Whitman County public meetings in 2021

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes from December 1, 2021, and receive reports on various permits and actions, all of which are listed as none. The main item of business is an unfinished discussion on the progress of updating the county's Comprehensive Plan.

• Discussion on progress of updating the Comprehensive Plan
• Approval of minutes from December 1, 2021
• No forthcoming hearings, permits, or variances reported

The Whitman County Planning Commission held a workshop to review and edit draft chapters of the comprehensive plan, including environmental protection, climate change, and facilities and utilities. They approved several language changes, such as updating the Port of Whitman County description and revising air quality policy language. No formal votes were taken; the meeting was a working session to refine the plan.

• Approved revised Port of Whitman County language (unanimous)
• Approved revised Policy ED 6.2 on commercial growth (unanimous)
• Approved revised air quality policy EP-1 (unanimous)
• Approved adding Whitman County Public Health office in Pullman to facilities list (unanimous)
• Approved removing HAZMAT from fire protection description (unanimous)
• Approved changing 'monitor' to 'maintain and improve' in air quality policy (unanimous)
• Approved adding St. John Telephone and Pioneer Telephone to telecom list (unanimous)
• Approved changing 'operates' to 'energy sources include' for Avista (unanimous)

Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)

The Whitman County Solid Waste Advisory Committee will meet via Zoom on December 14, 2021, to review and approve minutes from September 8, 2020, and discuss the Cell 5 project, a scale project, transfer station operations, and recycling. The meeting is closed to in-person attendance due to COVID-19, with remote participation encouraged.

• Review of Cell 5 Options Assessment Report (18.9 MB attachment)
• Discussion of Scale Project Concept (Nov 2021 PDF)
• Transfer station general operations discussion
• Recycling discussion
• Approval of September 8, 2020 minutes

The Solid Waste Advisory Committee approved the minutes from the September 8, 2020 meeting. Staff presented plans for a $1.1 million cash-funded remodel of the MRW entrance with two scales, and discussed a 5-year contract extension with Republic Services through June 2027. No formal votes were taken on these items; they were informational.

• Approved minutes from September 8, 2020 meeting (unanimous)

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission meets virtually to approve minutes, receive staff reports (all listed as none), discuss progress on updating the Comprehensive Plan, and elect a Chair and Vice Chair. The agenda is largely procedural with no public hearings or permits scheduled.

• Discuss progress on updating the Comprehensive Plan
• Elect Chair and Vice Chair of Planning Commission
• Approve minutes from November 17, 2021
• No forthcoming hearings, permits, or variances reported

The Planning Commission held a workshop to review the Economic Development chapter of the comprehensive plan, making several text edits and approving language changes. The commission also re-elected Chad Whetzel as chairman and Brian Davies as vice-chairman. No formal decisions were made on the chapter's content; it remains under review.

• Re-elected Chad Whetzel as chairman of the Planning Commission (motion by Keith Paulson, seconded by Rusty Jamison, passed by roll call vote).
• Re-elected Brian Davies as vice-chairman of the Planning Commission (motion by Dave Gibney, seconded by Matt Webb, passed by roll call vote).
• Agreed to change wording in the Economic Development chapter from 'vast majority' to 'a large amount' regarding wheat, barley, and pulse crops.
• Agreed to replace 'small businesses' with 'entrepreneurial firms' in the chapter text.
• Agreed to move a paragraph about the Port of Whitman County's economic impact to the Port's section on page 61.
• Agreed to add 'provides funding opportunities for economic development projects across the state' to the Washington State Department of Commerce entry.
• Agreed to spell out 'Rec-tec' as 'robotic electronics and computer technologies' in the Palouse Knowledge Corridor section.
• Agreed to revise Policy ED-2.1 to read 'Support the retention of all existing businesses and industries in order to ensure the future economic health and prosperity of Whitman County.'

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes and receive reports, all of which indicate no pending hearings, permits, or variances. The main item of business is a discussion on the progress of updating the county's Comprehensive Plan. The meeting is closed to in-person attendance due to COVID-19, with public participation via Zoom.

