Title
Recommendation on Draft Amendments to Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO)
Recommended Action
Recommend to City Council adoption of draft amendments to the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO)
Report
Issue:
Whether to recommend to City Council adoption of draft amendments to the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO)
Staff Contact:
Leonard Bauer, Deputy Director, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8206
Presenter(s):
Leonard Bauer, Deputy Director, Community Planning and Development
Background and Analysis:
In 2015, the Land Use and Environment Committee (LUEC) directed staff to review potential additional protections for locally important habitat and species after the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) mandated update to the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) was completed, which occurred in August 2016.
After working with consultant ESA, staff presented information on protections for locally important habitat and species to LUEC on September 15 and November 17, 2016 and to Planning Commission on August 8, 2016, and January 9, 2017. Staff hosted a public open house to discuss the proposed amendments on January 18, 2017 and the Planning Commission held a public hearing on January 23, 2017. All written comments received by noon, January 27, 2017, and the additional information requested of staff were presented to the Planning Commission at its February 6 and 27, 2017, meetings.
The City issued a SEPA Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) for the recommended changes on January 10, 2017, and sent the 60-day notice of intent to adopt, as required by state statute, to the Department of Commerce on January 11, 2017.
At its February 27, 2017 meeting, the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the amendments to the Olympia Municipal Code and Shoreline Master Program in Attachments 2-4. The Commission continued deliberation of the amendments in Attachment 1.
The draft amendments in Attachment 1 include the following:
* a process by wh...
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