Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Purpose and Authority: The Whatcom County Council adopted the Comprehensive Plan update in August 2016 (Ordinance 2016-034). Comprehensive Plan Policy 2A-14 includes establishing a clear, predictable, and fair process for allowing expansion of urban growth areas that considers reasonable measures to mitigate the impacts of residential development in rural lands, agricultural areas, and sensitive watersheds (the Policy also addresses upzones in other areas, such as zoning changes in rural areas). This Policy includes convening a multi-stakeholder workgroup tasked with reviewing a number of issues relating to transfer of development rights (TDRs) and purchase of development rights (PDRs). Therefore, the Whatcom County Executive appointed the TDR/PDR Work Group to address these issues.