HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2017-068WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO.
2017 -318
CLEARANCES
Initial j
Date
Date Received in Council Office
Aeenda Date
_ 11/8/17
11/21/2017
Assigned to:
Introduction I
k
Nat Res / Council
Originator:
(-016-
1012312017
E C E V E D
OCT 31 1017
Division Head:
Dept. Head:
'119
Prosecutor:
1a -23 -)-7
WHATCOM COUNTY
Purchasing /Budget:
COUNCIL
Executive:
//
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Reactivation of the lVildlife Advisory Committee
ATTACHMENTS:
Memo, Draft Ordinance
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.)
Proposal to reactivate the Wildlife Advisory Committee to continue working on wildlife related issues and
opportunities.
COMMITTEE ACTION.•
COUNCIL ACTION.•
11/21/2017: Amended and forwarded to Council for
11/8/2017: Introduced 7 -0
approval
11/21/2017: Substitute amended and adopted 6 -1. Brenner
opposed, Ordinance 2017 -068
Related County Contract #:
Related File Numbers:
Ordinance or Resolution Number.
Ord. 2017 -068
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing on
the County's website at. www.co.whatcom.waus1council.
1 PROPOSED BY: Planning
2 INTRODUCTION DATE: November 8, 2017
3
4 ORDINANCE NO. 2017 -_068
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6 AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 2.118, REACTIVATING THE WHATCOM
7 COUNTY WILDLIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
8
9 WHEREAS, the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) requires
10 Whatcom County to engage in comprehensive land use planning; and
11
12 WHEREAS, the GMA indicates that Whatcom County's comprehensive land use
13 planning efforts should foster land use patterns and develop a local vision of rural
14 character that will be compatible with the use of the land by wildlife and for fish and
15 wildlife habitat; and
16
17 WHEREAS, goal nine (9) of the GMA, in Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
18 36.70A.020, is to retain open space, enhance recreational opportunities, conserve fish
19 and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop
20 parks and recreation facilities; and
21
22 WHEREAS, in RCW 36.70A.160, the GMA directs local governments to identify
23 open space corridors within and between urban growth areas useful for recreation,
24 wildlife habitat, trails and connections between critical areas; and
25
26 WHEREAS, habitat conservation areas must be identified, designated and
27 protected through the use of best available science, according to RCW 36.70A.172; and
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29 WHEREAS, goal eleven (11) of the GMA is to encourage the involvement of
30 citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and
31 jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts; and
32
33 WHEREAS, Whatcom County citizens have expressed to the County Council their
34 desire for the County to incorporate wildlife management and conservation planning for
35 fish and wildlife habitat into the Whatcom County land use planning process; and
36
37 WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council would benefit from the advice and
38 recommendations of those with background and technical expertise, including but not
39 limited to, in wildlife management, conservation science, and wildlife biology, when
40 making land use policy decisions, and
41
42 WHEREAS, the County Council acknowledges the community has finite resources
43 requiring good fiscal and environmental stewardship, and the community would benefit
44 from achievable wildlife management recommendations, and;
45
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WHEREAS, the County Council recognizes people are part of the landscape and
within a watershed diverse uses interact and depend on limited resources, requiring
balanced wildlife management recommendations which provide visible community and
ecological services, and;
WHEREAS, the County Council authorizes Planning and Development Services
Department to fund a .25 FTE to staff the wildlife advisory committee.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that
Whatcom County Code 2.118, creating the Whatcom County Wildlife Advisory
Committee, is hereby established as outlined in Exhibit A of this ordinance.
AICC�P"i'dttltii, zist clay of November
A IT(:PQ COl.iNI
0
Darya Br=own- Davis Clerk ofthe Council
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Civil Deputy Prosecutor
-__ -I 2017.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM C,QUNTY, WArSHINGTON
TjchanaK, Muncil Chair
WHATCOM COUNTY EX UTIVE
WHATCON NTY, VAqHINGTON
Jack Lou
(Approved
tive
( ) Denied
Date Signed: P/,:20/7
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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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C. The Technical Advisory sub - committee, as defined in Section
2.118.050(B), will:
Continue to provide periodic updates to the Ecosystem Report that
includes inventory, characterization, and assessment, which
includes an analysis of risk, of existing ecosystem conditions
(Existing Condition Report), and to make management
recommendations using best available science that will provide
appropriate habitat conditions for local species, with an emphasis
on biodiversity and healthy ecosystem processes and functions.
This may include recommendations regarding wildlife corridors,
landscape ecological planning, wildlife management, avoiding
human /wildlife conflict.
ii. Address technical questions from the Whatcom County Council,
Whatcom County staff, or the Wildlife Management Committee.
2.118.040 Qualifications.
To qualify for County Council appointment to fill any vacancy on a board,
committee, or commission, a person shall be a qualified registered voter
and be a member or employee of the agency or group he or she is
appointed to represent.
2.118.050 Membership.
A. The committee shall consist of 11 members.
B. Seven of the 11 members will have technical expertise in wildlife
and habitat management or current or past professional experience
such as, but not limited to, at least one of the following: wetlands
manager, wildlife biologist, population biologist, natural resources
manager, watershed scientist, conservation specialist, forestry
protection, and tribal representative. Agriculture or land
development representatives are encouraged to apply for at least
two of the remaining four positions.
C. The County Council will appoint the voting committee members.
Member terms will be four years.
D. The committee members shall serve without compensation.
2.118.060 Term of Office.
The committee shall serve until December 31, 2022.
2.118.070 Organization — Meetings.
A. Meetings of the committee shall be open and accessible to the
public and shall be subject to the Open Public Meetings Act.
B. The committee shall meet as needed to address wildlife related
planning needs.
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C. The committee shall be responsible for taking complete and
accurate written records.
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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