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HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2017-068strikeWHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2017 -318 CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council O.rce Agenda Date 11/8/17 11/21/2017 Assigned to: Introduction Nat Res /Council Originator: CL� 1011312017 REC EE V D OCT 3 1 2017 Division Head: /o'z3-11 Dept. Head: '0 a3 -1 Prosecutor: 7 WHATCOUNCIL COI C OUNTY Purchasing /Budget: Executive: �1`'� *0111 TITLE OF DOCUMENT. Reactivation of the Wildlife 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.wauslcouncil. 1 K 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 PROPOSED BY: INTRODUCTION DATE ORDINANCE NO. 2017 -068 Planning November 8, 2017 AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 2.118, REACTIVATING 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 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 WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council would benefit from the advice and recommendations of those with background and technical expertise, including but not limited to, in wildlife management, conservation science, and wildlife biology, when making land use policy decisions, and WHEREAS, the County Council acknowledges the community has finite resources requiring good fiscal and environmental stewardship, and the community would benefit from achievable wildlife management recommendations, and; Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 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. A4PP'llTi °thi 7 st day of November 2017. � �►,�,. 'err . '•, �'.. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL ATiF, ,. %� LOmar = WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana BroWn- -David, Clerk of the Council AB 10 \\� APPROVED AS TO FORM: Civil Deputy Prosecutor Jack WHATCOM COUNTY EXE UTIVE WHATCOM -NNTY, 1AIHINGTON Page 2 cis (Approved tive ( ) Denied Date Signed: /? a-F. 020/ 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 Sections: 2.118.010 2.118.020 2.118.030 2.118.040 2.118.050 2.118.060 2.118.070 2.118.080 EXHIBIT A Chapter 2.118 WILDLIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Established Purpose Function Qualifications Membership Term of Office Organization — Meetings 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 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 C. The Technical Advisory sub - committee, as defined in Section 2.118.050(B), will: Pca�- tta#e- Fuel- f4r,- delehCantnue to provide period c updates to the Ecosystem Report that includes-in-Aial 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. GenUn -rye to s to the Existing C_nd4tion Repeft-�A- 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. D6. The committee members shall serve without compensation. 2.118.060 Term of Office. The committee shall serve until J- u- ly-34—,-20-:L6December 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. Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 B. The committee shall d mrkiL-its-ew-n --m-ee ra sehedule but sha-14 � eet at -b rnt#4ymeet as needed to address wildlife related planning needs. 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. Page 3