BACKGROUND
The Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1997. This plan contains goals and policies applicable to the entire County. However, subarea plans were also developed for 11 areas within Whatcom County. One of these plans is the Foothills Subarea Plan, which was adopted in 1988. The Foothills Subarea Plan covers a portion of the east County including the Columbia Valley Urban Growth Area, Maple Falls, Glacier, forestry lands, rural lands, recreational developments, the North and Middle Forks of the Nooksack River, and a segment of the Mt. Baker Highway corridor that leads up to Mt. Baker. Click Here for a map of the current subarea boundaries.
The
current Foothills Subarea does not include Deming. However,
it is anticipated that the Subarea boundary will be modified
to include Deming in the updated Foothills Subarea Plan.
FOOTHILLS SUBAREA PLAN UPDATE
Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan Policy 2L-2 is to “Retain and periodically update the adopted Subarea Plans” including the Foothills Subarea Plan. The Columbia Valley area was designated as an Urban Growth Area in 1999. Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan land use action item # 11 is to “Revise county subarea plans to incorporate urban growth area boundaries as identified in this plan, ensure consistency with this plan, and eliminate any redundancy in policy.” Additionally, the 1988 Foothills Subarea Plan had a 15-year planning period.
Therefore,
Whatcom County is undertaking the Foothills Subarea
community planning process to update the Subarea Plan.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
During
the Subarea Plan update process, there have been workshops and meetings in
the Foothills Subarea to listen to the ideas of the community
and present plan proposals for public comment. Additionally,
the Whatcom County Planning Commission and County Council
will hold meetings to review the draft plan and receive public
input.
Meetings
dates will be posted on this website. Public input
is encouraged at these meetings as successful development
of a Subarea Plan will depend upon interaction with as many
people in the community as possible.
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
The
County Council passed Resolution #2005-062 in November 2005
establishing a Foothills Subarea Plan Advisory Committee.
The members of the Committee represented their respective
communities, recommended methods of reaching out to the community
and obtaining public input, provided advice to the County Planning
Department, reviewed work of the planning consultant, and recommended
a draft Foothills Subarea Plan in October 2007.
CONTENTS OF THE SUBAREA PLAN
The
Foothills Subarea Plan generally consists of an assessment
of historical information relevant to the subarea, analysis
of existing conditions, forecasts of future conditions, consideration
of public input, a vision, goals, policies
and projects to shape future conditions. The Subarea Plan
consists of the following components.
- 1. Introduction and Population
Projections
- 2. Land Use
- 3. Housing
- 4. Capital Facilities
-
5.
Utilities
- 6. Transportation
- 7. Economics
- 8. Resource Lands
- 9. Recreation
- 10. Community Facilities, Schools, Sheriff, Fire Protection,
Emergency Medical Services, and Solid Waste Management
- 11. Environment
- 12. Columbia Valley Urban Growth Area
- 13. Kendall Small Town Master Plan
- 14. Public Participation Program
- 15. Implementation
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
Whatcom County issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on August 1, 2008 that examines alternatives, studies potentially significant impacts to land use, transportation, public facilities and services, and water quality/quantity, and identifies mitigation measures.
GENERAL PROJECT TIMELINE
The
Foothills community, Foothills Subarea Plan Advisory Committee,
County Planning Department and consultant began the Subarea
Plan update process in March 2006. A draft subarea plan, with
full community participation, was issued in October 2007.
Planning Commission meetings will occur
2007-2009 with adoption by the County Council anticipated
in 2009.
COUNTY CONTACTS
If you have questions about the Foothills Subarea planning process, you may call Matt Aamot at Whatcom County Planning & Development Services at (360) 676-6907. |
