Public Meetings on Rural Lands
Bellingham- 2009 is an important year for planning in Whatcom County. Whatcom County and the cities have begun work on the county comprehensive plan update, which is due to be completed in 2011. The project is called “Whatcom 2031” to reflect the twenty year prospective look at our community.Citizens of Whatcom County are urged to be informed and active in the series of long-range planning decisions the County will be considering over the next couple of years that will effect rural lands.
The first steps of the plan update process involve tackling two major issues for which the County has been found out of compliance with the Washington Growth Management Act (GMA). One issue is to review the County's urban growth areas (UGAs) to ensure they are properly sized to accommodate the projected growth over the next 20 years. The County is working with the cities to plan for growth in a coordinated manner.
The second issue involves rural planning. The GMA requires counties to protect the character of its rural areas and prevent sprawl. In 2005 the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board found Whatcom County's comprehensive plan and zoning regulations allowed development patterns that permitted residential lot sizes that are neither urban nor rural, and tend to rapidly consume rural lands and reduce the efficiency of public services. The Hearings Board also found that Whatcom County allowed commercial development outside urban areas that did not preserve rural character and limit sprawl.
Whatcom County is holding public meetings to discuss how best to change its land use regulations for rural areas to comply with the Growth Management Act and protect the rural character of the County. The GMA allows counties to retain "more intensive" development patterns in areas that had already been developed at the time the Growth Management Act took effect in 1990. Outside of those "limited areas of more intensive rural development" (LAMIRDs), the County must change zoning regulations to allow land uses and lot sizes that are in keeping with rural character.
The County completed a first phase of public participation in November 2008, engaging participants in general discussion about their vision for the rural areas of the County. The second phase of public participation begins March 4th. County staff will be presenting proposed changes that are based on Growth Management Act requirements and the public discussion from November.
The Whatcom County Planning Commission is expecting to begin public hearings on the rural land use policies to address these Growth Management Act requirements this spring. Ordinances to implement these potential changes may be considered in public hearing this summer.
You can find out more about this effort and participate in this next phase by attending any of the following meetings:or go to the Whatcom County Planning Web Page
http://www.whatcomcounty.us/pds/plan/long/projects/lamird/index.jsp
1 Wednesday, March 4: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Meridian High School Cafeteria, 194 W. Laurel Rd.
2 Thursday, March 5: 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Whatcom County Council Chambers, 311 Grand, Bellingham
3 Thursday, March 5: 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.
American Legion: Peace Arch Post #86, 4580 Legion Drive
(Near intersection of Birch Bay–Lynden and Blaine Roads)
4 Thursday, March 5: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Rome Grange, 2821 Mt. Baker Hwy. (east of Y Rd.)
Media Contact:
David Stalheim
Director Whatcom County
Planning and Development Services
(360) 676-6907
dstahei@co.whatcom.wa.us
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