HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2023-058Whatcom County
Agenda Bill Report
File Number: AB2023-640
File ID: AB2023-640 Version: 1
File Created: 09/21/2023 Entered by: CHalka@co.whatcom.wa.us
Department: Council Office File Type: Ordinance
Assigned to: Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee
Agenda Date: 10/10/2023
Related Files:
Primary Contact Email: chalka@co.whatcom.wa.us
TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM:
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Status: Revised Substitute
Adopted as Amended
Final Action: 10/10/2023
Enactment #: ORD 2023-058
Ordinance establishing a task force to develop a Whatcom County Forest Resilience Plan
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE:
Ordinance establishing a task force to develop a Whatcom County Forest Resilience Plan
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE
Date: Acting Body:
Action:
Sent To:
09/26/2023 Council
SUBSTITUTE INTRODUCED Council Climate Action and
Natural Resources Committee
Aye:
4
Buchanan, Donovan, Frazey, and Galloway
Nay:
3
Byrd, Elenbaas, and Kershner
10/10/2023 Council Climate Action and Natural
RECOMMENDED FOR
Resources Committee
ADOPTION WITH
PROPOSED
AMENDMENT(S)
Aye:
2
Donovan, and Galloway
Nay:
1
Elenbaas
10/10/2023 Council
REVISED SUBSTITUTE
ADOPTED AS AMENDED
Aye:
4
Buchanan, Donovan, Frazey, and Galloway
Nay:
3
Byrd, Elenbaas, and Kershner
Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 10/1112023
Agenda Bill Report Continued (AB2023-640)
Attachments: Draft Ordinance Discussed in Committee 9.12.2023, Substitute Ordinance for 9.26.2023,
Substitute Ordinance for 10.10.2023, Revised Substitute Following Committee 10.10,2023, Agenda
Revision Notice for 9.26.2023, Revised Council Agenda 10.10.2023, Staff Comments for
A132023-640, Letter from American Forest Resource Council, Memo from Executive
Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 10/1112023
1 PROPOSED BY: Galloway
2 INTRODUCTION DATE: 9/26/2023
3 ORDINANCE NO. 2023 - 058
4
5 ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP A WHATCOM COUNTY FOREST
6 RESILIENCE PLAN
8 WHEREAS, active forest management combined with the strategic
9 conservation of mature and old -growth forests can ensure both a thriving timber
10 economy and healthy forest ecosystems for fish and wildlife, carbon sequestration
11 and storage, recreation, watershed health, wildfire, pest, and disease resistance,
12 and climate resilience; and
13
14 WHEREAS, healthy, intact forests provide improved water quality, augment
15 summer low flows, stabilize steep slopes, and attenuate downstream flood impacts;
16 and
17
18 WHEREAS, forestry issues are multidisciplinary, requiring diverse expertise
19 in science, industry, climate, and natural resource management; and
20
21 WHEREAS, Whatcom County Council seeks experts from diverse
22 backgrounds, including educational and professional experience, to help advise the
23 County on issues relating to forest management and resilience; and
24
25 WHEREAS, three departments within Whatcom County government have
26 some jurisdiction around forestry issues and forest land management, including
27 Parks & Recreation, Planning & Development Services, and Public Works; and
28
29 WHEREAS, Whatcom County has several advisory committees and
30 commissions comprised of community members with expertise relevant to forestry
31 issues and managing forest lands in Whatcom County, including the Forestry
32 Advisory Committee, Climate Impact Advisory Committee, Wildlife Advisory
33 Committee, Planning Commission, and Parks & Recreation Commission; and
34
35 WHEREAS, Whatcom County has several local planning and regulatory
36 documents with a nexus to forestry, including but not limited to, the
37 Comprehensive Plan, Climate Action Plan, WRIA 1 Salmonid Recovery Plan
38 Shoreline Manaqement Plan, Critical Areas Ordinance, and Lake Whatcom
39 Management Program. Work Plan; and
40
41 WHEREAS, the 2021 Whatcom County Climate Action Plan, adopted on
42 November 9, 2021, includes a chapter on Forestry outlining three key strategies:
43 1. Protect and enhance carbon storage and sequestration in forest
44 ecosystems.
45 2. Increase forest health, survival and climate resilience through forest
46 management practices that reduce wildfire risk, increase soil moisture,
47 and stream flows, and preserve wildlife habitat.