• Approval of minutes from November 3, 2021
• Discussion on progress of updating the Comprehensive Plan
• No forthcoming hearings, permits, or variances reported
• Meeting held virtually via Zoom due to COVID-19

The Whitman County Planning Commission held a workshop to review and edit the Transportation, Parks and Recreation, and Economic Development elements of the comprehensive plan. They approved language changes to several policies, including changing 'and' to 'or' in Policy PR-3.1, and agreed to verify employment data and further discuss the Economic Development introduction. No final decisions were made; the workshop was for discussion and preliminary edits.

• Approved SR 270 narrative for Transportation element
• Approved Parks and Recreation policy edits, including changing 'and' to 'or' in PR-3.1
• Agreed to delete 'other challenges' from Parks and Rec section
• Agreed to change 'lentil' to 'pulse' in Economic Development introduction
• Agreed to strike 'business' and 'support of' from RCW quote in Economic Development purpose
• Agreed to verify if WSU or SEL is largest employer in county
• Agreed to review Port of Whitman County economic data for potential double-counting
• Tabled further Economic Development discussion to next meeting

Board Of Health

The Whitman County Board of Health is meeting to approve minutes, receive updates from the health officer, environmental health, and administration, and adopt a fee schedule. The agenda also includes a HIPAA update and scheduling of future meetings. Most items are routine updates, but the fee schedule adoption is a concrete action.

• Adopt fee schedule
• Approval of September 20, 2021 minutes
• Health Officer Update
• Environmental Health Update
• HIPAA Update

The Board of Health approved the amended Whitman County Public Health Fee Schedule for 2022, effective January 1, 2022. The update reduces the cost of tuberculosis testing, adds small increases to adult vaccines, and adopts federal poverty guidelines for the sliding fee scale. The board also approved the minutes from the May 17, 2021 meeting. No other substantive decisions were made; the rest of the meeting consisted of updates on COVID-19, environmental health, and staffing.

• Approved 2022 Public Health Fee Schedule (motion carried)
• Approved Board of Health minutes from May 17, 2021 (motion carried)

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve prior minutes and receive staff reports, all of which indicate no pending permits, variances, or hearings. The only substantive item is an unfinished-business discussion on progress updating the county's Comprehensive Plan. The meeting is closed to in-person attendance due to COVID-19, with public participation via Zoom.

• Discussion of Comprehensive Plan update progress
• Approval of minutes from October 6, 2021
• No forthcoming hearings, permits, or variances reported
• Virtual meeting via Zoom due to COVID-19

The Planning Commission held a workshop to review the transportation chapter of the comprehensive plan, making several edits and clarifications. They decided to leave the railbanking language as-is for now, deferring to the BOCC to resolve conflicting comments. The commission also agreed to revise Policy T-2.3 to remove the clause about emergency service access, and to have staff draft additional language for SR 270 and other state highways. No formal votes were taken; decisions were made by consensus.

• Left railbanking language unchanged, deferring to BOCC (consensus)
• Revised Policy T-2.3 to end after 'all weather conditions' (consensus)
• Agreed to split Policy T-3.2 into two policies (consensus)
• Agreed to add explanatory language for SR 270 corridor (staff to draft)
• Agreed to remove Bill Chipman Palouse Trail from non-motorized list (consensus)
• Agreed to delete Manning Bridge from historic sites list (consensus)
• Agreed to change 'open space' to 'public land' in Parks Challenges (consensus)
• Adjourned at 9:01 p.m. (motion passed)

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes, receive staff reports, and discuss progress on updating the Comprehensive Plan. Most agenda items are routine or report no activity, with the only substantive item being the Comprehensive Plan update discussion.

• Approval of minutes from September 15, 2021
• Update on Weis Towers new cell tower on Big Alkali Road (permit issued September 27, 2021)
• Discussion of progress on updating the Comprehensive Plan

The Planning Commission held a workshop to review and edit the draft Comprehensive Plan, focusing on the transportation element. They made several language changes, including removing 'for freight and people' from a rail banking paragraph, changing 'rail easements' to 'rail corridors', and softening a policy on bicycle paths. No formal decisions were made; the workshop was for discussion and consensus on draft language.

