HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole Open March 27 2018WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Committee of the Whole
March 27, 2018
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Rud Browne called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Tim Ballew, Barbara Brenner, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler
Byrd, and Todd Donovan.
Absent: Satpal Sidhu.
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. DISCUSSION OF SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE
ADOPTING AMENDMENTS TO WHATCOM COUNTY CODE TITLE 2,
ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL; TITLE 9, PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND
WELFARE; TITLE 15, BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION; TITLE 16,
ENVIRONMENT; TITLE 20, ZONING; TITLE 21, LAND DIVISION
REGULATIONS; TITLE 23, SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM; TITLE 24,
HEALTH; AND CREATING A NEW TITLE 22, LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT
PROCEDURES, TO RELOCATE AND REVISE PROCEDURES FOR LAND USE AND
DEVELOPMENT RELATED PROJECT PERMITS AND LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
CODE (CONTINUED FROM 2/27/18) (AB2018 -056)
B. Council discussion and preliminary direction on sections of proposed new Title 22
addressing vesting, notice of application, posting of application open record
hearings, consistency review and recommendations (AB2018 -056)
The following staff submitted and read from a handout and presentation (on file) and
answered questions:
• Amy Keenan, Planning and Development Services Department
• Nick Smith, Planning and Development Services Department
• Royce Buckingham, Prosecutor's Office
• Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department Director
Staff and councilmembers discussed how projects with pre - application meetings go
through the process faster, the differences in the language between the presentation and
handout, the ability for shoreline exemptions per case law, vesting for the shoreline permit
versus the entire project, whether it's wise to allow shoreline permit vesting to old codes,
whether changing the major project permit process would impact the moratorium on the
acceptance of applications for major projects in Cherry Point, addressing the duration of
vesting balanced with providing developer certainty, whether there are any current major
projects in Cherry Point, whether the changes would be retroactive to projects that are in
process, whether new applications would be vested under old rules per a settlement from a
Special Committee of the Whole - Open Session, 3/27/2018, Page 1
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long subdivision, whether certain changes are procedural or substantive, and whether
newspaper public notices are read and required.
A Audience members are invited to comment on sections of proposed new Title 22
addressing- vesting, notice of application— ostin of application, open record
hearings, consistency review and recommendations [AB2018 -056]
Roger Almskaar, Land Use Consultant, spoke about keeping the scope of vesting as
broad as possible to big and small projects, the cost of development, and due process. He
answered questions about the vesting extensions up to two years or five years.
Linda Twitchell, Building Industry Association, spoke about complaints from people
regarding the lack of coordination in instructions and direction from Planning staff.
Cathy Sable spoke about adding references to relevant court cases in the documents.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 4:08 p.m.
The Council approved these minutes on April 10, 2018.
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Dana Browii:_i+TS, Council Clerk
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Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATC O, TY, WASHINGTON
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Rud Browne, Council Chair
Special Committee of the Whole - Open Session, 3/27/2018, Page 2