Page 1
1 3. Promote climate resilient planning and programs to maintain our forest
2 economy for recreation and wood products through leadership and
3 education.
4
5 WHEREAS, on August 9, 2022, Whatcom County Council passed Resolution
6 2022-036 establishing priorities for Whatcom County's 2025 Comprehensive Plan
7 update, which included several strategies and actions to support climate resilient
8 forests and a thriving timber economy; and
9
10 WHEREAS, over the last couple years, the Whatcom County Council has
11 actively engaged Commissioner Hilary Franz, the Washington State Board of
12 Natural Resources (BNR), and Washington State Department of Natural Resources
13 (DNR) staff on several timber sales, state legislation, and the pilot carbon project;
14 and
15
16 WHEREAS, on January 25, 2022, the Whatcom County Council sent a letter
17 to DNR requesting a pause on Bessie Unit 2 to allow for County staff to engage DNR
18 staff and representatives from the local forestry community to review the proposed
19 harvest and recommend possible actions to more fully address climate resilience
20 concerns; and
21
22 WHEREAS, on January 10, 2023, the Whatcom County Council sent a letter
23 to DNR providing feedback on Phase II of the Carbon Project; and
24
25 WHEREAS, on May 9, 2023, the Whatcom County Council sent a letter to
26 DNR including requests to explore co -management opportunities, take advantage of
27 new state programs and funding, and temporarily pause the Brokedown Palace
28 timber sale for further evaluation; and
29
30 WHEREAS, on June 7, 2023, Whatcom County received a letter from
31 Commissioner Hilary Franz outlining DNR's efforts to conserve ecologically valuable
32 forests, an overview of state forest policies, new funding sources, and invited the
33 County to engage with DNR to develop a strategy for how DNR manages county
34 forest trust lands in Whatcom County; and
35
36 WHEREAS, forest management on state public lands is guided by the 1974
37 Washington State Forest Practices Act and associated forest_)ractices rules, the
38 1997 State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), the Policy for Sustainable
39 Forests, and other policies —none of which address the causes or impacts of climate
40 change; and
41
42 WHEREAS, Whatcom County also has a number of county owned forest
43 lands that would benefit from more active management including Lake Whatcom
44 Park and Canyon Lake Community Forest; and
45
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1 WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Department is currently
2 working on a Request for Proposals to develop a forest management plan for Lake
3 Whatcom Park, which is land that was reconveyed from DNR in 2014; and
4
5 WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Public Works Department is actively
6 working with the Whatcom Land Trust, Nooksack Indian Tribe, and other key
7 partners on the Stewart Mountain Community Forest Initiative, which includes
8 additional forest land acquisition, a forest management plan, and potential
9 opportunity for more County owned forestland; and
10
11 WHEREAS, Whatcom County will benefit from increased coordination and
12 collaboration around all forestry related issues including the management of public
13 forestlands; and
14
15 WHEREAS, Whatcom County will benefit from the development of a task
16 force dedicated to reviewing relevant County policies, programs, organizational
17 structure, and staff capacity, in addition to fully engaging all levels of government
18 and relevant stakeholders in the development of a unified forest resilience plan for
19 our local forestry resources, including a framework for engagement moving
20 forward.
21
22 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that
23 Whatcom County establish a multi -departmental, multidisciplinary Forest Resilience
24 Task Force as outlined in Exhibit A.
2526 ty��►�be+bras
27 AC�O D tl�dS � `®day of October 2023,
28 -®� e����1AT b
29a COUNTY®R y
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
30 ATTEST: Q m WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
31
32 e
33
34 Dana Brown-Dav , er= of the Counc r#uchan'an-, Council Chair
35
36
37 WHATCOM COUNTY EXECUTIVE
38 APPROVED AS TO FORM: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
39
40
41
42 /s/Karen Frakes approved on 10/10/2023/MR
43 Civil Deputy Prosecutor Satpal Sidhu, County Executive
44
45 ( ) Approved ( ) Denied
46
47 Date Signed: ��;"•
Page 3
1
2 EXHIBIT A
3
4
2.170
FOREST RESILIENCE TASK FORCE
5
6
Sections:
7
2.170.010
Established
8
2.170.015
Sunset
9
2.170.020
Purpose
10
2.170.030
Function
11
2.170.040
Permanent Members
12
2.170.050
Additional appointed members.
