Expanded gravel mining, senior housing part of requests for Whatcom County land-use changes

JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Concrete Nor'West wants to change zoning to allow gravel and sand mining operations on 280 acres south of Acme, and other landowners want to build an age 55-plus community with medical and retail space in Birch Bay.

Applications related to the two proposals were recently submitted to Whatcom County. They and many other applicants are asking for changes to the county's comprehensive plan. County leaders on Tuesday, March 31, will consider whether to put the applications on the work plan for 2009.

EXPAND MINING LAND

ATTEND THE MEETING
What: The Whatcom County Council will decide which landowner applications for land-use law changes to put on the docket for consideration this year. The applications ask for changes to the county's comprehensive plan.
When: 7 p.m. March 31.
Where: County Council Chambers, 311 Grand Ave. in Bellingham
Information: To read more about applications for changes to the county's comprehensive plan in 2009, go to Whatcomcounty.us, click on "Council" and then click on "Current Agenda." Click the link "AB2009-178" on the agenda for the information.

Concrete Nor'West has applied to allow mining on commercial forestry-zoned land near the south fork of the Nooksack River. A surface mine already sits on 155 acres near there. Vehicles accessing the new land would use Doran Road, which connects to Highway 9 south of Saxon Road.

In a December 2008 report, consultants Associated Earth Sciences concluded that there's well over 3.2 million cubic yards of mineral on the land, some hard rock and some gravel and sand, the application states.

The request is to give the land a special mining designation, not to allow the company to immediately start mining. Issues like noise, dust and traffic would be handled when the company applied for mining permits, according to the application.

In 2007, the County Council rejected a request by the company to designate 25 acres for mining near an existing mine east of Nooksack. That land was east of Nooksack and closer to housing and a school.

County planners have recommended the council docket the new proposal for consideration.

BIRCH BAY COMMUNITY

Landowners have asked the county to change urban growth area boundaries to remove their land from the Blaine urban growth area and put it in Birch Bay. The 85 acres are north of Lincoln Road and west of Blaine Road. The applicants are Julie Carney, Michael Reid, Edwin Kohn, Jack and Penny S. Ruth and Bellingham Land Holdings, owned by developer David Ebenal.

Landowners want to build a transitional living community, with some medical and retail space.

The city of Blaine has discouraged development in its urban growth areas until annexation. Blaine Planning Director Terry Galvin wrote to the county that the city opposes the proposal, saying the city is already concerned Birch Bay's plan encourages suburban sprawl.

County planners also have recommended rejecting the proposal.

REMOVE AGRICULTURAL ZONING

Ferndale-area resident Gordon Gerard applied to change agricultural zoning on 60 acres to zoning that allows one house per five acres. The properties, owned by several different landowners, are located east of Ferndale along Paradise Road.

The change would allow for 12 new homes, but because of an existing sand pit, it would probably only yield four or five new ones. The soils aren't suitable for agriculture, Gerard wrote.

ADD WATERSHED URBAN ZONING

Landowner Robert Matichuk has applied to rezone about 1.5 acres zoned to allow one house per five acres to a zone that allows three houses per acre. The land was mistakenly removed from urban growth area in February 2008 by the county, which based its decision on a Bellingham land analysis that erroneously concluded it was undeveloped, Matichuk's attorney wrote. Changing zoning would allow construction of two houses on lots owned by Matichuk in the Lake Whatcom watershed.

Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike wrote that the city opposes the change.

"If the Matichuk application is approved, there would be potential for additional dwellings in the watershed with associated impervious surfaces and a negative impact on the lake," he wrote.

CORRECTING ZONING ERROR

Landowners Donald and Heather Templin found their private land on Lookout Avenue in Geneva zoned for public recreation when the county changed Bellingham's urban growth area in 2008.

County planners have applied to fix that mistake and rezone the land, which is more than one acre. The new zone would allow one house per five acres. The property is currently vacant.