• Approved minutes from September 15, 2021 (unanimous)
• Agreed to strike 'for freight and people' from rail banking language
• Agreed to change 'rail easements' to 'rail corridors' in rail banking paragraph
• Agreed to revise bicycle path policy to 'discourage bicycle paths in areas that may conflict with freight traffic'
• Agreed to add 'state highways' to transportation access bullet
• Agreed to add language about US Army Corp of Engineers and lower Snake River dams
• Agreed to add Snake River Trail at Boyer Park to non-motorized routes list
• Agreed to defer discussion of transportation goals and policies to next meeting

Board Of Health

The Whitman County Board of Health is meeting to approve minutes, receive updates from the Health Officer, Environmental Health, HIPAA, and Administration, and review the 2022 fee schedule. The meeting is largely routine, with the fee schedule review being the most substantive item.

• Review of 2022 Fee Schedule
• Approval of July 19, 2021 Minutes
• Health Officer Update
• Environmental Health Update
• HIPAA Update

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes, receive staff reports, and discuss progress on updating the county's Comprehensive Plan. No public hearings or major decisions are scheduled; the agenda is largely procedural.

• Approval of minutes from September 1, 2021
• Forthcoming Administrative Use Permit: Weis Towers new cell tower on Big Alkali Road
• Issued September 3, 2021: Steve Mader topsoil and subsoil fill on agricultural land
• Discussion of Comprehensive Plan update progress

The Planning Commission held a workshop to review and edit the draft Comprehensive Plan, focusing on land-use goals and policies. They agreed to strike repetitive language about cluster residential development, changed the heading 'Railroads' to 'Railways and Rail Banking', and kept both rail-banking statements. They also changed the wording in Policy LU-1.7 from 'should' to 'may' allow Planned Residential Development, and noted a typo in Policy LU-10.1 ('Fiber on the Home' to 'Fiber to the Home'). No formal votes were taken; the workshop was for discussion and consensus.

• Agreed to strike repetitive language in the Cluster Residential section on Page 21.
• Changed the heading from 'Railroads' to 'Railways and Rail Banking' and kept both rail-banking statements.
• Changed Policy LU-1.7 to say the County 'may' allow Planned Residential Development instead of 'should'.
• Noted a typo in Policy LU-10.1, changing 'Fiber on the Home' to 'Fiber to the Home'.
• Agreed to add 'highways/roadways' to Policy LU-8.1.
• Agreed to add a footnote to Goal LU-7 to address aesthetics and green space in the Pullman-Moscow Corridor.
• Agreed to change 'twelve Commercial Agricultural Commodity Warehouses' to 'twelve Commercial Agricultural Commodity Warehouse/businesses'.
• Agreed to strike the phrase 'such as railbanking' from the rail banking section.

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes, receive staff reports on upcoming permits and recent actions, and discuss progress on updating the county's Comprehensive Plan. The agenda is largely procedural, with no public hearings or major decisions scheduled for this meeting.

• Weis Towers new cell tower on Big Alkali Road (forthcoming administrative use permit)
• Steve Mader topsoil and subsoil fill on agricultural land (forthcoming administrative use permit)
• Jeff Motley CUP for industrial park on SR 270 and Airport Road granted August 12, 2021
• Discussion of Comprehensive Plan update progress

The Planning Commission held a workshop to continue reviewing Chapter 2 of the Comprehensive Plan, making several text edits and accepting most changes. They discussed and revised language on agricultural land definitions, cluster residential development, and rail banking, but did not make any final decisions. The meeting was procedural, with no formal votes on the plan itself.

• Approved minutes from August 4, 2021.
• Accepted most text changes to Chapter 2 of the Comprehensive Plan during the workshop.
• Agreed to reword a sentence about farmland of statewide importance to clarify that steep land is included but not exclusively.
• Agreed to change language about cluster residential development to clarify that new cluster zones are prohibited in the tax sharing area.
• Agreed to strike a sentence about potential future cluster residential land as inaccurate.
• Agreed to revise language about rural communities to include multiple zoning districts.
• Agreed to consider Commissioner Swannack's proposed language on rail banking, with further discussion planned.
• Adjourned the meeting.

