HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Jul 23 2024Whatcom County
Council Planning and Development Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
1:30 PM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 1:45 P.M. - MAY BEGIN EARLY
(PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Jon Scanlon
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final July 23, 2024
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas called the meeting to order at 1:37 p.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, and Jon Scanlon
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Kaylee Galloway, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. Af,12024-.485 Report from the Planning and Development Services Department
Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Department Director
gave an overview of where the department is with permitting. He stated
permitting revenue is up from this time last year and there has been a 30
percent increase year-to-date in both single-family residential permit
applications and site plan review applications, and about a 50 percent
increase in commercial permit applications. He spoke about large projects
in the pipeline, including 70 multi -family units in Birch Bay, the Alcoa
demolition project, and a range of permits from Petrogas as part of the
compliance process. There are two new hangers going in at Bellingham
International Airport as well as a pickleball warehouse. They also received
preliminary approval of their 2020 Shoreline Management Program (SNIP)
update from the Department of Ecology and staff will probably initiate that
review witli wuncii someth-11C iil Scptelnber.
Amy Keenan, Planning and Development Services Department, read from a
presentation (on file) regarding permit processing and timeline changes and
what they are doing to prepare for implementation of Senate Bill 5290
permit requirements starting in 2025. She and Personius answered
questions. They answered whether they are considering going beyond the
State targets and setting their own goals, and Personius stated they are
focusing first on being able to meet the minimum requirements by January
1 St.
Donovan asked if the SNIP update being done and coming back to Council
now opens up their ability to continue processing vacation rental
regulations which they had previously talked about. He also asked what
process the Petrogas permits are going through in terms of compliance, and
whether Council will hear more about it or not be able to talk about it once
Whatcom Couno Page 1
Council Planning and Development Committee Minutes - Final
Committee
July 23, 2024
Petrogas applies for the permits. Personius stated they anticipate they will
be applying for a major project permit, in which case, the Council is the
deciding body, so there will be some constraints on their conversation
about it. He spoke about the Petrogas permits. As for the SMP question and
short-term rentals, he stated that is a conversation they will be better
prepared to talk about in September. They could move forward on the
regulatory side, but it is a bigger conversation, from a budget standpoint, for
the registration system. They are working on getting information together
to inform the discussion in September.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
Adjournment ��'0-'tt
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Cathy Halka, Couricif Clerk
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Ben Elenbaas-via email 8/2/2024
Ben Elenbaas, Committee Chair
Wkatcom County Page 2