Critical Areas Program in Edmonds

Project description

Revising and updating City Policies and Strategies to better protect the human and natural environment in balance with increased regional housing demands and development.

Faced with a anticipated population growth of 30% over the next 20 years, the City of Edmonds struggled through a major Comprehensive Plan update. The resulting plan met the State mandated housing requirements, but was broadly inadequate with respect to acknowledging and mitigating known environmental issues.

EEC is proposing the following Critical Area Program Amendment to aid Edmonds government:
Preamble

“Because the critical areas regulations must be consistent with the comprehensive plan, each comprehensive plan should set forth the underlying policies for the jurisdiction’s critical areas program.“

“In pursuing the environmental protection and open space goals of the act, such policies should identify nonregulatory measures for protecting critical areas as well as regulatory approaches. Nonregulatory measures include, but are not limited to: Incentives, public education, and public recognition, and could include innovative programs such as the purchase or transfer of development rights. When such policies are incorporated into the plan (either in a separate element or as a part of the land use element), the consistency of the regulations can be readily assessed. “
[WAC 365-196-485(1)(e)]

Proposed Amendment

Establish a Critical Areas Program, set forth its underlying policies and priorities for Land Use.
Required WAC and RCW citations included for clarity:

  • Avoiding environmental impacts through appropriate land use designations [WAC 365-196-485(4)]
  • Avoid directing new growth to areas with high probability of conflicts between new development and protecting critical areas [WAC 365-196-485(4)]
  • Identifying open space corridors within and between urban growth areas for multiple purposes, including those areas needed as critical habitat by wildlife [WAC 365-196-485(1)(c)]
  • Retaining and Expanding Open Space [RCW 36.70A.020]
  • Conserving Fish and Wildlife Habitat including protecting wildlife corridors and preventing stormwater adverse impacts on aquatic habitat
    [RCW 36.70A.020]
  • Preserving natural environment including mature tree and tree canopy goals from the Urban Forest Management Plan [RCW 36.70A.020]
  • Enhancing the State’s High Quality of Life, Including Air and Surface Water Quality [RCW 36.70A.020]
  • Identifying Critical Areas and adjacent buffer areas with an overlay designation on the Future Land Use and Zoning Maps.
  • Reviewing drainage, flooding, and stormwater runoff in the area and nearby jurisdictions and provide guidance for corrective actions to mitigate or cleanse those discharges that pollute waters of the state or waters entering Puget Sound. [RCW 36.70A.070]
CRITICAL AREA PROGRAM AMENDMENTDownload
Packed Council Chambers for April 1st Meeting
Packed Council Chambers for April 1st Meeting
Comp plan in the News