THURSTON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE PLANNING COMMISSION – OCTOBER 18, 2017 Capital Facilities Environment Health Economic Development Transportation Utilities Mineral Resource Lands: Natural Resources Designation Criteria Land Use Housing
OVERVIEW Mineral Lands Recap Designation Criteria – Options for Discussion Review of Draft Maps Showing Potential Criteria Next Steps Staff are requesting a recommendation from the Planning Commission on the scope of the Mineral Lands Designation Criteria.
MINERAL RESOURCE LANDS Project Steps for Mineral Resource Lands 1. Identify and classify Develop a countywide inventory based on geologic data on the location and extent of mineral deposits, existing land uses, and other factors. These areas are Comp Plan Update categorized based on their quality, using available data from DNR, USGS, and others Identify priority areas where high quality mineral resources are available and compatible with existing land use patterns and other criteria. 2. Designate 3. Conserve Establish policies that ensure future land uses will be compatible with mineral extraction in designated areas. 4. Permit New mining operations planned in areas designated as mineral resource lands will still need to be reviewed before they are permitted to operate. Mining activities must abide by all relevant state and local regulations, including environmental rules.
MINERAL LANDS RECAP Memo #2 – Response to PC Questions from June 21 st Meeting Current process for Mineral Resource Land Designation (Legislative BoCC) vs past process (Hearing Examiner) Existing mining operations 32 active mines Only 1 since criteria was changed Overlay vs Zoning District Most counties use an overlay district, similar to Thurston County Recommendations of Mineral Lands Task Force PC also requested to see draft maps of existing and potential criteria
RECOMMENDATIONS OF MRL TASK FORCE (JULY 2004) Recommendation Votes Did County incorporate? A-1 Mine locations should not be confined to a Unanimous Yes certain area of the county, and may be located throughout the county given certain criteria. A-2 New special use permits for mineral extraction Majority in favor, 1 vote to Yes are prohibited outside designated lands. allow small mines of limited duration outside designation. A-3 Sand and gravel mines currently designated shall Unanimous Yes remain designated.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF MRL TASK FORCE (JULY 2004) Recommendation Votes Did County incorporate? B-1 The county must map the location of high quality Unanimous Not until now. gravel in Thurston County. B-2 Based on mapped gravel and application of Unanimous Not until now. designation criteria, the County should eventually map all mineral lands of LTCS. B-3 The BoCC, not the Hearing Examiner, should Majority in favor, 1 member Yes designation MRL of LTCS through an annual wanted to restrict updates Comprehensive Plan amendment process. to periodic update cycle (7 years). B-4 Designation should be two-pronged: (1) County Majority in favor Yes (County has not really designated areas and (2) owner-applicant. done prong #1 until now)
RECOMMENDATIONS OF MRL TASK FORCE (JULY 2004) Recommendation Votes Did County incorporate? B-5 Should not be a “cap” on the amount of 6 in favor; 4 with Yes designated mineral lands. reservations B-6 Forest lands may be co-designated, provided Unanimous Forest lands currently are there is no net loss of forest lands. co-designed. Net loss of forest lands is not a consideration. B-7 Agricultural lands may not be co-designated. Unanimous Yes B-8 Mineral lands may contain Class 3 and 4 wetlands, 7 in favor; 4 alternatives Yes, development code but not Class 1 and 2 and their buffers. B-9 Mineral lands may not be located within 100-year Unanimous Yes, development code floodplains B-10 Exclude parks, etc, with 1,000 ft buffer 9 votes; 3 thought buffer Yes should be site specific
RECOMMENDATIONS OF MRL TASK FORCE (JULY 2004) Recommendation Votes Did County incorporate? B-11 The 1990 $-value criteria should be eliminated Unanimous Yes B-12 Exclude historic sites. Unanimous Yes B-13 Mineral lands only allowed in zoning districts with Unanimous No max density of 1/5 acres At least 60% of area within 1,000 ft should be 10 in favor; 1 alternative Yes minimum 5 acres in size 500-ft separation from any zoning district that has 9 in favor; 2 against No a higher density of 1/5 B-14 Minimum size is 5 acres and minimum width of Unanimous Yes, acreage, but not min 500 sq ft width
RECOMMENDATIONS OF MRL TASK FORCE (JULY 2004) Recommendation Votes Did County incorporate? B-15 Mineral Lands may include important habitats and Divided Development code species. Impacts to be evaluated at the permitting excludes primary habitats stage. for endangered and threatened species B-16 Mineral lands may include wellhead protection 10 in favor; 2 opposed Development code areas, critical aquifers and other critical areas. excludes Zone 1 and Zone Impacts to be evaluated at the permitting stage. 1 time of travel boundaries and geologic hazard areas.
