HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Jun 29 2021Whatcom County
Council Natural Resources Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
VIRTUAL MEETING - ENDS NO LATER THAN 10:50 A.M. (TO
PARTICIPATE, SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL 360.778.5010)
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
9AM
Virtual Meeting
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Natural Resources Committee Committee Minutes - Final June 29, 2021
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m. in
a virtual meeting.
Present: 3 - Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas and Barry Buchanan
Absent: None
Also Present: Rud Browne, Tyler Byrd, Carol Frazey, and Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2021-373 Presentation on potential property acquisition for Squires Lake Park
Mike McFarlane, Parks and Recreation Department Director, presented and
answered questions about the area between the target property and the park,
the amount of parks acreage in the county, whether there is more
information about the acquisition for the Council to review, the zoning of
the parcel, whether some of the parcel could be used for housing, the usage
of the park and how it is tracked, and whether the contract for purchase will
come back to the Council through the Finance and Administrative Services
Committee.
This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED.
Committee Discussion
i. A B2 i2:i -367 Discussion of proposed ordinance amending the Whatcom County Code and
Comprehensive Plan, requiring a site -specific geotechnical analysis when mineral
extraction is proposed within 500 feet of a gas or petroleum transmission pipeline
Josh Fleischmann, Planning and Development Services Department, briefed
the Councilmembers and answered whether geologists would do the
proposed site -specific geotechnical analysis of potential impacts to the
pipeline, whether Committee action is needed, and what size of excavation
triggers the requirements for mining.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB202 l -364 Discussion and Motion to recognize the intent of PLN2019-00011 - Surface Mining
of Dry Meander Zones has been achieved
Josh Fleischmann, Planning and Development Services Department, briefed
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Council Natural Resources Committee Committee Minutes - Final June 29, 2021
the Councilmembers and answered what State and Federal programs are
stopping this mining, whether private companies would like to do it, what
the Council can do to make it easier for companies to mine the dry portion
of the river, whether the Army Corp has jurisdiction on the shore in these
areas, whether work along the river by Public Works could incorporate an
analysis of whether gravel could be pulled out, whether this went through
the Surface Mining Committee, what is stopping people from doing gravel
mining in a dry meander zone a thousand feet or more from the high water
mark, and whether land with Tribal ownership would be subject to the State
and Federal rules.
Buchanan moved that the Request for Motion be FORWARDED TO
COUNCIL WITH A RECOMMENDED MOTION TO HOLD IN
COMMITTEE FOR TWO WEEKS. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Elenbaas, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
2. AB2021 -366 Discussion and Motion for PLN2017-00004 Countywide Review of Designated
Mineral Resource Lands
Josh Fleischmann, Planning and Development Services Department, briefed
the Councilmembers and answered questions about who came up with the
designations, adding a provision to allow surface mining if it enhances the
ability to farm the land, whether the potential resource area by Lake
Whatcom (as represented on the map with the Surface Mining Advisory
Committee [SMAC] recommendation) is outside the watershed, the vote of
the Planning Commission on their recommended motion, what is
functionally allowable with each proposal, whether the Planning
Commission had the Agricultural Advisory Committee and Forestry
Advisory Committee's recommendations before making theirs, and what
kind of work the Planning and Development Services Department would do
to move it forward if the Planning Commission's motion is approved by
Council.
Donovan moved to recommend to the full Council approval of the Planning
Commission's recommended motion that the Council request Planning and
Development Services to continue processing PLN2017-00004, limiting
the scope of review to the Surface Mining Advisory Committee
recommendation within 1/2 mile of existing Designated MRLs. Further, the
Planning Commission recommends considering allowing for landowners to
opt out of MRL Designation process proposed through PLN2017-00004.
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Council Natural Resources Committee Committee Minutes - Final June 29, 2021
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Buchanan, Elenbaas, and Donovan
Nay: 0
This agenda item was FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITH
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S).
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
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Kristi Felbinger; Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Todd Donovan -via email 6/30/2021
Todd Donovan, Committee Chair
Whatcom County Page 3