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Since the initial public meetings in the fall of 2008, Whatcom County has been working to update its policies and regulations for managing growth and development in rural areas. The purpose of this update is to ensure that the Rural Element section of the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan complies with state law and accurately reflects the values and expectations of county residents.
This web site is intended to provide citizens with information on the project, including:
We welcome and invite your comments and questions.
Check this page for the latest information, or email pds@co.whatcom.wa.us to receive regular updates.
This page was last updated May 21, 2012 |
The latest:
Public Hearing Scheduled for May 24
On May 2, 2012 the Planning Commission completed its direction to staff on the remaining issues. PDS posted a revised draft on the "Proposed" page on May 11 based on that direction and the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on that draft on May 24. That meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the County Council Chambers, 311 Grand, Bellingham. PDS has published a staff report on the May 11 draft and a supplementary staff memorandum, which also appears on the "Proposed" page.
SEPA DNS Addendum issued
PDS issued a Determinantion of Non-Significance (DNS) Addendum on April 27, 2012. This is an addendum to the DNS issued in 2009.
GMHB order issued
On November 21, 2011 the Growth Management Hearings Board's Western Washington panel held a hearing in Bellingham on the four appeals of Ordinance 2011-013. The Board published its Final Decision and Order on January 9, 2012. The order specifies 24 issues in which the County is not in compliance with GMA (see PDS summary of those issues). The order finds all or part of seven LAMIRDs, as well as the County's development regulations for RGC, NC, STC, GM, and RIM zones, to be invalid. The finding of invalidity limits non-single-family-residential permitting in those zones per RCW 36.70A.302. If you have questions on how this decision may affect your property, please call PDS at 360-676-6907 for more details.
County Council approves additional changes
On November 9, 2011 the County Council adopted Ordinance 2011-043, which makes further changes to the zoning code beyond those made in Ordinance 2011-023. The changes include increasing the minimum lot size allowable in the Rural Residential Density Overlays from one acre to two acres, and specifying that commercial and industrial zones are allowed in LAMIRD designations.
GMHB issues decision on rural zoning
On September 9, 2011 the Growth Management Hearings Board published its decision in the July 26 hearing on rural zoning. The Board found the County's retention of R-2A zoning in rural areas does not violate the GMA.
County Council approves map correction July 26, 2011
After the adoption of Ordinance 2011-013, staff found an error in one of the zoning maps (Lake Whatcom), where a label showing rezoning from RR-2 to RR-5A* had been inadvertently omitted. On July 12 the County Council introduced an ordinance to correct the omission and the Ordinance 2011-028 was adopted by the County Council at their July 26 meeting.
County Council repeals subdivision moratorium
On June 21, 2011 the County Council adopted Ordinance
2011-023, which repeals Ordinance 2011-002. The earlier ordinance imposed a
six-month interim moratorium on acceptance of applications for subdivisions
and short subdivisions creating lots smaller than ten acres in areas the
Planning Commission had recommended for inclusion within LAMIRDs, and was
set to expire on August 6, 2011. (A similar six-month interim moratorium,
Ordinance 2010-066, was adopted in December 2010 for "affected areas"
outside the Planning Commission's proposed LAMIRD boundaries; that ordinance
expired on June 19, 2011). The new ordinance was signed by the County Executive on June 23 so the moratorium
repeal has taken effect as of July 3, 2011.
County Council adopts rural element ordinance
At its May 10, 2011 meeting the County Council adopted an ordinance amending the Comprehensive Plan, the zoning code and zoning maps related to rural areas of Whatcom County. The pages on this Rural Element Update website provide reference materials on the public process through which this ordinance was developed over the course of more than two years. The adopted ordinance, with exhibits showing amended text and maps, is posted on the Adopted page.
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