Board of Adjustment (BOA)

The Whitman County Board of Adjustment is holding a public hearing on a conditional use request for Two-GM, LLC to build four new buildings for wholesaling businesses. The project is located on a 6.8-acre parcel at 5951 Airport Road in the North Pullman-Moscow Corridor zone. The Planning Office has issued a Determination of Non-significance, stating the project will not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment.

• Conditional use hearing for Two-GM, LLC to build four new buildings for wholesaling businesses
• Project site is 5951 Airport Road, Pullman, WA 99163 (6.8-acre parcel)
• Determination of Non-significance (DNS) issued under SEPA Rules
• Public comments due by 5:00 PM on August 12, 2021

The Board of Adjustment approved conditional use permit CU-21-06 for Two-GM, LLC to construct three wholesale buildings and one storage building on a 6.95-acre parcel at 5951 Pullman-Airport Rd. The approval includes conditions such as obtaining necessary permits, complying with county code chapters, and evaluating critical areas. The permit is valid for two years and can be extended if construction begins within that time.

• Approved conditional use permit CU-21-06 for Two-GM, LLC (motion passed)
• Accepted Findings of Fact (motion passed)
• Approved conditions of approval including permit validity for two years
• Discussed but did not amend condition 5 regarding critical areas evaluation
• Discussed but did not amend condition 6 regarding water/septic permits

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission held a workshop to review the Land Use, Natural Resources & Agricultural Conservation chapter of the comprehensive plan update. No formal decisions were made; the commission discussed proposed policy changes, including striking 'family farms' language, removing a clause about limiting legal liability of agricultural uses, and allowing two primary residences on a parcel. Staff will revise language and bring it back for further review.

• Approved minutes of July 7, 2021 (unanimous)
• Discussed striking 'family farms' language from comprehensive plan (no vote)
• Discussed removing 'legal liability' clause from Policy LU-1.2 (no vote)
• Discussed allowing two primary residences on a parcel (no vote)
• Adjourned to unfinished business (motion passed)

Planning Commission (PC)

The July 21, 2021 Planning Commission meeting was cancelled because a quorum could not be attained. The agenda had included reports on upcoming hearings and permits, plus discussion of Comprehensive Plan updates, but no business was conducted.

• Meeting cancelled — no quorum
• Jeff Motley CUP for industrial park on SR 270 and Airport Road (hearing date TBD)
• Weis Towers new cell tower on Big Alkali Road (administrative use permit)
• Comprehensive Plan update discussion postponed

Board Of Health

The meeting consists of routine administrative updates and the approval of previous minutes. The agenda includes reports from the Health Officer and Environmental Health department.

• Approval of May 17, 2021 Minutes
• Health Officer Update
• Environmental Health Update
• HIPAA Update

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve prior minutes, hear staff reports on pending permits, and discuss progress on updating the county's Comprehensive Plan. No final decisions or public hearings are scheduled for this meeting.

• Jeff Motley conditional use permit for industrial park on SR 270 and Airport Road (hearing date TBD)
• Weis Towers new cell tower on Big Alkali Road (administrative use permit pending)
• Racom new cell tower on Tekoa Mountain approved June 25, 2021
• Discussion of Comprehensive Plan update progress

The Planning Commission held a workshop to begin reviewing the draft comprehensive plan, deciding to go through it chapter by chapter over the next several months. They agreed to start with Chapter 2 (Land Use, Natural Resources, and Agricultural Conservation) and to hold a hybrid in-person/Zoom meeting on July 21 to continue the review. No formal decisions were made; the meeting was discussion-only, with several items flagged for follow-up with the consultant.

• Agreed to review the draft comprehensive plan line by line over the next 2-3 months
• Decided to start review with Chapter 2, leaving Chapter 1 (introduction) for last
• Scheduled next meeting for July 21 as a hybrid in-person/Zoom session
• Flagged language about business development along the Pullman-Moscow Corridor for possible rewording
• Flagged population figures for verification with official census data
• Flagged agricultural land description for geological review by Mark Storey
• Discussed potential expansion of cluster residential development to other towns, but no decision made
• Flagged 'agricultural trail' term for clarification with the consultant

Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)

The Whitman County Solid Waste Advisory Committee is meeting to review and approve minutes from December 8, 2020, and tour the MRW building at the Transfer Station. The agenda is largely procedural, with no new decisions or proposals listed.