CLASSIFICATION & DESIGNATION FACTORS: MINIMUM GUIDELINES Geology: depth and quality of resource and characteristics of resource “Counties and cities must site designate known mineral deposits so that access to Projected life of the resource mineral resources of long- Resource availability and needs in the region term commercial significance is not knowingly precluded. Accessibility and proximity to point of use or market Priority land use for mineral Energy costs of transporting materials extraction should be retained for all designated mineral Proximity to population areas resource lands.” General land use patterns - 365-190-070 WAC Availability of utilities, including water supply Surrounding parcel sizes and uses Availability of public roads and public services Subdivision and zoning of small lots
EXISTING DESIGNATION CRITERIA: TC COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Minimum Designation Criteria: Chapter 3 1. Mineral Deposits Should contain deposits based on USGS maps, DNR permits, or site This information is being specific geologic information provided/updated in the inventory 2. Location Not adversely impact nearby land uses, public health or safety 1,000 ft from public preserves, • urban growth areas (UGAs) • residential areas with existing densities > 1/5 • 60% of area within 1,000 ft of a proposed site must have parcels of 5 acres or larger (excludes applicant) 3. Minimum Site Size 5 acres 4. Marketability Mineable, recoverable, marketable 5. LTA and Historic Long-term agriculture lands and historic/cultural sites are excluded 6. LTF Long-term forestry lands may be co-designated
EXISTING DESIGNATION CRITERIA: TC CODE (20.30B) Minimum Designation Criteria: 20.30B TCC Most Criteria are the same as in the Comprehensive Plan EXCEPTION A full critical area review is Site does not contain the following critical areas: Zone 1 or Zone 2 • Critical Areas done at the time of areas for Group A public water systems, Class 1 or 2 wetlands or application. their buffers, FEMA 100-year floodplains, habitat areas for threatened or endangered species or their buffers Site is located away from geologically hazardous areas (steep • slopes)
DESIGNATION: ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION Jurisdiction Land Use Factors Designation Compatibility with Adjacent Land Uses Stage Sensitive Land Uses Aesthetics Transportation Environmental Factors Critical Areas Permitting Shorelines Stage Habitat
DESIGNATION: KEEP IN MIND WAC 365-190-040: Overlapping designations. The designation process may result in critical area designations that overlay other critical area or natural resource land classifications. Overlapping designations should not necessarily be considered inconsistent. If two or more critical area designations apply to a given parcel, or portion of a given parcel, both or all designations apply. If a critical area designation overlies a natural resource land designation, both designations apply. For counties and cities required or opting to plan under the act, reconciling these multiple designations will be the subject of local development regulations. If two or more natural resource land designations apply, counties and cities must determine if these designations are incompatible. If they are incompatible, counties and cities should examine the criteria to determine which use has the greatest long-term commercial significance, and that resource use should be assigned to the lands being designated. WAC 365-190-070 (4)(d): In designating mineral resource lands, counties and cities must also consider that mining may be a temporary use at any given mine, depending on the amount of minerals available and the consumption rate, and that other land uses can occur on the mine site after mining is completed, subject to approval.
DESIGNATION CRITERIA: JURISDICTION Not included in current, site-by-site designation process Propose to exclude: Cities Tribal Lands MOST Federal Lands JBLM NOT National Forest SOME State Lands Parks and Preserves NOT Capitol Forest
Recommend
More recommend
