HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Sep 28 2021Whatcom County
Council Planning and Development Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
2:05 PM
Virtual Meeting
VIRTUAL MEETING - ENDS BY 3 P.M. (TO PARTICIPATE, SEE
INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL
360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Rud Browne
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final September 28, 2021
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas called the meeting to order at 2:07 p.m. in a
virtual meeting.
Present: 3 - Rud Browne, Ben Elenbaas, and Todd Donovan
Absent: None
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Carol Frazey, and Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Committee Discussion
1. AB2021-548 Discussion and status update of proposed amendments to the Whatcom County
Code regarding short-term rentals
Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department, updated the
Councilmembers and discussed with them why this item had been put on
hold, how many properties they would need to track using the proposed
software, whether the noted number of unique rental units is just in the
unincorporated county, what the City of Bellingham is charging for an
annual registration fee, what happens when someone calls the Granicus
(software) hotline, why they should use the software instead of utilizing the
statewide registry, whether the Planning and Development Services
Department gets a lot of complaints related to vacation rentals, whether
there should be additional regulation, whether adding them as an accessory
use would be encouraging the conversion of more properties into vacativii
rentals and losing housing stock, and whether the Planning Department does
site visits after final inspections.
Will Anderson, Fire Marshal's Office, answered whether the Fire Marshal
has a right to do fire inspections of vacation rentals on an annual basis like
they do on commercial properties.
Councilmembers and staff continued to discuss whether vacation rentals
should be considered commercial properties, whether regulations should be
made if there are not many complaints, whether there is a limit on how
much the industry will be growing, and holding this item in committee to
allow time for Planning to come back with a report on the questions
discussed today.
This agenda item was HELD IN COMMITTEE.
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final September 28, 2021
Committee
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2021-424 Ordinance adopting amendments to the Whatcom County Code Title 20, Zoning to
allow and regulate Battery Energy Storage Systems
Robby Eckroth, Planning and Development Services Department, gave a
presentation.
He answered questions about the one -mile buffer, whether it is possible to
put a new facility in Limited Areas of More Intense Rural Development
(LAMIRDs), whether there would be a ceiling in the conditional use
process for how big the facilities can get, and lot coverage allowances in
the rural zone.
Will Anderson, Fire Marshal's Office, answered what the fire code
consideration is for these relative to other structures and he answered other
fire -related questions.
Clerk's note: Kathy Kershner joined around 3 p.m.
Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department Director,
answered whether the Planning Department could look at the issue of scale
in the rural area and come back with ideas.
Donovan moved to recommend to Council that the item be referred back to
staff.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Elenbaas, and Browne
Nay: 0
This agenda item was HELD IN COMMITTEE.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council answered how much time is
needed to prepare for the next meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.
Whatcom County Page 2
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final
Committee
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Dana Bt`O'vâś“rifly_s,,ruricil Clerk
Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
September 28, 2021
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Ben Elenbaas-via email 10/2/2021
Ben Elenbaas, Committee Chair
Wkatcom County Page 3