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Whatcom County Planning Commission

WHA-PLN-2025-10-23 October 23, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Whatcom County 53 min
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Oct
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The Whatcom County Planning Commission held a public hearing and work session on Chapter 8 (Resource Lands) of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan update. The chapter covers agricultural lands, forest resource lands, marine resource lands, and mineral resources. The Commission made seven substantive amendments to agricultural land policies, including strengthening requirements that designation criteria follow state law, removing references to a non-functional density credit program, and adding protections for conservation easements on agricultural lands. Key changes included requiring agricultural land designations to follow RCW 36.70A.050 and WAC 365.190, striking problematic language about maintaining a density credit program that doesn't work, and expanding soil classification criteria to include both prime farmland and farmland of statewide importance. The Commission also added language requiring review of agricultural zoning standards to reflect current and evolving practices. Director Mark Personius provided updates on County Council's recent Committee of the Whole actions, where Council provided guidance on four city UGA proposals ahead of Planning Commission deliberations. The Commission expressed concern about Council acting before Planning Commission completed its review process, though staff clarified these were guidance motions rather than final decisions.

**Amendment to Policy 8A-3** (Motion 2): Passed 7-0-1 (Eisenberg abstained) Added requirement that criteria for designating agricultural lands "shall follow the law, including RCW 36.70A.050 and WAC 365.190." Staff recommendation: Not specified vs. Commission action: Added legal compliance requirement **Agricultural Water Rights Amendment** (Motion 3): Failed 2-6 Would have required "legal access to adequate agricultural water rights" for agricultural land designation. Commissioner concerns about restricting non-irrigated farming operations led to defeat. **Strike Density Credit Program Changes** (Motion 4): Passed 7-1 (Barton opposed) Removed references to maintaining a density credit program that Director Personius acknowledged doe…

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The meeting centered on strengthening agricultural land protections while ensuring they remain economically viable for farming. Commissioner Dunn led efforts to ensure county policies align with state law, arguing the current language created potential conflicts between county criteria and state requirements. Commissioner Browne raised significant concerns about protecting only productive agricultural land, presenting detailed soil analysis showing much designated "prime" farmland lacks adequate water or soil quality for actual farming. He advocated for water rights requirements but the Commission worried this would exclude legitimate farming operations like hay production or livestock grazing that don't require irrigation. The density credit program emerged as a problematic policy area. Director Personius a…
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**Eliza Steele (Agriculture Advisory Committee Vice Chair):** Opposed water rights requirements, noting livestock watering isn't subject to water adjudication and requirements would eliminate agricultural lands that don't need formal water rights but are actively farmed. **Lauren Templeton (Conservation Easement Administrator):** Supported the Commission's conservation easement amendments, confirming they align with current program practices that already allow farmstead areas and agricultural buildings within easement terms. **Director Mark Personius:** Acknowledged density credit program shortcomings while explaining its origins as an alternati…
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**Commissioner Dunn, on legal compliance:** "I think obviously we have to follow the law when we're doing this. That's primary thing. And then we can do some other things you want to, but we absolutely have to follow the law and then on top of that." **Commissioner Browne, on protecting productive land:** "I'm all for protecting eggland and I think it's a very important part of the overarching commentary in this part of the chapter. But what I want to do is protect eggland that can act…
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**October 30, 2025:** Code amendments annual scrub and UGA proposal deliberations for Nooksack, Sumas, Everson, Birch Bay, Cherry Point, and Lynden **November 6, 2025:** Continued UGA deliberations specifically for Columbia Valley, Bellingham, and Ferndale **November 13, 2025:** Chapter 10 Environment public hearing **November 20, 2025:** Chapter 2 Land Use and Chapter 3 Housing public hearings **December 4, 2025:…

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The Chapter 8 Resource Lands section now requires agricultural land designations to explicitly follow state law (RCW 36.70A.050 and WAC 365.190) rather than relying solely on county criteria. The problematic density credit program language has been removed, acknowledging the program doesn't function as intended. Conservation easement and TDR policies now explicitly protect farming ability in addition to land preservation, ensuring easement terms allow necessary agricultural infrastructure and farmworker housing. The soil classification criteria expanded beyond prime farmland to include farmland of statewide importance, potentially broadening agric…
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Land Use & Planning Government Operations Agriculture Advisory Committee Conservation Easement Program Future Wise Planning Development Services Whatcom County Council Whatcom County Planning Commission Daniel Dunne Dominic Moceri Eliza Steele Jim Hansen Kelvin Barton Lauren Templeton Mark Personius Nicholas Greif Rud Browne Scott Van Dalen Suneeta Eisenberg Agricultural Lands Comprehensive Plan Conservation Easements Growth Management Act Land Use Policy Soil Classification Transfer Development Rights Water Rights Zoning