Council Committee of the Whole

**Comprehensive Plan Water Policies:** The most contentious discussion centered on three policies that would encourage moving water from the Nooksack River mouth back upstream through pipeline installation. Council Member Donovan led the charge to remove these policies, arguing they were too specific and potentially problematic. Planning Commissioner Dan Dunne defended the policies as feasibility studies rather than mandates, but Council ultimately sided with Donovan's concerns about environmental impacts and the need for broader policy language. **Urban Growth Area Planning:** Council provided preliminary guidance on multiple UGA proposals, with the most significant rejection being Blaine's Birch Point expansion. Council members expressed concerns about expanding into environmentally sensitive areas and noted that Blaine had already withdrawn their proposal pending a November election on de-annexation…

**Planning Commission (Dan Dunne):** Defended the water movement policies as necessary feasibility studies, arguing they provide options for addressing water supply and flood control challenges. Supported comprehensive approach to water resource planning. **Planning Department (Matt Aamot, Lucas Clark):** Raised concerns about oversized UGA proposals from smaller cities, particularly expansions into floodplains and agricultural areas. Recommended more conservative approaches to growth planning. **City of Blaine:** Withdrew their UGA proposal pending November election results on de-…

**Council Member Donovan, on water policies:** "I moved to remove the Planning Commission's addition of Policies 5S-5, 5S-6, and 5S-7 (pages 5-20-21 of the Preliminary Planning Commission Recommended Version)." **Chair Galloway, on disaster preparedness:** "[I have] growing anxiety about what happens when the next flood or natural disaster comes and FEMA is not responding, the State emergency department is tapped out, and it lands on the County, as the local jurisdiction, and we have no money…

After this meeting, three water movement policies were definitively removed from the comprehensive plan utilities chapter, eliminating language that could have encouraged upstream water pipeline projects. Council provided preliminary rejection of Blaine's Birch Point UGA expansion, sending clear guidance that this area should not be considered for urban development regardless of election outcomes. The county moved closer to budget adoption with all levy ordinances advancing to introduction, establishing a timeline for November public hearings and …

### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Committee of the Whole met on October 21, 2025, for a comprehensive session focused primarily on the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update and the 2026 county budget. The meeting ran from 1:01 p.m. to 4:28 p.m. and included significant decisions on Urban Growth Area (UGA) boundaries for several cities and preliminary discussions on budget amendments totaling over $20 million. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Urban Growth Area (UGA):** Designated boundaries around cities where urban development is allowed and encouraged under Washington's Growth Management Act. Cities must show they can accommodate projected population growth within these areas. **Comprehensive Plan Update:** A required periodic review and update of the county's long-range planning document that guides land use, transportation, utilities, and other development policies. Whatcom County is currently conducting its 2025 update. **Committee of the Whole:** A meeting format where all seven county council members participate as a committee to discuss items before they go to the full council for formal action. Allows for more informal discussion and preliminary guidance. **Mid-Biennium Budget Adjustment:** A budget modification in the middle of the two-year budget cycle to address changing revenue and expenditure needs. The current proposal involves $20,970,606 in adjustments. **Banked Levy Capacity:** The unused portion of a taxing district's authorized levy rate that can be used in future years. Several levy discussions involved using previously banked capacity. **Planning Commission:** A citizen advisory board that reviews and makes recommendations on planning and zoning matters to the county council. **Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):** A detailed analysis of the potential environmental effects of proposed comprehensive plan changes, required under state environmental laws. **Flood Control Zone District:** A special purpose district that levies taxes to fund flood control projects and maintenance throughout Whatcom County. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kaylee Galloway | Council Chair / Committee Chair | | Todd Donovan | Council Member | | Tyler Byrd | Council Member | | Barry Buchanan | Council Member | | Ben Elenbaas | Council Member | | Jon Scanlon | Council Member | | Mark Stremler | Council Member | | Lucas Clark | Planning and Development Services | | Matt Aamot | Planning and Development Services | | Aly Pennucci | County Executive's Office | | Elizabeth Kosa | Public Works Department Director | | Gary Stoyka | Public Works Department | | Chris Behee | City of Bellingham | | Michael Cerbone | City of Ferndale | ### Background Context This me…