A lengthy discussion at the Jan. 7 Franklin County commissioners meeting centered on shrub‑steppe habitat mapping and the costs that mitigation requirements impose on developers and landowners.

Commissioner Baumann, participating in the discussion, described meetings with local planning directors, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the state Department of Commerce about how habitat is classified. He recounted a recent example near Columbia Center Boulevard where a roughly 3‑acre parcel near the mall was flagged as potential critical shrub‑steppe habitat, requiring mitigation that could amount to "tens of thousands of dollars," and said Benton County had recently cited mitigation in the ballpark of "$4,000 an acre." Baumann also warned of proposals from an unnamed private equity firm that he said had discussed a $100,000,000 fund to buy land or create a land trust to hold mitigation credits, which he said could permanently remove production ground from agriculture.

Wes McCart, director of planning and economic development, explained technical elements of the proposals under review and pointed commissioners to maps in the record showing existing ponds and raceway locations for other agenda items. Commissioners noted that state mapping can be subjective and that mitigation options (purchase of credits, transfer of development rights or land conservation) are limited when county or regional mitigation lands are exhausted.

Commissioners also connected the habitat conversation to broader legislative and regulatory concerns. One commissioner raised House Bill 1399 and expressed worry that state actions could affect county control over local offices like the sheriff. Commissioners said they plan to continue coordinating regionally on criteria and mitigation strategies as the county updates its comprehensive plan and engages with state agencies.

The board did not take policy action at the meeting; discussion was presented as part of regular commissioner reports and the comprehensive plan update process.