13
2.170.060
Term of office.
14
2.170.070
Organization — Meetings
15
2.170.080
Committee Staffing
16
2.170.090
Reporting
17
18
19
20
2.170.010
Established.
21
There is hereby established the Forest Resilience Task Force.
22
23
2.170.015
Sunset.
24
This Task Force will sunset on December 31, 2025 unless otherwise
25
extended by the Whatcom County Council. All members' terms will end
26
when the Task Force sunsets.
27
28
2.170.020
Purpose.
29
The Task Force is created to develop a comprehensive Whatcom
30
County Forest Resilience Plan, which will include a framework for
31
engagement with local, state, federal, and tribal governments and
32
relevant stakeholders on issues relating to forest management and
33
resilience. The Task Force will report to the Whatcom County Council
34
and Executive.
35
36
2.170.030
Function.
37
The Task Force will consider input from diverse experts, stakeholders,
38
and community members to develop a comprehensive Forest
39
Resilience Plan with science- and evidence -based strategies and
40
actions towards sustaining a thriving timber economy, restoring
41
healthy forest ecosystems for fish and wildlife, addressing stream high
42
and low flow issues, enhancing carbon sequestration and storage,
43
promoting robust recreation opportunities, improving watershed health
44
(including Lake Whatcom), improving wildfire, pest, and disease
45
resistance, and increasing the overall resilience of Whatcom County's
46
forests to climate impacts. The Plan will include a framework for
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1 engagement and coordination with local, state, federal, and tribal
2 governments and relevant stakeholders on forestry issues. The Plan
3 will also include community values and desired outcomes to inform
4 forest management plans for publicly owned forest lands. The Task
5 Force will also review relevant County policies, programs,
6 organizational structure, and staff capacity, and include its findings
7 and recommendations in the Plan.
8
9 2.170.040 Permanent Members.
10 The Task Force will include eleven permanent members. The following
11 representatives will be appointed by their designated department,
12 agency, council, committee or commission:
13
14 A. One representative from Whatcom County, appointed by the
15 Executive;
16
17 B. One representative from Lummi Nation;
18
19 C. One representative from Nooksack Indian Tribe;
20
21 D. One representative from the Washington State Department of
22 Natural Resources;
23
24 E. One representative from the United States Forest Service;
25
26 F. Two representatives from the Forestry Advisory Committee;
27
28 G. One representative from the Climate Impact Advisory Committee;
29
30 H. One representative from the Wildlife Advisory Committee;
31
32 I. One representative from the Planning Commission; and
33
34 1. One representative from the Parks and Recreation Commission.
35
36 2.170.050 Appointed Members.
37 In addition to the permanent members designated above, the Task
38 Force will include eight community members, appointed by the
39 Whatcom County Council:
40
41 A. One community member with expertise in forest management
42 and/or wood products industry;
43
44 B. One community member with expertise in owning and/or managing
45 forest lands for conservation purposes;
46
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C. One community member with expertise in climate, salmon
recovery, and natural resources policy;
D. One community member with expertise in watershed management
(including Lake Whatcom) and/or land use planning;
E. Two community members with expertise in relevant science
disciplines; and
F. Two representatives from trust land beneficiaries.
2.170.060 Term of office.
Permanent and appointed members are eligible to serve the entire
duration of the Task Force as established in 2.170.015. Should the
task force duration be extended, members will serve no more than
four years, in accordance with the Whatcom County Charter 3.23.
2.170.070 Organization — Meetings.
Meetings of the Task Force will be open and accessible to the public
and will be subject to the Open Public Meetings Act. The Task Force
will determine its own meeting schedule. Written records of meetings,
research, findings and recommendations will be kept and made
available to the public. The Task Force will adopt its own rules and
procedures for the conduct of business.
2.170.080 Committee Staffing and Funding Support.
The Task Force will have full support from the Whatcom County
Council, and will coordinate with the Executive's office and relevant
department staff. The Council may provide, through the budget
process, funding for locally delivered paid consultant assistance to
conduct and complete its tasks in an efficient and effective manner.
2.170.090 Reporting
The Task Force will submit to the Whatcom County Council and
Executive the Whatcom County Forest Resilience Plan no later than
September 30, 2025. The Task Force will provide at least two progress
reports to the Council before a final presentation and submission of the
Plan.
Page 6