Peace Parley on Mitigation Fees

There was accommodation in the air as the Northwest Whatcom Fire & Rescue Commission’s facilities plan was discussed with developers Monday afternoon.

First Randy Young, the consultant who developed the facilities

plan, explained that proposed mitigation fees are based on Whatcom County's “Y-choice” population estimate 28,246 to 45,742 residents for the district by 2031, an increase of 61.94 percent. This highest of four estimates, he said, was chosen to “get us over the bar” of possible growth. But after a lengthy discussion of his process, he offered that “policy” considerations could enable the commissioners to reduce the requested fees. As the discussion progressed, 50 percent reduction looked likely.

Here's what the fee schedule the commission will take to the county on August 20 might look like:

Single Family, originally $2,078, could be cut to $1,039;

Apartments and Condos, originally $2,983, could go to $1,492 *;

Retail Space, originally $2.95 a sq.ft., could be revised to $1.48;

Commercial Space, originally $3.75 a sq.ft., might go to $1.89; and

Maximum Care Facilities, originally set at $30.00, might be lowered to some indefinite amount **.

* While multi-unit buildings have sprinklers and other fire-

retardant elements, once a fire starts, more equipment and fire fighters are required to contain a blaze.

** Commissioners make clear they don't want to drive away nursing homes. (The counter argument is that care facilities call ambulances to transport their patients.)

August 20 is a significant date. Then the fire district submits its facilities plan for approval of the county as part of the 2031 requirement under the state's growth management act. If developers, who recently won a recent appellate court decision over the fire district, disagree, the county could balk.

Monday afternoon the four-finger handful of developers – along with one attorney and one land-use consultant – seemed amiable. As one developer put it, “My situation now is more about survival than about success.” But this was not a quorum.

Chief Tom Fields was also amiable. “My learning curve since we started this three and a half years ago has been vertical,” he said. Adamantly, he said he doesn't want the district to be viewed as anti-development, “We just want to be on your door step when you need us.”

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