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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 04 07 CFFCOC Special Meeting Final Summary  * Decisions and action items are indicated in bold font. Members Present: Phil Andrus – District 2; Mary Biskup – District 1; Lige Christian, Chair – District 3; JD Gallant – District 3; Rob Harbour, Interest – Working Lands; Richard Jahnke, Interest – Coastal Areas; Joanne Pontrello, Vice Chair – District 2; Linda Saunders, Interest – Historical/Cultural; Craig Schrader, Interest – Climate Change; David Seabrook, Interest – Food Security; Lorna Smith, Interest – Ecotourism; Dave Wilkinson, Chair – District 1 Members Absent: Scott Brinton, Interest – Agriculture County Staff Present: Tami Pokorny, Water Quality Division Rebekah Brooks, recorder, Rebekah Brooks Contracting Guests: Peter Bahls, Northwest Watershed Institute; Carrie Clendaniel, Jefferson Land Trust (JLT); Sarah Spaeth, JLT; Blaise Sullivan, JLT I. Call to Order Chair Lige Christian called the meeting to order at 6:08 PM. II. Preliminary Approval of Minutes The minutes from the Jefferson County Conservation Futures Committee (JCCF) Meeting on September 9, 2019 were preliminarily approved by consensus. The minutes from the JCCF Meeting on July 9, 2019 were accepted by consensus. III. Approval of Draft Agenda The agenda was accepted by consensus, with changes to the order of presentations to accommodate presenters. IV. Guest Observer Comments Sarah Spaeth expressed her appreciation to the JCCF for adapting through the current challenges due to COVID-19, and for their efforts to stick with the funding schedule. She asked that the Committee make note of their deliberate ranking process since they will have to make some difficult funding decisions this year. She also reported that since the Bishop Dairy project is not going through, the JLT will be returning about $50,000 to the County that will be available. V. Old Business The Bylaws were tabled to another meeting since this agenda was full of presentations. VI. Subcommittee Reports The Sub-committee Reports were tabled to another meeting as well. VII. New Business Bishop Dairy Update Sarah Spaeth gave an update on Bishop Dairy project, which is no longer going forward. The project was awarded $56,225, and $53,927 is being turned back. Navy funding was originally planned as match for the project, but after discussion, the Bishop family was not comfortable with having a Navy Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) easement on the property. Subsequent funding was sought and awarded, but due to issues with a wetland conversion, that funding was not satisfactory to the owners either. The family withdrew from the arrangement after the appraisal and negotiations had been conducted and paid for. The JLT has never turned back so much money or had a landowner withdraw after so much time and effort, so this was a great disappointment. The money that was spent on the appraisal and other related costs will not be regained, resulting in $16,000 of unrecovered cost to the JLT, and the difference in the award invoice. It is unlikely that the Bishops will be able to work with the JLT again, but if someone else were to purchase the property and wished to enter into a contract for an easement, that might be possible. With the returned funds, the total available for this funding round is $288,972. Annual Reports for 2019 The Annual Reports for 2019 were tabled to another meeting. Election of New Officers Phil Andrus nominated Joanne Pontrello for Chair; Mary Biskup seconded. Joanne accepted the nomination. Richard Jahnke moved to close the nominations; Linda Saunders seconded. The motion was approved with all in favor. Phil Andrus moved to nominate Dave Seabrook for Vice Chair; JD Gallant seconded. Dave Seabrook accepted the nomination. The motion was approved with all in favor. Lige Christian handed the virtual gavel to Joanne to conduct the rest of the meeting. Project Presentations Carleson Chimacum Creek Operations and Maintenance (O & M): Carrie Clendaniel, preserve manager for JLT, gave an overview of the project, which was a maintenance request for an original application from 2013 that restored the Creek after a culvert blowout. The project protects lower Chimacum Creek in the Illahee Preserve, a highly used public access area and educational site that includes spawning habitat for endangered summer chum. The funds will be used to continue to provide conservation benefits by maintaining access without damaging habitat. The request is for $5000 with a $5000 match. Duckabush Floodplain O & M: Carrie Clendaniel gave an overview of the Duckabush Oxbow and Wetlands Preserve, which protects 40 acres of the Duckabush River Corridor. The current request is for managing noxious weeds, maintaining riparian plantings, preserving salmon and elk habitat, and providing signage to protect habitat. The request amount is $5000 with a $5000 match. In response to questions, Carrie answered that she believed the funds would cover O & M efforts through 2023. Snow Creek Watershed O & M: Carrie Clendaniel presented on the Snow Creek Forest Preserve, which protects 107 acres of riparian and upland forest from a 2014 reward. O & M funds would be directed to two solutions to address boundary challenges within a homeowner development in order to protect conservation values. One situation involves installing a fence to protect the preserve property line; the second is obtaining legal counsel to provide an easement to a residence that was built over the lawful boundary. The request is for $10,000 with a $10,000 match. The Committee inquired about the JLT stewardship fund, and how much was available. Carrie and Sarah Spaeth said that $4000 to $5000 is available in a given year, and clarified that the stewardship fund is designated for stewardship and potential legal defense in the event of a court case. In this instance, the JLT wishes to avoid a court case by resolving the issue amicably through a legal easement. Arlandia Preservation: Sarah Spaeth gave a presentation on the conservation easement to project forestland and a tributary to Tarboo Creek. The property is a critical piece in the Tarboo Watershed/Dabob Bay area. The owners are very interested in seeing conservation maintained and wish to see the easement