HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2026-009Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Agenda Bill Master Report
File Number: AB2026-195
File ID: AB2026-195 Version: 1 Status: Approved
File Created: 02/26/2026 Entered by: Iclark@whatcomcounty.us
Department: Planning and File Type: Resolution
Development
Services Department
Assigned to: Council Planning and Development Committee Final Action: 03/10/2026
Agenda Date: 03/10/2026 Enactment #: RES 2026-009
Related Files:
Primary Contact Email: Iclark@whatcomcounty.us
TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM:
Resolution docketing Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulation amendments
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE:
Each year the Council adopts a docket wherein anticipated comprehensive plan and development
regulation amendments are listed, which becomes the work plan for Planning and Development
Services.
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE
Date: Acting Body: Action: Sent To:
03/10/2026 Council Planning and Development FORWARDED TO
Committee COUNCIL WITHOUT
RECOMMENDATION
03/10/2026 Council APPROVED
Aye: 7 Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
Attachments: Staff Memo, Proposed Resolution, Presentation
Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 311112026
PROPOSED BY: Planning & Development Services
INTRODUCED: March 10th, 2025
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-009
DOCKETING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATION AMENDMENTS
WHEREAS, the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.470) requires the County to
consider the proposed docket of comprehensive plan and development regulation
amendments on at least an annual basis; and
WHEREAS, the provisions of WCC 22.10.020 indicate that Comprehensive Plan and
development regulation amendments are to be docketed for review by approval of a resolution
by the County Council; and
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Planning and Development Services Department has
forwarded a docket of proposed Comprehensive Plan and development regulation
amendments to the County Council for consideration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Whatcom County Council hereby dockets
for formal review the amendments shown in Attachment A.
APPROVED this 10thday of March , 2026
,
ATTEST:,�,���• NOTC'°.•C�j r
COur4T`l °
Cat y Halka, Elr,� of tk►e Icil
'• SHWG `
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Greg Greenan, per 2/26/2026 email
Civil Deputy Prosecutor
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
T:�a
A� dj&�
Kaylee alloway, Council Chair
Page 1 of 6
Attachment A — Docket
File #
File Name
Applicant
Description
Location
Fee Waiver
Granted?
PLN2026-
OOOXX
2026-2032 Capital
Improvement
Program (CIP)
Update
Whatcom County
Amend the Capital Facilities element of the Whatcom County
Countywide
Not
Applicable
Comprehensive Plan, including updating the list of special district
plans adopted by reference (Chapter 4) and adopting a new Six-
Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for 2026-2032
(Appendix F).
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Meat Processing
Whatcom County
Updating meat processing (Slaughterhouse/Packinghouse) Code
Agriculture (AG)
Zoning District
Not
Applicable
Agricultural
Advisory
Committee
in the Agriculture Zone (WCC 20.40) per the request of the Ag
Code Amendment
Advisory Committee.
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Marijuana Social
Whatcom County
Revisions to WCC 20.66.089 to allow Cannabis Retail Facilities in
Light Impact
Industrial (LII)
Not
Applicable
the Light Industrial Impact (LII) when associated with an Urban
Equity Retail Code
Growth Area (UGA) as a permitted use without co -location with a
Amendment
legally established cannabis producer or processor.
PLN2026-
000XX
Outdoor Music
Festivals
Whatcom County
Updating the Outdoor Music Festival code in accordance with
Countywide
Not
Applicable
Council
RCW 70.108.130
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Review proposed
City and County
UGA Reserves
and/or UGA
Reserve study
areas or overlays.
Whatcom CountV
Review proposed City and County Urban Growth Area Reserves
Countywide
Not
Applicable
and/or UGA Reserve study areas or overlays.
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Wells Serving APO
Whatcom County
Review, and potential revision, of well standards for "Cluster
Agricultural
Not
Applicable
Clustered Lots
Council
Lots" associated with "Agricultural Cluster Subdivisions"; see file
AB2025-810.
