Trees voted back in subarea plan

By Meg Olson

Whatcom County Council reversed a planning commission recommendation to cut tree retention provisions from title 20 and brought them back stronger.

At their March 26 meeting council unanimously approved two ordinances amending county code to bring it in line with the newly revised subares plan.
The first added a special Point Roberts transitional zone, in which owners of large parcels could develop at higher density if they set aside open space. In the transitional zone lots can be developed at one dwelling per five acres, but if they set aside 50 percent of the parcel as open space, they can develop the rest at one dwelling per acre. A suggestion by taxpayers’ association board member Michael Rosser to limit lot size to one half acre, leaving more for open space, was not included. “We didn’t recommend that,” said planning director Sylvia Goodwin. “It wouldn’t provide enough flexibility.

The new zone also has a provision to reduce the amount of open space to as low as 30 percent, if critical wildlife or public use areas were protected.
A second ordinance revised title 20 to implement the goals of the subarea plan. “The planning and development committee restored the tree retention section and strengthened the language of the section,” Goodwin said.
The new language requires cleared areas, including the building site, outbuildings, paved areas and landscaped areas shall not exceed 5,000 square feet or half the parcel, whichever is greater...

BACK TO TOP