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GA Advocate
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
· UPCOMING MEETINGS
· GMHB’s JAN. 9th RURAL ELEMENT DECISION – is your property involved?
· FERNDALE – TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES
· FERNDALE’S "2,000 STEPS TO FIXING DOWNTOWN”
BELLINGHAM CITY COUNCIL
Monday, February 13
Planning & Community Development Committee, 1:20-1:55 p.m. Council Chambers (Jack Weiss, Michael Lilliquist, Cathy Lehman, Seth Fleetwood):
· Update on drafting the Economic Development Element of the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan (AB19455).
Transportation Committee, 1:55-2:15 p.m.
· Several items involving the West Baker Overpass project.
Lake Whatcom Reservoir & Natural Resources, 2:25-2:50 p.m.:
· Interlocal Agreement with the Whatcom County Health Department to provide on-site septic system (OSS) inspection services in the Lake Whatcom Watershed -- AB19418.
Committee Of The Whole - 2:50-4:00 PM
· Ordinance to increase the watershed surcharge for Lake Whatcom Watershed property acquisition and stormwater program -- AB19235.
Regular Meeting, 7:00 PM Council Chambers
· Public Hearing on State Auditor's Performance Report re: Construction change order pricing practices.
· Dick Skeers appointment to the Public Works Advisory Board for Council’s information
Friday, February 24 – SPECIAL MEETING
· The Bellingham City Council will convene for a special meeting in Executive Session on Friday, Feb. 24 beginning at 8 a.m. in the Council Chambers to interview City Attorney candidates.
Monday, February 27
· Committee of Whole to establish Council goals for 2012, 10 a.m.-noon, Mayor’s Boardroom.
· Regular Council meeting, 7 p.m.
Monday, March 12, 7 p.m.:
· Padden Trails hearing – Comp Plan amendments and rezoning of 113 acres. E-mail comments to ccmail@cob.org, or fax to 778-8101, before 10 a.m. March 7 for inclusion in the council packet. For information, click here.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, February 14
Planning & Development Committee, 3 p.m.
Discussion and Recommendation to Council on a resolution initiating Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan and zoning amendments for 2012 (AB2012-089). Items proposed for formal review include:
- The Six-Year Capital Improvement Program and capital facility planning for the east county (Columbia Valley, Sumas)
- UR-MX Building Size Limitations
- Unincorporated UGA interlocal agreements
- R5A to RIM
- Comp Plan Chapter 6 on transportation
- Title 20 amendments (to be consistent with GMA)
- Rural Element Update, Birch Bay Watershed Action Plan
- Lake Whatcom Watershed Stormwater and Land Clearing Amendments
- Fazon Lake TDR sending area
- Offsite wetland mitigation/habitat restoration.
Regular meeting, 7 p.m.:
- Hearing on Community Development Block Grant Closeout – Kulshan Community Land Trust Affordable Housing Grant (AB2012-064)
- "Consent Agenda" Items include interlocal funding/grant agreements for the West Bakerview Overpass Project, in the amount of a $750,000.
- Vote on Comp Plan amendments to create a Mineral Resource Lands designation and zoning overlay off of Doran and Bowman Roads in the South Fork Nooksack Valley, south of Acme (forwarded on August 9) and to remove a Mineral Resource Lands (MRL) zoning overlay from the existing Rural (R10) zone and change the MRL designation to Rural for approximately 90 acres on Aldrich Road (forwarded Jan 24)
- Introduction of items to create a Whatcom County Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials (AB2011-224C) and to combine 2 standing committees to create a Public Work, Health and Safety Committee.
WHATCOM COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Thursday, Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
BELLINGHAM PLANNING COMMISSION
Thursday, February 23 at 7 p.m.:
· King Mountain Urban Village public hearing
NEXT GAC MEETING – 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23
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After GAC’s discussion on Thursday, Linda called Gary Davis in WC Planning to confirm information about the Jan. 9 GMHB decision, and received the following information:
If you own land in rural Whatcom County, check now to see if your property is involved in the Growth Management Hearing Board’s Jan. 9 "rural element” decision.
Many rural areas are affected by the hearing board’s "invalidity orders.” The county is interpreting this to mean you cannot get a new building permit for commercial/industrial use in affected areas until the county approves changes that meet the board’s requirements. This process may continue until fall, or later.
Existing permits in these areas are vested, according to Senior Planner Gary Davis. You can still get permits to build or remodel single-family houses or to remodel multifamily or commercial/industrial, he said. (Davis says see RCW 36.70A.302 for what you can or can’t do under "invalidity.”)
In addition, land is being down-zoned in many areas called LAMIRDS – this means, for instance, that Fort Bellingham area where one house has been allowed for years on 1 acre may now be limited to one house per 5 acres. "We may have options beyond that,” Davis said, "but that’s got to be worked out with the hearings board.” No one can submit subdivision plats in a proposed LAMIRD area until the hearings board and county work out their differences, he said.
LAMIRDS found invalid are: Smith Road-Guide Meridian (part of the area between the Smith and Axton intersections), North Bellingham, Fort Bellingham, Eliza Island, part of the Emerald Lake subdivision, 1 lot in Van Wyck area, and 1 lot in the Birch Bay-Lynden Valley View Road area. The Planning Department hopes to draft a map of affected areas and post it in March.
BIAWC MEMBERS: To see if your land is affected, call or visit the county Planning Department with a parcel number (676-6907). If you have complaints, please call your County Council representative!!
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FERNDALE TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES
Public hearing March 5
The City Council expressed support at a Feb. 6 work session for creating a two-tier Transportation Impact Fee system, charging more for people who build in a Planned Action Area near I-5 Exit 262, where overpass and ramp improvements are needed. Now they need to consider how much to charge, and where other money for these projects will come from. (Ferndale Council has an official goal of charging impact fees to cover only 24 percent of the cost of such improvements. The project is pegged at $39M.) The next study sessions on this will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 21, and 5 p.m. March 5. On March 5, a hearing also may be held. For the staff report, click here.
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FERNDALE’S "2,000 STEPS TO FIXING DOWNTOWN”
2 p.m. Thursday, March 1
A downtown walk with city staff to discuss what needs improvements. Will begin at City Council Chambers, the public is welcome.
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