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Review ADM
Revision Standards
Whatcom County
Council
Review, and potential revision, of Administrative Use Permit
Countywide
Not
Applicable
(ADM) standards for "Surface Mines"; see file A62025-810, and
for Surface Mines
Mineral Resource Land (MRL) Designation.
and Mineral
Resource Land
(MRL) Designation
PLN2026-
OOOXX
2026 Critical Areas
Whatcom County
Amend WCC Chapter 16.16 Whatcom County's Critical Areas
Countywide
Not
Applicable
Ordinance (CAC)
Ordinance to comply with required updates per RCW 36.70A.060
Update
using best available science per RCW 36.70A.172.
Page 1 of 6
File #
File Name
Applicant
Description
Location
Fee Waiver
Granted?
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Whatcom County
Whatcom County
Review and revise the Whatcom County Zoning Code and other
Countywide
Not
Applicable
Code Amendments
sections of the County Code to implement Comprehensive Plan
policies and/or address issues identified in the administration of
the codes. Revisions needed to achieve consistency with the
Growth Management Act may also be considered.
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Lvnden School
District Impact
Fees
Whatcom County
Consideration of the Lvnden School District's request that the
Lvnden School
District
Boundaries
Not
Applicable
County approve the collection of school impact fees. This
includes: (1) Amending the Whatcom County Comprehensive
Plan to adopt the Lvnden School District Capital Facilities Plan by
reference, (2) reviewing and, if necessary, modifying WCC 20.75
to comply with the current impact fee requirements in State law
(RCW 36.70A and RCW 82.02), and (3) developing an interlocal
agreement between the Lvnden School District and the County to
address the requirements identified in WCC 20.75.
PLN2026-
OOOXX
Ferndale School
District Impact
Fees
Whatcom County
Consideration of the Ferndale School District's request that the
Ferndale School
District
Boundaries
Not
Applicable
County approve the collection of school impact fees. This
includes: (1) Amending the Whatcom County Comprehensive
Plan to adopt the Ferndale School District Capital Facilities Plan
by reference, (2) reviewing and if necessary, modifying WCC
20.75 to comply with the current impact fee requirements in
State law (RCW 36.70A and RCW 82.02), and (3) developing an
interlocal agreement between the Ferndale School District and
the County to address the requirements identified in WCC 20.75.
PLN2026-
OOOOXX
2025-2026
Comprehensive
Plan, Development
Whatcom County
UGA Update, and Zoning Map Amendments — Including Chapter 3
Countywide
Not
Applicable
(Housing) Related Zoning Code Text Amendments. Required
updates per GMA: Siting of Manufactured Homes (RCW
Regulation, UGA
Update, and
Zoning Map
Amendments —
Including Chapter
36.01.225), No. of Unrelated Persons in Household (RCW
36.01.227), Religious Orgs-Hosting of the Homeless (RCW
36.01.290), Density Bonus for Affordable Housing on Religious
properties (RCW 36.70A.545), Affordable Housing Development
Restrictions (RCW 36.130.020), Residential Off -Street Parking
3 (Housing)
Related Zoning
Code Text
Amendments
Standards (RCW 36.70A.622). UGA Update, and Zoning Map
Amendments — Including Chapter 3 (Housing) Related Zoning
Code Text Amendments.
Page 2 of 6
File #
File Name
Applicant
Description
Location
Fee Waiver
Granted?