• Review and approval of December 8, 2020 minutes
• Tour of MRW building at Transfer Station
• Next meeting scheduled September 14, 2021

The Solid Waste Advisory Committee met on June 8, 2021, at the Solid Waste Transfer Station. David Nails gave members a tour of the new Moderate Risk Waste Building. No formal decisions were made; the next meeting was scheduled for September 14, 2021, at 3:00 p.m.

• Scheduled next meeting for September 14, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.

Board Of Health

The Board of Health will hold a meeting to review previous minutes and receive updates from the Health Officer, Environmental Health, and administration. The agenda contains only departmental updates and procedural items.

• Approval of March 15, 2021 Minutes
• Health Officer Update
• Environmental Health Update
• Administrative Update
• HIPAA Update

The Board of Health approved the minutes from its March 15, 2021 meeting. Health Officer Chris Skidmore reported that COVID-19 cases in Whitman County fell from 205 to 135, and that the county may move to Phase 3 by June 30, 2021 if Washington reaches its vaccination goal. No other formal decisions were made; the meeting was primarily informational.

• Approved Board of Health minutes of March 15, 2021 (motion carried)

Board of Adjustment (BOA)

The Whitman County Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing on May 13, 2021, to consider a conditional use permit for Northwest Grain Growers to operate a commercial agricultural commodity warehouse on a 20-acre parcel near Endicott. The county planning office has issued a mitigated determination of non-significance under SEPA, meaning no significant environmental impact is expected. The meeting will be conducted via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions.

• Conditional use hearing for Northwest Grain Growers warehouse on 20-acre parcel near Endicott
• Mitigated Determination of Non-significance (M-DNS) issued under SEPA
• Public comments on SEPA decision due by May 6, 2021
• Comments on zoning action due by May 13, 2021
• Meeting held via Zoom, no in-person attendance

The Whitman County Board of Adjustment approved conditional use permit CU-21-03 for Northwest Grain Growers to build and operate a commercial agricultural commodity warehouse on a 20-acre site near Endicott. The approval includes 15 conditions covering stormwater, dust control, lighting, noise, and administrative reviews. One board member recused himself due to a conflict of interest, leaving three voting members who all voted in favor.

• Approved conditional use permit CU-21-03 for Northwest Grain Growers' commercial agricultural commodity warehouse (3-0)
• Approved findings of fact as read (3-0)
• Accepted conditions of approval as read (3-0)
• Adjourned meeting at 7:35 p.m. (3-0)

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission meets virtually to approve minutes, hear staff reports on recent land-use decisions, and continue work on the county comprehensive plan update with consultant LDC. The agenda is largely procedural, with no new public hearings scheduled for this meeting.

• Approval of minutes from March 10, 2021
• Update on comprehensive plan with consultant LDC
• Forthcoming NW Grain Growers warehouse hearing outside Endicott
• Forthcoming Weis Towers cell tower on Big Alkali Road
• Variances granted April 8: Kyle Schultheis grain bins, David Hopkins garage; Whelan Grange RV park CUP

The Planning Commission held a workshop to review the Comprehensive Plan update, with consultants LDC presenting progress on chapters like Land Use, Transportation, and Economic Development. No formal decisions were made; the meeting was informational and included public comment, primarily on trails and the proposed CAP trail. The next meeting was tentatively set for June, with a possible in-person session.

• No formal decisions made; workshop only
• Next meeting tentatively scheduled for June (May meeting likely skipped)

BLUE RIBBON ADVISORY TASK COMMITTEE (BRATC)

The Blue Ribbon Advisory Task Committee will elect officers, review previously awarded projects, hear oral presentations from two 2021 applicants, and vote on recommending funding amounts to the County Commissioners. The committee will score the 2021 proposals and forward recommendations to the Clerk of the Board by April 23, 2021.

