Chief
07-15-2008, 06:57 AM
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/467542.html
JARED PABEN
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
BELLINGHAM — Up to 20 city construction projects could be eligible to avoid some of Bellingham’s own environmental rules, after a City Council decision.
Without the exemptions, city staff says, some of those projects might be impossible.
The City Council on Monday voted to approve a new law that could allow street, trail, water and sewer, stormwater and parks projects to avoid the critical areas ordinance, which protects wetlands, frequently flooded areas, wildlife habitats and geologically hazardous areas. The council voted 6-1 to approve the new law, with council member Barry Buchanan voting against it.
Projects eligible for an exemption still must meet strict environmental-protection standards before they can be exempted from the critical areas ordinance.
Anti-sprawl group Futurewise previously called the possible exemptions hypocritical, saying the critical areas ordinance is needed to protect sensitive environments. City staff says following the ordinance could make the projects too expensive or impossible to design.
City staff presented draft rules to the City Council that would have allowed many projects to potentially qualify for the exemption, but the council, hearing public complaints that the language would allow too many projects to be exempt, told staff to trim the list. Staff came back with a list of 20 specific projects, including everything from the widening and improvement of James Street north of Sunset Square to expansion of the sewage treatment plant at Post Point and the construction of Cordata Park.
Projects on the list still must meet four other environmental standards:
> There’s no practical alternative design that would have less impact on the sensitive environment.
> Any changes to the environment must be the minimum necessary to get the project built.
> Construction of the project must minimize impacts to the environment.
> The project can’t result in any net loss to the environment’s ecological function, which is a high standard to meet, said city Planning Director Tim Stewart, who will decide whether projects qualify.
Reach Jared Paben at 715 -2289 or jared.paben@bellinghamherald.com.
JARED PABEN
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
BELLINGHAM — Up to 20 city construction projects could be eligible to avoid some of Bellingham’s own environmental rules, after a City Council decision.
Without the exemptions, city staff says, some of those projects might be impossible.
The City Council on Monday voted to approve a new law that could allow street, trail, water and sewer, stormwater and parks projects to avoid the critical areas ordinance, which protects wetlands, frequently flooded areas, wildlife habitats and geologically hazardous areas. The council voted 6-1 to approve the new law, with council member Barry Buchanan voting against it.
Projects eligible for an exemption still must meet strict environmental-protection standards before they can be exempted from the critical areas ordinance.
Anti-sprawl group Futurewise previously called the possible exemptions hypocritical, saying the critical areas ordinance is needed to protect sensitive environments. City staff says following the ordinance could make the projects too expensive or impossible to design.
City staff presented draft rules to the City Council that would have allowed many projects to potentially qualify for the exemption, but the council, hearing public complaints that the language would allow too many projects to be exempt, told staff to trim the list. Staff came back with a list of 20 specific projects, including everything from the widening and improvement of James Street north of Sunset Square to expansion of the sewage treatment plant at Post Point and the construction of Cordata Park.
Projects on the list still must meet four other environmental standards:
> There’s no practical alternative design that would have less impact on the sensitive environment.
> Any changes to the environment must be the minimum necessary to get the project built.
> Construction of the project must minimize impacts to the environment.
> The project can’t result in any net loss to the environment’s ecological function, which is a high standard to meet, said city Planning Director Tim Stewart, who will decide whether projects qualify.
Reach Jared Paben at 715 -2289 or jared.paben@bellinghamherald.com.