HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning May 22 20181
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Planning and Development Committee
May 22, 2018
CALL TO ORDER
Committee Chair Tyler Byrd called the meeting to order at 2:06 p.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Tyler Byrd, and Todd Donovan
Absent: None
Also Present: Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, and Satpal Sidhu
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
1. DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ON POTENTIAL WHATCOM
COUNTY CODE AMENDMENTS AND PROJECTS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS (AB2018 -072B)
Councilmembers discussed whether or not the County is allowed to lease county
property to non - religious entities.
The following staff gave a presentation and answered questions:
• Jack Louws, County Executive
• Tyler Schroeder, County Executive's Office
Staff and councilmembers discussed the pilot project proposal for a dozen storage
lockers in one location; an appropriate location for storage lockers; collaborating with the
City of Bellingham and the homeless community; referring the pilot program to the
Homeless Strategies Work Group; and working with the Safe Storage project proponents.
Donovan moved to recommend to the full Council a pilot program with County
lockers at the Health Department location at 509 Girard Street, choosing two other locations
for possible expansion in the future.
Byrd suggested a friendly amendment to designate a one -year timeline for
collecting data, defining metrics to determine if the program has a successful impact, and
reporting to the Council on the metrics at the end of the year timeline.
Donovan accepted the friendly amendment.
Louws stated he suggests that the Safe Storage project proponents manage the
project on behalf of the County and the City.
Jim Peterson stated he suggests three - months of collecting data and locating the
lockers in different locations around the town. Let the Safe Storage project proponents
choose the location.
Planning and Development Committee, 5/22/2018, Page 1
1 Donovan withdrew his motion and moved to offer one of 3 locations to the Safe
2 Storage project proponents: 509 Girard Street, the empty County lot on Lottie Street, and
3 the south County parking lot, for their input on the first pilot project with a six -month check
4 in.
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6 The motion carried by the following vote:
7 Ayes: Brenner, Byrd, and Donovan (3)
8 Nays: None (0)
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10 Schroeder stated the administration will contact the Safe Storage project proponents
11 to determine if they can come back in two weeks. He continued the presentation on how
12 the County Code allows temporary homeless encampments.
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14 Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department Director, continued
15 the presentation on RCW 36.01.290 and the City of Bellingham emergency ordinance.
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17 Staff and councilmembers discussed working with a project in Thurston County,
18 codes and solutions in Thurston County; the option of creating an emergency ordinance;
19 and removing the ordinances that prevent people from staying longer in their RVs if there is
20 no health and safety issue.
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22 Dana Briggs spoke about the intent behind state laws that prevented interference
23 with religious -based homeless shelters. Broaden the concept of housing for the homeless
24 on something other than a fixed facility to include mobile homes and recreational vehicles
25 (RVs).
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27 Personius stated get council comments on the ordinance, vet it through the
28 administration and City of Bellingham, then staff would bring forward a draft ordinance for
29 Council consideration. It would have to go through the Planning Commission and State
30 Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) processes.
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32 Doug Gustafson, HomesNOW Technical Director, stated they prefer permanent over
33 temporary homes, but will take temporary homes if that's the only option. He described the
34 amenities and funding of their project.
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36 Donovan moved to recommend to the Council to request that staff begin the
37 process for developing an emergency ordinance as described in the first paragraph on
38 Council packet page 187, "The most straight- forward approach would be for the County to
39 model the City of Bellingham's approach to authorizing and regulating the temporary
40 homeless encampment issue. The rationale being that adopting the same or very similar
41 regulations in the city and the county provides a level playing field for those religious or
42 qualified not - for - profit organizations that may wish to manage such temporary homeless
43 encampments now allowed under state law."
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45 The motion carried by the following vote:
46 Ayes: Brenner, Byrd, and Donovan (3)
47 Nays: None (0)
48
49 Brenner moved to recommend that the Council adopt an emergency ordinance to
50 allow people to stay in their RVs for any length, as long as there is no health and safety
51 issue.
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Planning and Development Committee, 5/22/2018, Page 2
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Staff and councilmembers discussed complaints from neighbors and making a
blanket decision to allow RV parking for any reason, the possibility of extending the 90 -day
RV permit, and defining adequate health and safety.
The motion failed by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner (1)
Nays: Byrd and Donovan (0)
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 3:19 p.m.
ATTEST: . • • • • u .
Dana;Brown',D��,,•�,• vurtcil Clerk
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
rd, Committee Chair
Planning and Development Committee, 5/22/2018, Page 3