HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources November 7 20181 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Natural Resources Committee
3
4 November 7, 2018
5
6 CALL TO ORDER
7
8 Committee Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. in the
9 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
10
11
12 ROLL CALL
13
14 Present: Tim Ballew, Todd Donovan, Satpal Sidhu
15 Absent: None
16 Also Present: Barbara Brenner, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, and Tyler Byrd
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18
19 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
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21 1. SEMI - ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
22 (AB2018 -066)
23
24 Mike McFarlane, Parks and Recreation Department Director, submitted a presentation
25 (on file) and reported on a recent senior center event and infrastructure maintenance
26 projects.
27
28 McFarlane and councilmembers discussed a privately -owned communications tower
29 and a federally -owned tower replacement on Lookout Mountain, encouraging food trucks in
30 the County parks, and the Plantation Rifle Range use and revenue.
31
32 2. PRESENTATION FROM THE CLIMATE IMPACT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
33 (AB2018 -017)
34
35 Seth Fleetwood, Climate Impact Advisory Committee Member, spoke about the
36 advisory committee's history and updating the 2007 Climate Action Plan and the emissions
37 inventory.
38
39 Fleetwood and councilmembers discussed funding the cost of a consultant for the
40 plan update, reviewing climate data from and dedicated staff in other counties, potential
41 grant funding, adaptation resiliency, including a section in the plan on health impacts,
42 evaluating the effectiveness of the 2007 plan, the problematic impacts of climate change in
43 Whatcom County, concerns about funding plans instead of implementing projects, and
44 producing actionable recommendations that the County can implement.
45
46
47 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
48
49 1. DISCUSSION ON POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF ESSB
50 6091 (RCW 90.94) INCLUDING: 1) WITHDRAWAL LIMITS, 2) FEES, AND 3)
51 METERING REQUIREMENTS (AB2018 -290)
Natural Resources Committee, 11/7/2018, Page 1
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2 Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a presentation and
3 handouts (on file) and gave a staff report on Planning Unit policy decisions, policy positions
4 from various agencies, and upcoming policy discussions.
5
6 Stoyka and councilmembers discussed whether staff have policy positions, whether
7 districts do metering, the Planning Unit's timeline, the potential for losing water use as an
8 impact of metering, allowing water storage ponds, "use it or lose it" rules from the
9 Department of Ecology, other options for protecting instream flow, and addressing other
10 impacts to instream flow besides exempt wells.
11
12
13 OTHER BUSINESS
14
15 There was no other business.
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17
18 ADJOURN
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20 The meeting adjourned at 11:37 a.m.
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29 Dana Brown - ,Davis 7Cou`hcil Clerk
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34 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCQy COUNTY COUNCIL
WHAT M COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Tddd Donovan, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 11/7/2018, Page 2