HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Oct 11 2022Whatcom 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 11, 2022
1:30 PM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 2:25 P.M. (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE
REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR
CALL 360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Kaylee Galloway
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final October 11, 2022
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, and Kaylee Galloway
Absent: None
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Carol Frazey, and Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2022-550 Report from the Planning Department
Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department Director,
reported and answered a question about the Buildable Lands Report and
whether the cities are making the densities that are supposed to be achieved.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
Committee Discussion
1. A132022-533 Discussion relating to Personal Wireless Service Facility code amendments
Matt Aamot, Planning and Development Services Department, presented.
Royce Buckingham, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, answered what his
concerns are with the Planning Commission's recommendations, and what
the point is of how long they set time periods if these things are permitted
anyway if they do not act within 60 days.
Aamot answered a question about the definition of a small wireless facility
that it "not extend existing structures on which they are located to a height
of more than 50 feet or by more than 10 percent" and whether there is a
finite amount at which a change would not be automatically approved.
Galloway stated she would like to honor the recommendations of the
Planning Commission especially if those recommendations were grounded
in public input, and she would like to involve the public. She asked whether
there is a way to keep some of the Planning Commission language but make
it less required by having it say "may" instead of "shall."
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final October 11, 2022
Committee
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, asked how this would impact the request
from Point Roberts to install wireless technology.
Donovan asked whether they should be concerned about the notice
requirements for wireless facilities, and whether some facilities may be
very tall and visible from a distance.
Sidhu stated there has been no discussion about 4G, 5G, and 6G and health
impacts. He asked whether the County regulations would be following the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidance.
Councilmembers and staff considered some of the Planning Commission's
recommendations.
Donovan moved that they accept the Planning Commission's
recommendation for notice of application in Whatcom County Code
22.05.070 (Exhibit E) as follows:
WCC 22.05.070 Notice of Application
For sites within urban growth areas: Application notice shall be sent to all
property owners within 300 feet of the external boundaries of the subject
property as shown by the records of the county assessor, except that for
personal wireless service facilities, notice shall be sent to all property
owners within 1,000' of the external boundaries of the subject property as
shown by the records of the county assessor,
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Galloway, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
Galloway moved that they replace "require" with "may" in the memo.
Councilmembers and staff discussed where this language could be updated
in Exhibit E and the motion that was voted on was as follows:
To replace "shall" with "may" in Whatcom County Code 22.05.070 (3)(i) so
that it reads:
(i) Notices relating to personal wireless service facilities sh&4May state
the federal preemption of local regulation of radio frequency emissions.
The motion carried by the following vote:
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final October 11, 2022
Committee
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Galloway, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
Councilmembers and staff discussed the Planning Commission's
recommendation that "Type I" applications for Permitted Personal
Wireless Service Facilities require notice of application pursuant to WCC
22.05.070.
Donovan moved to accept staff s recommendation to remove the check
mark in the 22.05.020 (1) Project permit processing table for Type I
Applications, "Permitted Personal Wireless Service Facilities" under the
"Notice of Application Required" column in Exhibit E.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Galloway, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 2:25 p.m.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
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WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Ben Elenbaas-via email 10/17/2022
Daaa.Brown- oil, )Cotincil Clerk
Ben Elenbaas, Committee Chair
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
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