HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole October 24 20171 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Special Committee of the Whole
3
4 October 24, 2017
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6
7 CALL TO ORDER
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9 Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 2:25 p.m. in the Council
10 Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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12
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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20 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
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22 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING WHATCOM
23 COUNTY CODE CHAPTER 16.16 (CRITICAL AREAS) AND WHATCOM COUNTY
24 CODE CHAPTER 23.10 (SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM — PURPOSE
25 AND INTENT) PERTAINING TO THE PROTECTION AND REGULATION OF
26 ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREAS (AB2016 -276L)
27
28 Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department, referenced and read
29 from a staff report in the Council packet regarding the best available science (BAS) report.
30 No action is necessary today. He answered questions.
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32 Ryan Ericson, Planning and Development Services Department, answered questions.
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34 Staff answered questions and the committee discussed allowing small hobby farms
35 to be exempt from farm plan requirements, how they choose which studies to incorporate
36 as best available science, hazardous areas and uses that do not require human habitation,
37 how permit compliance is established on a case -by -case basis, giving the technical
38 administrator the authority to make decisions, using existing naturalized ponds for fire
39 suppression or stormwater management, and whether the Council can make policy
40 decisions despite the best available science.
41
42 Browne moved to hold in committee for two weeks the discussion of ongoing
43 agriculture.
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45 The motion was seconded.
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47 The motion carried by the following vote:
48 Ayes: Mann, Sidhu, Browne, and Buchanan (4)
49 Nays: Brenner, Weimer, and Donovan (3)
50
51 Strong continued the staff report and answered questions on the Conservation
52 Program on Agriculture Lands (CPAL), including the appropriate animal unit - per -acre
53 threshold to minimize impacts to water quality.
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/24/2017, Page 1
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2 Donovan moved to delete subsection 16.16.814.
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4 The motion was seconded.
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6 Brenner moved to amend to one animal unit per grazable acre. The motion was not
7 seconded.
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9 Browne moved to hold the motion in committee for two weeks to get more
10 feedback from the agricultural community.
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12 Donovan accepted the motion as a friendly amendment.
13
14 The amended motion was seconded.
15
16 Dannon Traxler, agricultural community representative, stated she supports holding
17 the motion for two weeks so the community can develop a recommendation for alternative
18 language.
19
20 The motion carried by the following vote:
21 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan and Donovan (6)
22 Nays: Weimer (1)
23
24 Councilmembers discussed exemptions for small orchards and other row crops and a
25 citizen letter suggesting amendments to subsections lahar hazard areas.
26
27 Seth Woolson, attorney, referenced his October 9, 2017 letter to the committee
28 about indemnification language and the impact of his suggested language.
29
30 Councilmembers discussed the processes for completing the critical areas ordinance
31 update and for amending the shoreline plan.
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33 Buchanan stated this item will be held in Committee for two weeks.
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36 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
37
38 1. RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A HOMELESS STRATEGIES WORKGROUP
39 (AB2017 -300)
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41 Councilmembers discussed collaborating with City of Bellingham officials to draft the
42 resolution, making sure the group doesn't automatically approve or endorse a City policy
43 without assessing its merit, and creating a sunset date and timeframe for the work group.
44
45 Brenner moved to amend the second Whereas statement, "ems reduce
46 homelessness."
47
48 The motion was seconded
49
50 The motion carried by the following vote:
51 Ayes: Brenner, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
52 Nays: None (0)
53 Absent: Mann (out of the room) (1)
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/24/2017, Page 2
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2 Buchanan moved to amend to add a representative from the Bellingham /Whatcom
3 Chamber of Commerce.
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5 The motion was seconded.
6
7 The motion carried by the following vote:
8 Ayes: Brenner, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
9 Nays: None (0)
10 Absent: Mann (out of the room) (1)
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12 Councilmembers discussed whether this work involves the small cities.,
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14 Donovan moved to recommend approval as amended.
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16 The motion was seconded.
17
18 The motion carried by the following vote:
19 Ayes: Brenner, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
20 Nays: None (0)
21 Absent: Mann (out of the room) (1)
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23
24 OTHER BUSINESS
25
26 There was no other business.
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28
29 ADJOURN
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31 The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
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33 ,,\" "The Council approved these minutes on January 30, 2018.
34 ,.� -, y4 " "M3V,
35 ATTEST yy�f�'' WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
36 00Ufi� " _ WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
37 0 40
41 Dana Brdw ,' avis, Council Clerk B Tlchanan, Council Chair
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43
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46 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/24/2017, Page 3