Review Public
Review and revise Whatcom County's Public Benefit Rating
PLN2026-
Benefit Rating
Whatcom County
System Program. WCC Chapter 3.28 Open Space Land
Countywide
Not
OOOXX
System
Applicable
Classification
Lake Whatcom
Amend WCC Chapter 20.51 Lake Whatcom Watershed Overlay
Watershed
District to require phosphorus neutral development and evaluate
PLN2026-
Whatcom County
Lake Whatcom
Not
Phosphorus
the feasibility of expanded homeowner outreach and inspection
00002
Neutral
Council
of private stormwater systems. Council Docketed 12/09/2025
watershed
Applicable
Development Code
AB2025-813 & RES 2025-027
Agricultural
Amend WCC Chapter 20.40 Agriculture (AG) District to include
PLN2026-
Agriculture (AG)
Not
Storage Use Code
Whatcom County
agriculture storage as a primary permitted use. Docketed in 2025
00001
Zoning District
Applicable
Amendment
via RES 2025-027
Proposed revision of WCC 20.68.060 to read as follows;
"Stationary Thermal Power plants with generating capacity of less
than4�350,000 kilowatts, floating thermal power plants
Puget Sound
PLN2025-
Energy (PSE) Code
PSE
HII
No
with generating capacity of less than &G,AGG 100,000 kilowatts,
00007
Amendment
and other power plants utilizing renewable resources from solar,
wind or water sources, except that coal-fired power plants are
prohibited."
4656 Bay Road
Proposal expand the Birch Bay Urban Growth Area to incorporate
a 36.40-acre parcel, and rezone as Urban Residential -Medium 6.
PLN2025-
Urban Growth
August Holdings,
00006
Area (UGA)
Rural
No
LLC
The parcel is currently outside of the UGA, and within the Rural -
10A zoning district.
Expansion
oI nI�T
Bay UGA
txpans:en
,4Ff?iBiFGh
�5
Taes:en-,+,. , 4.77 -, <.s n;.Gh Say I I.han r_re,.,+�n.e-.
49
paFeel
Then el : .,+I,, ae�:,�n�+sa n:,-,-I, n-.,. 1 I,-h-,., r_..,...+w n...-,
(7850
Blaine
e.
GGGG�
DI
nlrrN=q
Bi Kh"BayWGA
"J
Te de ate elm n +r.+@1 37.66 acm, as Q;...h Ba
I Irh�n rre..,+h Are-. Then els aFe r=UFFently ,designate,)
T&A,
APPis;
�OC111174CC7
C111174 C2A
'
09002
A�.
�iCTI'�}
�1
�c,�'Ft�Ti�
o.e.,
395711170Gn740
,
49C7111n7 C']7
399111341930
3951111455
DI nlr-cr�ippq
00903
lFripeiz s uFfaee
Code n.., n.Jm
Bell -....ham gehe04
Il�e+�1
The Bellingham Seheel n:54:6t (DiStrir+) 05 ..c4Rg -,
Geuntywide
yer
R., elm, .,+ Re .labs A.., n.Jrn n++ha4
Rts
Page 3 of 6
File #
File Name
Applicant
Description
Location
Fee Waiver
Granted?
'r
exempts pub!
n the \.A'4#er Rern a Rreter+;nn
Gverlay-Dist-F4et-
oI nl�r
99004,
%kfha+re.,, re ..n+.,
��
Review nel r n the inrhy+r, , r .,nt„ Zoning (nae
*4
CArde ARM en.dme n+r
and OtherCountywide
of the County ( ode to ;.,, r-.Inmr,n+ f empFeh.-,nsiye blai;
sections
of
nliriee Rd/e,r ,c1r{re a ire..nr tile
adFAiniStratien
the Re„ic'e,nr n nrinA to r istenr.. the
codes. aLzhieye with
G re ... thllaRagement Art n also her sidereed
RI nlXn;!S
90005
2 Q 2 S 2n_R I (lR
Capital [ee;l;t;
Whatcam Ce„nt.,
Amend the Capital G rili+; ole ent the Whatcom CGURty
CouRtywide
of
Comprehensive Plan diner the Seven (7) veaF rap4aI
Plan
G!u
Imnreyements Program (CIP) (Appendix F
PLN2024-
00005
Clean Energy Code
Amendments
Whatcom County
Council
Amendments to the Whatcom County Code to support solar
energy, geothermal energy, and hydrogen energy in accordance
with Resolution 2023-044.