• Review of 2019 Colfax Golf Club clubhouse addition ($70,000) and 2020 Oakesdale Library ADA ramp ($15,000), both with extensions to December 31, 2020
• Review of 2020 Colfax Downtown Association award ($38,500)
• Oral presentations: Colfax Downtown Association Store Fronts #2 ($99,000) and WC Rural Library District Lacrosse Rocks #2 ($40,000)
• Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman
• Approval of April 16, 2019 minutes

The Blue Ribbon Advisory Task Committee awarded $40,000 to the Whitman County Rural Library District for the Ice Age Museum and Visitor Center and $60,000 to the Colfax Downtown Association for Main Street improvements. The motion passed unanimously. The committee also elected officers and reviewed project statuses.

• Awarded $40,000 to Whitman County Rural Library District for Ice Age Museum and Visitor Center (passed)
• Awarded $60,000 to Colfax Downtown Association for Main Street and downtown corridor improvements (passed)
• Elected Mitch Chandler as Chairman and David Nails as Vice-Chairman (passed)
• Approved minutes from July 21, 2020 (passed)

Board of Adjustment (BOA)

The Whitman County Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing on April 8, 2021, via Zoom, to consider three land-use requests: a variance for grain bins in a flood plain, a variance for a garage setback, and a conditional use permit for a seasonal RV park. The board will also review environmental determinations (DNS) for the grain bins and RV park projects.

• Diamond-S Farms: variance to place two grain bins 4 feet from property line in a flood plain, with a No-Rise Certificate
• David Hopkins: variance to reduce side setback for a garage at 7954 Endicott Rd., Endicott
• Whelan Grange: conditional use permit for a seasonal RV park on a 4-acre parcel at 4902 SR 27-Palouse Highway, Pullman
• SEPA DNS issued for both grain bin and RV park projects
• Public comments due by 5:00 PM on April 8, 2021

The Board of Adjustment approved all three applications on the April 8, 2021 agenda. It granted a variance (VAR 21-01) to Kyle Schultheis to place two grain bins 4 feet from the property line instead of the required 20 feet, and a variance (VAR 21-02) to David Hopkins to allow a zero-foot setback for a garage. It also approved a conditional use permit (CU 21-02) for Whelan Grange to operate a seasonal RV park with up to 20 spots, subject to conditions including no hookups and a fire evacuation plan.

• Approved VAR 21-01: variance to reduce agricultural setback from 20 feet to 4 feet for two grain bins for Kyle Schultheis.
• Approved VAR 21-02: variance to allow a zero-foot setback for a garage for David Hopkins.
• Approved CU 21-02: conditional use permit for Whelan Grange seasonal RV park (max 20 spots) with conditions.
• Approved findings of fact for all three applications as written and amended.

Planning Commission (PC)

The April 7, 2021, regular Planning Commission meeting is cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for April 21, 2021, at 7 pm.

• Meeting cancelled

Board Of Health

The Whitman County Board of Health is meeting to approve the minutes from January 19, 2021, and receive updates from the Health Officer, Environmental Health, Administrative, and HIPAA areas. The agenda is largely procedural, with no specific decisions or proposals listed.

• Approval of January 19, 2021 minutes
• Health Officer update
• Environmental Health update
• Administrative update
• HIPAA update

The Board of Health approved the minutes from its January 19, 2021 meeting. Health Officer Chris Skidmore reported that positive COVID cases in Whitman County have spiked recently, with the majority in the 29 demographic, and that the county currently has the highest case count in Washington state. He noted the trend is beginning to decline and predicted a dramatic increase in vaccine supply over the next two months, with the next vaccine tier opening March 17, 2021.

• Approved the Board of Health minutes of January 19, 2021
• Noted COVID cases spiked in Whitman County, highest in state, trending down
• Reported next vaccine tier opens March 17, 2021
• Reported Governor Inslee moves state to Phase III as of March 22nd
• Scheduled next Board of Health meeting for May 17, 2021

Board of Adjustment (BOA)

The Whitman County Board of Adjustment hearing scheduled for March 11, 2021, has been cancelled. No items will be discussed or decided at this meeting. The agenda provides only cancellation notice and remote participation details for future meetings.

• Hearing cancelled
• Remote participation via Zoom available for future meetings

Planning Commission (PC)

The commission will receive an update from consultant LDC regarding progress on the Whitman County Comprehensive Plan. The meeting also includes reports on upcoming administrative use permits and Board of Adjustment hearings.

