Title
Critical Areas Ordinance Periodic Update Recommendation
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The planning Commission recommends adoption of the proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code Chapter 18.32 - Critical Areas Ordinance and forward to City Council for consideration.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to recommend adoption of the proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code Chapter 18.32 - Critical Areas Ordinance and forward to City Council for consideration.
Report
Issue:
The City is required to review and update as needed its Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) as part of the Comprehensive Plan Update to ensure the environmental regulations reflect the Best Available Science (BAS).
Staff Contact:
Kernen Lien, Planning Manager, Community Development, 360.570.3746
Presenter(s):
Kernen Lien, Planning Manager, Community Development
Background and Analysis:
Sites that contain critical areas, such as wetlands and other environmentally sensitive features, are regulated under the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO). This ordinance is a sciencebased set of regulations that protects these areas through buffers and other development limitations. As part of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment process, the City is required to review emerging scientific methods to ensure our regulations remain grounded in the best available science.
Since the passage of the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) in 1990, cities have been required to include comprehensive planning for critical areas. With each update, these regulations have continued to evolve to incorporate the best available science on how to preserve and protect environmentally fragile areas. The CAO addresses five categories of environmentally protected areas: aquifer recharge areas and drinking water/wellhead protection areas; important habitats and species; streams and riparian areas; wetlands; and landslide hazard areas. Frequently flooded areas are regulated in a separate section of the c...
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