LAMIRD work tough but necessary.(limited areas of more intense rural development)(Washington state Growth Management Act)(Interview)(Editorial)

When David Stalheim first started as Whatcom County planning director a couple years ago, he had one main mandate from the county's executive body: Get into compliance with the Washington state Growth Management Act (GMA).

He is upsetting a lot of people, but the work must still be done.

For some time, Whatcom County has been out of favor with the GMA due to the absence of a management plan for Whatcom County's small historic communities that fall outside any city or UGA, like Glacier, Acme and Maple Falls.

Now, the creation of a plan for these limited areas of more intense rural development (LAMIRD) is seriously under way and rural Whatcom landowners have …