• Update on Whitman County Comprehensive Plan progress by consultant LDC
• Proposed new cell tower on Bald Butte by Whitman County Emergency Management
• Upcoming NW Grain Growers commercial agricultural commodity warehouse hearing near Endicott
• Todd Krause bridge replacement over the Palouse River permit
• Kyle Schultheis variance setback for grain bins

The Planning Commission held a workshop to kick off the 2021 update to the Whitman County Comprehensive Plan, with consultants LDC presenting on the process and gathering public input. No formal decisions were made; the meeting was informational and discussion-focused, covering topics like cluster zoning, business flexibility in agricultural zones, and natural resource protection.

• No formal decisions made; workshop only
• Discussed cluster residential zoning around Pullman; no action taken
• Discussed allowing business flexibility in agricultural zones; no action taken
• Discussed protecting natural resources like quarries; no action taken
• Discussed potential code changes for second houses on agricultural parcels; no action taken

Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)

The Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 9, 2021, has been canceled. The agenda contains only a public notice of the cancellation and a purchase order reference, with no items for discussion or decision.

• Meeting scheduled for March 9, 2021 canceled
• Purchase Order 2021-19 referenced in agenda

Planning Commission (PC)

The March 3, 2021, regular Planning Commission meeting is cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for March 10, 2021, at 7 pm. No agenda items are listed for this cancelled meeting.

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes, hear staff reports on upcoming permits and hearings, and continue work on updating the county Comprehensive Plan. The agenda is largely procedural, with no final decisions scheduled; most items are updates on pending applications and recent county actions.

• Update to Whitman County Comprehensive Plan (unfinished business)
• NW Grain Growers commercial agricultural warehouse hearing outside Endicott (date TBD)
• Whitman County Emergency Management cell tower on Bald Butte (date TBD)
• Weis Towers administrative use permit for cell tower near Dusty issued Jan 12, 2021
• Marijuana ordinance approved by BOCC Dec 28, 2020

The Planning Commission held a discussion-focused meeting with no formal decisions beyond approving the previous meeting's minutes. The main topic was the ongoing Comprehensive Plan update, with over 200 survey responses received and public workshops planned for March. Members discussed potential future policy areas including tiny homes, RV parks, trails, and climate change, but no actions were taken on these items.

• Approved minutes from January 6, 2021 meeting (5-0)
• Discussed Comprehensive Plan update survey results (over 200 responses)
• Discussed potential zoning changes for tiny homes and RV parks
• Discussed potential trail development in the county

LEOFF 1 Board

The board is meeting to reorganize its Chairman, Vice-Chair, and Secretary positions. Members will also sign revised policy pages and confidentiality statements.

• Board reorganization of Chairman, Vice-Chair, and Secretary
• Signing of revised policy pages
• Signing of confidentiality statements

Board Of Health

The Board of Health is convening for a routine meeting with agenda items including approval of minutes, updates from the Health Officer, Environmental Health, and Administrative staff, and a HIPAA update. No major decisions or public hearings are listed; the meeting appears to be primarily procedural and informational.

• Approval of November 16, 2020 minutes
• Health Officer Update
• Environmental Health Update
• Administrative Update
• HIPAA Update

The Board of Health approved the minutes from its November 16, 2020 meeting. The health officer reported stable COVID-19 case counts, progress on vaccinations, and ongoing school recommendations. No other formal decisions were made; the meeting was primarily informational.

• Approved Board of Health minutes of November 16, 2020

Planning Commission (PC)

The Whitman County Planning Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes, hear reports on upcoming hearings and permits, and discuss the update to the Whitman County Comprehensive Plan with consultant LDC Corporation and the Board of County Commissioners. No action is expected on pending permits tonight.

• Approval of minutes from November 4, 2020
• Report on NW Grain Growers commercial agricultural warehouse hearing outside Endicott
• Report on Weis Towers proposed cell tower on Bald Butte and near Dusty
• Update on public hearing for proposed marijuana ordinance held December 21, 2020
• Discussion of comprehensive plan update with LDC Corporation