HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Oct 26 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, October 26, 2021
1:35 PM
Virtual Meeting
VIRTUAL MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 2:20 P.M. (TO PARTICIPATE, SEE
INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL
360.778.5010); AGENDA REVISED 10.25.2021
COUNCILMEMBERS
Rud Browne
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final October 26, 2021
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas called the meeting to order at 1:35 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. AB2021-590 Ordinance imposing a second interim moratorium on the acceptance and processing
of permit applications for new or expanded recreational cannabis growing and/or
processing facilities which are proposed to operate outdoors or in greenhouses
Elenbaas started to read this item into the record then Council -members
discussed that there was another item added to the agenda before this one so
he stopped and came back to this item later.
See discussion on this item below.
Special Presentation (Item Added by Revision)
1. AB2021-618 Presentation from a local tiny home resource group
The following people presented:
• Zack Giffin
• Jesse Rasmussen
• Gwyn Howat
• Dan Fitzpatrick
They answered whether their suggestions are included in the proposed code
language in AB2021-605 (later on this agenda).
Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department, stated he
would address the presenter's comments in his briefing on AB2021-605.
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, asked about the advantage of tiny homes on
wheels as opposed to fixed Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and how they
would benefit the community.
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final
Committee
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
Committee Discussion
1.
2.
October 26, 2021
AB2021 -590 Ordinance imposing a second interim moratorium on the acceptance and processing
of permit applications for new or expanded recreational cannabis growing and/or
processing facilities which are proposed to operate outdoors or in greenhouses
Councilmembers discussed whether they could put off discussion of this
item until another meeting in light of available time left for this Committee,
and the following people spoke about time constraints for the moratorium:
• Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council
• Karen Frakes, Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Councilmembers concurred that they would not discuss this item in
Committee.
This agenda item was NOT ACTED UPON.
AB2021-605 Discussion on proposed amendments to the Whatcom County Code Title 20 (Zoning)
to provide additional affordable housing options
The following staff briefed the Councilmembers and answered questions:
• Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department
• Curtis Metz, Planning and Development Services Department
They answered why they can not just say if a tiny home has a certain amount
of insulation it is one thing and if it does not it's another, whether the
County is more restrictive in tiny home regulations than the State, why a
tiny house that can be pulled down the freeway is less structurally sound or
safe than one built on a foundation, why there is a restriction of 120 days
for recreational vehicles, whether there is an number of ADUs that would
trigger a Growth Management Act (GMA) challenge, and whether the
120-day restriction should be changed in the Whatcom County Code.
Karen Frakes, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, answered questions about
making changes without going to the Planning Commission and creating
Growth Management Act (GMA) concerns.
Councilmembers discussed the item, how to move forward, going ahead
with the related ordinance (AB2021-606) now and looking at the 120-day
limit in a different ordinance, and looking at tiny home definitions.
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final
Committee
Other Business
Adiournment
October 26, 2021
Donovan moved that this item be held in Committee for two weeks and not
introduced tonight.
Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council, suggested that the Committee
give a recommendation to the Council for this evening that the related
ordinance be pulled from Introduction.
Donovan withdrew his motion and moved to (hold this item in Committee
and) recommend to the full Council that the related ordinance
(AB2021-606) be pulled from introduction tonight.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Browne, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED.
Councilmembers discussed with Mark Personius, Planning and
Development Services Department Director, whether staff could give an
update on AB2021-509 before the public hearing tonight.
The meeting adjourned at 2:56 p.m.
ATTEST:
r.
Dana $rowtr'I axis, Council Clerk
WeLki nof,-)
Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Ben Elenbaas-via email 11/12/2021
Ben Elenbaas, Committee Chair
Whatcom County Page 3