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Council holds first reading on major critical-areas ordinance update; staff outlines larger buffers and mitigation sequencing
Summary
City staff presented proposed amendments to Chapter 18.280 (Critical Areas Ordinance) including expanded habitat buffer guidance, wetland buffer increases for certain categories, limitations on buffer averaging/reduction to 25%, encouragement of on-site mitigation, and a third-party review option; the ordinance received a first reading and public testimony.
City Community Development staff gave a detailed presentation and the Ridgefield City Council opened a public hearing and first reading of Ordinance 1484 on June 23, outlining proposed updates to the city's critical areas ordinance.
"Completing a critical areas ordinance update is a required part of our periodic comprehensive plan review under the Growth Management Act," said Miss Lust of community development, who led the presentation. She said staff based proposed amendments on best available science and multiple stakeholder interviews and agency coordination. Key changes staff highlighted included revised habitat buffer guidance (the presentation cited a best-available range of roughly 100 to 235 feet, up from the current 100'150-foot range), proposed wetland buffer increases for category 2 and 3 wetlands, and clarified mitigation sequencing that encourages on-site mitigation before purchasing mitigation-bank credits.
Council members asked how "best available science" is determined and whether there is a way to contest agency guidance. Councilor Wells pressed for clarity; staff explained that state agencies including the Department of Ecology and Department of Fish and Wildlife compile and adopt the best-available-science guidance and that those state-level determinations have already passed an appeal window which the city must implement.
Staff also described proposed mechanics for wetland-buffer averaging and reduction (the draft limits reductions to no more than 25% consistent with state science), the option of limited combined averaging/reduction with stricter approval criteria, a codified third-party review process to resolve disputes between resource agencies and applicant consultants, and a simplified approach for critical aquifer recharge-area review.
The council opened the public hearing and heard supportive testimony from mitigation-bank owner David Morgan and from Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge board member Jean Stamp. No council vote was taken other than the formal first reading; the ordinance will return for a second reading at a later date.
