Bothell planning commission forwards critical areas and SEPA threshold updates after public hearing

The City of Bothell Planning Commission on Oct. 15 unanimously voted to forward to City Council proposed updates to the city’s critical areas ordinance (CAO) and SEPA categorical exemption thresholds, after a staff presentation and a single public comment.

Planner Jacqueline Sampson, presenting the draft updates, told the commission that state law under the Growth Management Act requires Bothell to complete its next critical areas update by Dec. 31, 2025, and that staff and consultants had prepared the draft code after multiple study sessions with the commission and council. “Public works currently does not require a CAO permit or a critical areas report for erosion hazard areas,” Sampson said, explaining staff’s recommendation to remove lands with 15% or greater slope (labeled as erosion hazard areas) from the requirement to obtain a CAO permit or critical areas report; areas meeting landslide-hazard thresholds (about 40% slope) would continue to require a permit and…