Countywide
Not
Applicable
D I Ni--� rc v�ca_
00001
((��'''�I��
2025
Ce m@Fehensw�e
Plan, De ial, ma ,+
RegLliati.-.., Q. 1IT11
Re ned r ce the \A/hAtrr..rr (e my ('n ehe e Dla rd n
�3t'
WA
develop ;e;;t Fegvlatiet;s eRsuFe cempliance with +{ n
r. , , , .,-. e „th and
re re nts of RCIA ar— _7Q—^T-_°2if12W
fl r
t . hi , IBa n
densities
VrnPT
peFmitCd
the rit;ee If ,rh-,n a .,th
With neeessaFy, Fevase aFeas Ad. E)F
___ uteri Heveiapment regulations tr, e retard-,ta the ,44RA
n eeted feF tl,e, .sling twemy-year�
gt-er,th
PLN2019-
00002
MRL Expansion -
Breckenridge Rd.
Concrete
Nor'West
Amend the comprehensive plan designation from Rural to Mineral
Resource Lands (MRL) and amend the zoning map to expand a
MRL overlay zone on approximately 22.8 acres off
Breckenridge Rd., east of Nooksack. The underlying zoning is
Rural one dwelling/five acres (115A).
APNs:
400428165430, &
400428254460;'
Within the NW
and NE / of
section 28, T40N,
R4E, W.M.
No
PLN2017-
00004
MRL Countywide
Designation
Process
Whatcom County
Through a county -led countywide assessment, seek to identify
and designate potential commercially significant mineral resource
lands, to meet future demand, compatible with water resources,
agricultural lands, forest lands and other GMA goals pursuant to
Comprehensive Plan Policy 813-1.
Countywide
Not
Applicable
Page 4 of 6
File #
File Name
Applicant
Description
Location
Fee Waiver
Granted?
Create a new Whatcom County Code (WCC) Chapter 22.15, called
PLN2015-
Code Enforcement
"Code Compliance Procedures" to establish an efficient system to
Not
00003
Amendments
Whatcom County
address enforcement of building, critical areas and zoning codes.
Countywide
Applicable
The proposal would consolidate the existing code enforcement
provisions from WCC 15, 16.16, and 20 into a new WCC 22.15.
Amend the comprehensive plan designation from Rural (R) to
Parcel
PLN2012-
MRL Expansion —
Ferndale Ready
Mineral Resource Lands (MRL) and amend the zoning map to
#390110212100;
Not
00009
North Star Rd.
Mix & Gravel
expand an MRL overlay zone on approximately
Within the SW ,
Applicable
19.7 acres on the west side of North Star Rd., south of Brown Rd.
of Section 10,
The underlying zoning is Rural one dwelling/five acres (115A).
T39N, R1E, W.M.
Resolution 2018-027 was approved by the County Council on
8/8/2018 declaring support for the updated Whatcom County
Agricultural Strategic Plan. Immediate priorities in this plan
include reviewing designation of Agricultural Lands of Long-
term Commercial Significance and the agricultural zoning code.
Reviewing the Rural Study Areas as listed in the 2007 Rural
Land Study and making recommendations for possible changes
Agricultural
in accordance with Resolution 2009-040 (100 000-acre target),
Agricultural and
Not
00007
Strategic Plan
Whatcom County
Resolution 2018-027 (Updated Agricultural Strategic Plan) and
rural lands
Applicable
Implementation
RCW 36.70A.170 and .177 will be included. Other short-term
and medium -term priorities in this plan include development of
policies and regulations that provide for protection of the best
agricultural areas while supporting development at zoned
densities and continued work on development of the Natural
Resource Marketplace. These activities may lead to proposed
changes to the agricultural portions of the Comprehensive Plan
and zoning regulations.
Page 5 of 6