HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Oct 24 2023Whatcom County
Council Planning and Development Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #1.05
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
2:35 PM
Hybrid Meeting
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COUNCILMEMBERS
Tyler Byrd
Ben Elenbaas
Kaylee Galloway
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final October 24, 2023
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Tyler Byrd, Ben Elenbaas, and Kaylee Galloway
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Todd Donovan, Carol Frazey, and Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB20_23- 01_ Resolution amending Resolution 2023-033 to docket an additional Comprehensive
Plan and zoning amendment related to County Code 20.68 and other relevant
sections of Title 20 to define appropriate industrial uses and conditions for industrial
uses in Heavy Impact Industrial (HII) Districts within a city's designated urban growth
area
Donovan briefed the Councilmembers and stated this is for the purpose of
giving direction to Planning staff so they can work on something that can go
to the Planning Commission and then come back to the Council. It is
amending the docket.
Galloway moved that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL.
Elenbaas asked whether it is necessary to docket this with the
Comprehensive Plan review coming up in 2025 and Donovan stated it has to
be docketed either way.
Councilmembers discussed the motion and the sentiment of maintaining
our industrial lands.
Galloway stated, she hopes they would be thoughtful about where they can
add industrial zones in other places if they are going to rezone or down zone
industry lands because it is important to ensure a vibrant economy and
family wage jobs.
Elenbaas stated there is a lot of support for a working waterfront. He does
not oppose docketing this for a robust process. It is unfortunate they could
not have done that years ago.
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Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final October 24, 2023
Committee
Galloway's motion that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Elenbaas, and Galloway
Nay: 0
Committee Discussion
1. AB2023-398 Discussion of an ordinance adopting various amendments to WCC Title 20, Zoning,
regarding home -based businesses
Elenbaas stated he thought this was not ready for prime time since he is
gathering feedback and has not collected as much feedback as he was hoping
to. His preference would be that they hold off on moving forward on this
because there have been a few concerns. One concern was the regulation for
two weeks a year for camping in the Agritourism Activities definition in
Whatcom County Code Chapter 20.97. There are consequences to some of
these regulations that might not fit what is actually happening in the Ag
zone.
Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department, stated we do
regulate campgrounds already and there are certain facilities that you need
for setting up campgrounds.
Elenbaas stated those types of events tend to regulate themselves. He would
like to collect more feedback.
Strong read from the memo for this date (on file) and spoke about the
proposed changes.
Elenbaas spoke about his concern with the language in Chapter 20.97
Agritourism Activities which says:
...Activities such as farm festivals, barn parties, and camping may be
considered agritourism activities only if limited to two weekends
per year; otherwise it is a Type IV Home -Based Business.
Two weekends a year seems like it might discourage more of those
activities and he thinks the public would like to see more.
Donovan asked whether there is anything in the code about distance or
offset buffer regulations for event facilities (besides the parcel size not
being less than 10 acres) to take into account, even on a bigger parcel, an
event that might be closer to a cluster of neighbors.
Whatcom County Page 2
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final
Committee
October 24, 2023
Strong stated those regulations have to do with event facilities and not
agritourism and he is thinking about rural areas where there are a lot more
houses wanting to do these types of events.
Elenbaas spoke about the regulations maybe being more prohibitive to
smaller farms in the rural zone. He stated they will move forward with
getting feedback and will come back to this at a later date.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 2:45 p.m.
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Ben Elenbaas-via email 11/28/2023
Ben Elenbaas, Committee Chair
Whatcom County Page 3