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Committee approves woodland-conservation amendments; members request study on fees for grandfathered projects
Summary
Planning staff and the administration presented Draft 2a of CB77 with technical amendments and a limited exemptions window; the committee moved a favorable recommendation, and some members asked for a study and future amendment to assess possible impact fees to offset reforestation costs tied to grandfathered projects.
Planning staff and county analysts reviewed a set of six technical amendments to CB77, which modify minor-revision thresholds, expand notification requirements for tree conservation plans, clarify grandfathering/grading-permit tests and validate certain exemptions through June 30, 2026. Budget analysts noted the bill’s potential to change permitting and re-permitting burdens, but said the fiscal impact would likely be nominal for county operations.
Department of the Environment staff and committee members discussed grandfathering: planners said existing processes can address many parcel-by-parcel complications, while DOE staff urged study of whether grandfathered projects should pay an impact fee or mitigation to cover the county’s cost to restore lost tree canopy. Committee members agreed to prepare and consider an amendment before introduction that would require DOE to study a fee to offset the delta between older grandfathered plans and current standards. With those understandings, the committee voted unanimously to recommend Draft 2a favorably (3-0).
