Committee adopts striking and line amendments to Critical Areas Ordinance; forwards ordinance to council with due‑pass recommendation

Lede: The Local Services and Land Use Committee on Aug. 20, 2025, adopted striking amendment S‑1 and subsequent line and title amendments to proposed Ordinance 2024‑0408, the county’s update to the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO), and voted 3‑0 to forward the ordinance to the full council with a due‑pass recommendation.

Nut graf: The CAO revision addresses protections for wetlands, streams, riparian buffers, steep slopes and other critical habitats; the committee’s adopted amendments add an inventory requirement for farm management plans, invite active government‑to‑government communication with federally recognized tribes regarding indigenous knowledge, and conform the ordinance title to the adopted changes. The chair and sponsor emphasized continued fall work on related technical and policy refinements before full council action.

Body: Jenny Ngo of Council Central staff oriented the committee to the materials…