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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClimate Action Apr 15 2025Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 Committee Minutes - Final Tuesday, April 15, 2025 8:30 AM Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers HYBRID MEETING (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS. AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL 360.778.5010) COUNCILMEMBERS Todd Donovan Kaylee Galloway Mark Stremler CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC Council Climate Action and Natural Committee Minutes - Final April 15, 2025 Resources Committee Call To Order Roll Call Committee Chair Kaylee Galloway called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. in a hybrid meeting. Present: 3 - Todd Donovan, Kaylee Galloway, and Mark Stremler Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Ben Elenbaas, and Jon Scanlon Announcements Special Presentation 1. AB2025-306 Presentation by the Parks Department on Plantation Rifle Range The following people read from a presentation (on file) and answered questions: • Bennett Knox, Parks and Recreation Department Director • Christ Thomsen, Parks and Recreation Department They presented on the cleanup of the outdoor Plantation rifle range, where they are in process, the costs to date and that a feasibility study will likely be done with existing budget authority, what cleanup might look like, options for how to pay for or finance the whole $13.8 million cleanup cost, and things they will need to consider throughout the process, such as the future use of the property and service structure of the outdoor range. They answered whether monitoring of nearby wells has indicated any contamination, and stated that preliminary data has not shown contamination of domestic wells. They spoke about whether there are impacts to other water bodies near the range, and answered whether there was something that should have been happening at the Plantation Range to avoid this expensive cleanup. The additional people also spoke: • Christa Colouzis, Department of Ecology representative • Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office All the speakers discussed with councilmembers lead reclamation and costs of cleanup at other ranges in the state compared to this one, when Council was informed about the lead being an issue, the lack of good information WAarcom County Page I Council Climate Action and Natural Committee Minutes - Final April 15, 2025 Resources Committee flow between Parks and the Administration and between those departments and the Council, that the funding being requested is related to the indoor range and is separate from the outdoor range issues, the good news that our outdoor range does not qualify as a superfund toxic site, how much some areas of the range have lead levels which surpass the threshold for being a hazardous waste site, options for the property for the future which will be informed by the results of the feasibility study, and at what point those decisions need to be made. Knox presented on the indoor range, and spoke about items that still need to be resolved, the funds used to date and that are still needed for project completion, and projected revenue. He spoke about options they will need to consider when the cleanup is complete. He answered if they could continue the indoor range if they do not choose to continue the rifle range, and stated it is a possible scenario. This agenda item was PRESENTED. Committee Discussion 1. A132025-233. Discussion of the Agricultural Advisory Committee's priorities The following people spoke and answered questions: ■ Chantel Welch, Agricultural Advisory Committee Chair • Roger Kubalek, Agricultural Advisory Committee Vice Chair • Dakota Stranik, Planning and Development Services Department and staff support for the Agricultural Advisory Committee They briefed the councilmembers and read from the committee's letter sent to the County (on file) regarding the loss of agricultural land across the country and in Whatcom County, and how the Administration and Council can address the current challenges. They discussed with councilmembers what dedicated County staff would do, the difference between agricultural land and farmland and how they determine what is being farmed, efforts to identify agricultural land for preservation and that there is not currently dedicated staff to do that analysis, whether the Port of Bellingham could partner with them to help with staffing, what barriers they have seen regarding agriculture and the Conservation Easement Program, looking into grants or other potential funding, what they are looking for in terms of water rights advocacy and whether that could be included in the County's legislative priorities, and hearing more from the advisory committee on what impacts the tariffs might have on our local agricultural economy. This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. K%akom County Page 2 Council Climate Action and Natural Committee Minutes - Final April 15, 2025 Resources Committee Items Added by Revision Other Business Adjournment Tliere were no agenda items added by revision. There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 9:48 a.m. �„EtlIlrr+rrr,"r, ATTEST:, Q U. V • .. • . uN L CO ,A a lzy Ha,414Tcx WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WA Kaylee Galloway -via email 4/21/2025 Kaylee Galloway, Committee Chair Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger Whafcom County page 3