HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning May 18 2021Whatcom County
Council Planning and Development Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
VIRTUAL MEETING - ENDS NO LATER THAN 3:40 P.M. (TO
PARTICIPATE, SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL 360.778.5010)
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
2:40 PM
Virtual Meeting
COUNCILMEMBERS
Rud Browne
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final May 18, 2021
Committee
Call To Order
Rollcall
Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas called the meeting to order at 2:42 p.m. in a
virtual meeting.
Present: 3 - Rud Browne, Ben Elenbaas and Todd Donovan
Absent: None
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Carol Frazey, and Kathy Kershner
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2021-252 Resolution approving recommendations on eight applications for Open Space Current
Use Assessment
Joshua Fleischmann, Planning and Development Services Department, gave
a presentation and answered questions on individual properties, how long it
takes to get this many applications, whether wetlands are protected from
development automatically, public access, how many acres are currently in
the open space program, how much taxes have been shifted to the rest of the
population as a result of the program, whether the ordinance would have to
be amended if the Council just approves properties that both staff and the
Planning Commission said yes to, reasons for denials, the farm and
agricultural subclassification of open space lands, whether applicants asked
for a change voluntarily, and the threshold or dollar amount one has to
generate to qualify for the farm and agricultural open space classification.
Donovan moved to recommend to the full Council that they accept the five
properties that have favorable recommendations from both staff and the
Planning Commission. The motion was seconded by Browne.
Councilmembers and staff discussed the motion and getting more
information on the remaining parcels.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Browne, Donovan, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
Councilmembers discussed the resolution and what to do with the property
on 5643 Market Road which was recommended for approval by the
Planning Commission but not by staff.
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final May 18, 2021
Committee
Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department Director,
spoke about amending the Resolution.
Donovan moved to recommend that the Resolution be amended to reflect
the intent of his earlier motion as follows:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE WHATCOM
COUNTY COUNCIL: 1. The recommendations on the applications
for open space current use assessment listed below are hereby
approved: with the exceptions of OSP2019-00002,
OSP2019-00003, and OSP2019-00006.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Browne, Donovan, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
Councilmembers and staff continued to discuss the Resolution and whether
they should have a discussion with staff about revisiting the threshold that
triggers the requirement to make revenue versus not make revenue.
This agenda item was FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITH
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S).
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 3:46 p.m.
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final
Committee
ATTEST:
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Dana Brnwn-D0'gk; �otii4c °l Clerk
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
May 18, 2021
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Ben Elenbaas-via email 5/27/2021
Ben Elenbaas, Committee Chair
Whateon: County Page 3