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Kittitas County adopts amended Critical Areas Ordinance after settlement with Yakama Nation
Summary
The Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-0 July 1, 2025 to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-006, amending the county Critical Areas Ordinance after a settlement with the Yakama Nation and months of negotiation and legal review.
The Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners on July 1, 2025 adopted Ordinance No. 2025-006, amending Title 17A of the county code (the Critical Areas Ordinance), following a settlement process with the Yakama Nation and legal review, the board said. The vote was 3-0.
Why it matters: The change comes after the Yakama Nation filed a petition with the Growth Management Hearings Board and subsequent appeals. County staff and legal counsel said lengthy negotiations and technical review reduced the number of contested provisions; county legal staff noted the formal court record exceeded 6,000 pages and that roughly one-quarter of the ordinance text was changed through the settlement.
What officials said: Stephanie Hartung, chief civil deputy prosecutor, described the procedural history and negotiations and said the result preserved key protections while making the rule more user-friendly. "It's a really good product and will be practically applicable by CDS," Hartung said. Planning Manager Jamey Ayling described how the county identifies channel migration zones, saying, "The maps are on Compass that show the channel migration zone and what that will look like over time," and that technical evaluations are performed by a team of experts at no cost to applicants.
Public comment: Pat Kelleher submitted written comment and testified in person that the amended document "is ridiculous and does nothing to protect our environment," urging the county to adopt a more holistic approach. There was no subsequent reopening of testimony recorded in the meeting minutes.
Vote and next steps: Vice-Chairman Cory Wright moved to approve the ordinance and Commissioner Brett Wachsmith seconded; the measure passed 3-0. The board had previously adopted Resolution No. 2025-118 on June 9, 2025 to acknowledge settlement terms and direct Community Development Services (CDS) to initiate the formal ordinance updates. The meeting adjourned at 2:31 p.m.
