Lake Stevens explores alternative stream-buffer approach as part of critical areas ordinance update

At a Lake Stevens City Council workshop, Russ, a city staff member, presented the city's required update to its critical areas ordinance, emphasizing changes to how the city will manage stream and riparian buffers under "best available science." He said the biggest change would be in stream buffers and that staff is exploring an alternative methodology recommended by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and used by some neighboring cities.

What staff described: Russ explained that state law requires periodic updates to the critical areas code and that the city hired a consultant to perform a gap analysis and a best-available-science review. "Critical areas as defined in state law include wetlands, critical aquifer recharge areas, frequently flooded hazard areas, geologically hazardous areas and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas," he said. Russ said the proposed approach would move from older stream-typing models to a riparian (riparian management zone) buffer approach in line with…