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Poulsbo planners kick off 2025 critical areas ordinance update, outline modest changes and timeline
Summary
City planners presented a kickoff for the 2025 Critical Areas Ordinance update, explaining required state reviews, the five regulated elements, and a public-engagement plan aiming for adoption by early spring 2025. Staff said most text updates will be modest but stream-buffer and wetlands guidance will receive targeted changes.
Nicole Coleman, senior planner with the Planning and Economic Development Department, opened the meeting with an overview of the city’s approach to the 2025 Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) update, emphasizing statutory review cycles and the role of best available science. "So we are here to talk about the 2025 critical areas ordinance update," Coleman said, noting the update follows the Growth Management Act requirement for periodic review and the city's prior updates in 1994, 2007 and 2017.
Coleman listed the five regulated elements—wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, critical aquifer recharge areas, geologically hazardous areas and frequently flooded areas—and explained the project process: updated science, code revisions, planning commission review and final city council action. She told the commission the package will go through public outreach and an open house after the meeting, and said staff aim to complete the update by early spring 2025. "The presentation should be on the website by tomorrow," she said, and encouraged written comments and attendance at future hearings.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 065, topicfinish SEG 816
