 -156)
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department Director, submitted a handout (on file) and
gave a staff report regarding level of service options for water resources, continuing the
discussion from the April surface water work session.
The following staff answered questions:
• Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department
• Forrest Longman, Council Legislative Analyst
Councilmembers discussed the current level of service; identifying new revenue or
cutting other services to increase the level of service; the depletion of water resource
funding; a memo from Council Legislative Analyst Forrest Longman to councilmembers (file
copy not received); defining a new, higher service level that implements more water
resources and flood projects; the number of flood staff allocated to flood projects;
identifying the cost to provide a remedy to people who can't develop their property due to
the Hirst Decision, once the State legislative session is concluded; the need to identify the
level of service around which staff must build the budget; identifying all the needs from the
community for water resources projects; staff's advice on which programs provide the most
versus the least impact; and ensuring community support for new revenue sources.
Donovan stated the staff are fulfilling the responsibility to bring information to the
Council, as requested in Council resolution 2016 -049.
Stoyka stated staff will prepare an ala carte list of programs and their associated
costs to plug into the service level options. At the next Natural Resources Committee, they
will present information on:
• Prioritizing the ala carte list of programs
• Revenue options to fund each program
• Staff's recommendation for the most and least important programs
Natural Resources Committee, 5/2/2017, Page 1
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COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
1. RESOLUTION
APPROVING —THE THE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS
AUTHORIZING THE APPLICATION FOR MATCHING FUNDS THROUGH
WASHINGTON STATE RECREATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE UNDER THE
WASHINGTON WILDLIFE AND RECREATION PROGRAM FORESTLAND
CATEGORY FOR QUALIFYING APPLICATIONS (AB2017 -141)
Chris Elder, Planning and Development Services Department, submitted and read
from a presentation (on file) and answered questions about grant funds received; costs per
development right and cost per acre; the definition of soils of statewide significance; water
sources available to the parcels; updating the scoring criteria; whether they want to use
conservation futures funds for forestry protection as an agricultural use; changing property
values; and the likelihood of the Squalicum Forest being converted for development.
Weimer moved to recommend approval of the resolution to the full Council.
Councilmembers continued to discuss approving the resolution, but not the ranked
list as submitted by the Oversight Committee until they get more information on access to
water.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Weimer, Sidhu, and Donovan (3)
Nays: None (0)
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 10:58 a.m.
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Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATT COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Todd Donovan, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 5/2/2017, Page 2