# Brief Planning Session Advances Commute Trip Reduction Updates ## Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Planning and Development Committee convened for a brief 15-minute session on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 11:55 a.m. in the Council Chambers at the County Courthouse. Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas led the hybrid meeting with fellow committee members Todd Donovan and Jon Scanlon present, while Councilmembers Kaylee Galloway and Mark Stremler also attended as observers. The focused session had a single substantive agenda item: reviewing proposed amendments to the county's commute trip reduction regulations and the adoption of a new five-year plan. This brief committee discussion was designed to prepare the ordinance for introduction at a future full Council meeting, representing another step in the county's ongoing efforts to address transportation demand and environmental impacts through workplace commute management. ## Commute Trip Reduction Plan Review The committee's primary focus was AB2025-281, an ordinance that would both update Whatcom County Code Chapter 16.24 governing commute trip reduction requirements and formally adopt the county's 2025-2029 Commute Trip Reduction Plan. The proposed changes represent a significant update to regulations that require certain employers to implement programs designed to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips by their employees. Cliff Strong from the Planning and Development Services Department provided the initial briefing to committee members, explaining the technical aspects of the proposed code amendments. The commute trip reduction program, often referred to as CTR, is mandated by state law for jurisdictions like Whatcom County and targets employers with large workforces in urban areas where traffic congestion and air quality are ongoing concerns. Emily Moran from the Whatcom Council of Governments then addressed the committee to highlight how the new 2025-2029 plan differs from the previous planning period. As the regional transportation planning organization, the Council of Governments plays a key coordination role in implementing these programs across municipal boundaries and ensuring consistency with regional transportation goals. While the minutes don't capture the specific details of Moran's presentation, her participation underscores the collaborative nature of transportation planning in Whatcom County, where multiple jurisdictions and organizations must work together to address mobility challenges that cross city and county lines. ## Minor Code Correction Identified During the discussion, Councilmember Kaylee Galloway, though not a voting member of the committee, raised a technical concern about the proposed ordinance language. She pointed out that the first sentence in the code amendment's purpose section (WCC 16.24.010 Purpose, found in Exhibit A of the ordinance) begins with an acronym that lacks proper definition. This type of attention to detail reflects the careful review process that proposed ordinances undergo before reaching final adoption. Acronyms and technical terms that may be familiar to planning staff can create confusion for the public and even other government officials if not properly defined within the legal text. Cliff Strong acknowledged Galloway's observation and assured the committee that this could be corrected as a scrivener's error – a minor technical correction that doesn't require substantive changes to the ordinance but ensures clarity and proper legal formatting. Such corrections are routine parts of the legislative process and can typically be addressed without requiring the ordinance to return to committee. ## Brief But Focused Session The meeting's brevity – just 15 minutes from call to order at 11:55 a.m. to adjournment at noon – reflected the straightforward nature of the agenda item. Committee discussions of this type often serve as final review sessions where councilmembers can ask clarifying questions and identify any remaining concerns before an ordinance moves to the full Council for formal introduction and public consideration. The hybrid meeting format allowed for both in-person and remote participation, maintaining the accessibility that has become standard for county meetings since the pandemic. With clear instructions for remote participation and a dedicated phone line for access, the county continues to balance the traditional governance model with modern technology to ensure broad public access to government proceedings. ## Routine Business and Adjournment The committee found no additional agenda items added by revision and had no other business to conduct. This streamlined approach allowed the committee to complete its work efficiently while ensuring adequate time for the upcoming full Council meeting. The meeting's placement in the late morning, with a firm adjournment time of noon, reflects the committee's role as a preparatory body that reviews items before they reach the full Council agenda. This timing allows committee members to address any concerns or questions in a smaller setting, potentially streamlining the eventual full Council consideration. With the commute trip reduction ordinance now having completed its committee review, it moves forward in the legislative process toward introduction at the full Council. The ordinance is referenced as AB2025-282 for its eventual Council consideration, following the county's standard practice of assigning new action bill numbers as items progress through the formal adoption process. ## Looking Ahead The brief but productive committee session positions the updated commute trip reduction requirements for broader Council consideration. As communities across the region grapple with transportation challenges including traffic congestion, air quality concerns, and climate change impacts, these regulations represent one tool in a broader toolkit for encouraging more sustainable commuting patterns. The 2025-2029 planning period will likely bring new approaches and potentially more stringent requirements as employers and employees adapt to changing work patterns, including the lasting impacts of remote and hybrid work arrangements that became widespread during the pandemic. How these evolving workplace practices intersect with traditional commute trip reduction strategies will be an ongoing area of policy development and implementation. The committee's work on this item demonstrates the careful, methodical approach that characterizes much of local government operations – reviewing technical details, ensuring proper legal formatting, and coordinating with regional partners to advance policy goals that extend beyond any single jurisdiction's boundaries.