go through within their lifetimes. The timeline is brief because one of them is chronically ill. Property attributes include water quality, public access, a mature forest, residential development and riparian habitat. The request is for $60,000, with a $220,000 match. The owners are willing to contribute part of the value. Hannan Farm Preservation: Sarah Spaeth gave an overview of the conservation easement to protect 115 acres of viable farmland and riparian corridor on Chimacum Creek. The landowners are interested in preserving habitat by selling the easement to the JLT and the Navy REPI easement program. The property offers prime agricultural soils, Creek and tributary habitat, a history of agricultural use and a registered historic barn. The farm is currently being used for hay and beef cattle operation. The family wishes to keep it as a viable farm that is affordable for the next generation. The request is for $50,000, with $510,000 match from the Navy REPI program and a Washington State agricultural conservation easement. In response to questions, Sarah answered that this project was important to put forward this year before all of the match was acquired because there are several big projects that the JLT plans to apply for next year. She also stressed the importance of preserving land now for agricultural use in the future. Quilcene Headwaters to Bay Project: Sarah Spaeth presented on phase two of the conservation easement to protect farmland, working forests and fish habitat. This is the second request for the project because it received a portion of last year’s request, and the JLT anticipates that the easement will cost more than estimated. The landowners have an opportunity to purchase adjacent property, but only if this easement goes through. The JLT has been in discussion with the owners about various conservation easement zones, including residential, old growth forest management, and riparian habitat. The request is for $74,649 with a match of $332,000. Last year the project received $118,351. Ruby Ranch Preservation: Sarah Spaeth reviewed the conservation easement to protect farmland affordability, riparian buffer along Chimacum Creek, and the reduction of residential development. The JLT has been working with the landowners since 2016 and all due diligence is complete, including the stewardship plan, appraisal, and Navy REPI match. The family is committed to improving the riparian buffer on Chimacum Creek, and offers public benefit through a community garden and participation in the local food economy and culture. In 2018, the JCCF awarded this project $60,000. This year’s request is for $48,213 to close the easement this fall, with a match of $284,130. Upper Tarboo Creek Wetlands Protection and Restoration: Peter Bahls with NWI presented on the proposal to conserve and restore three adjoining properties along Tarboo Creek as part of the Upper Tarboo Creek Watershed Conservation Effort. The JCCF funds would leverage extensive US Fish and Wildlife funding and other match. The project has a narrow timeline due to landowner limitations and must be completed this year if it is to take place. Because one property is already owned, some funds are secured, and appraisals are underway, the project is highly feasible. It is a diversity hotspot, and features established wetlands and historical steelhead habitat. The property is already being used to grow willow stakes for restoration material. The request is for $128,500 with a match of $508,000. Next Meeting The next JCCF meeting is scheduled for 4/28/20 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM and will be remote access only. It will include the project rankings and the tabled subjects from this meeting. The group discussed scheduling an additional meeting before fall to address the tabled items since the next meeting has a full agenda. Tami Pokorny said she would draft an agenda for Joanne Pontrello and Dave Seabrook to review. Lige Christian suggested that the Committee also consider in a future meeting how various types of agriculture are assessed and scored, and how to promote other climate change friendly agricultural methods. Bylaws The Bylaws were tabled earlier in the meeting. Tami Pokorny confirmed that the revised Bylaws were sent to the County legal department, who had their own revisions. Long Term Monitoring and Climate Change These were the subjects of the sub-committee reports and were tabled to another meeting. Lorna Smith asked about what was discussed; Richard Jahnke replied that the sub-committee drafted some tentative language for rankings in future years. Lorna asked to see the draft as soon as possible; Rick offered to summarize it in an email to Tami. Tami will send it out to the full Committee with her own notes as well. Annual Reports These were also tabled earlier in the meeting. Tami Pokorny confirmed that she received the reports from their sponsors, and they are available for Committee review at a future meeting. VIII. Announcements/Administrative Tami Pokorny welcomed Linda Saunders to the Committee and thanked others for their term renewals. The next term to require reappointment is Rob Harbour in 3/2021. Comments to sponsors are due by tomorrow at midnight. Tami said she will need several more days to complete the site visit videos, and then will send them out as a flash drive. The group agreed to send in their scores by email or by phone, rather than through the mail. The appearance of fairness forms were distributed already and will need to be mailed in. Tami confirmed that the total funding available is $288,972; up to $41,000 may be applied to the O & M projects. The total requests sum to about $80,000 in excess of available funds. Tami and the Committee thanked Lige Christian for his leadership as Chair. IX. Guest Observer Comments Sarah Spaeth thanked Tami Pokorny and the Committee for being willing to see this funding round through under the current circumstances. She also expressed interest in the Committee’s thoughts about agriculture and asked to be involved in that conversation since it will be good feedback for landowners. X. Adjournment Lige Christian moved to adjourn the meeting; Linda Saunders seconded. The motion was approved unanimously. The Chair adjourned the meeting at 8:18 PM. Meeting notes prepared by Rebekah Brooks.