Critical Areas Update

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Board of County Commissioners
Public Hearing Draft

The Board of County Commissioners held its public hearing on the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) update on Saturday, June 23, 2012. For those who wish to submit further comment, the Board has extended the written comment period on the CAO until 5:00 PM on July 5, 2012. Please send written comment to Andrew Deffobis, Associate Planner (deffoba@co.thurston.wa.us) or in writing to Thurston County Planning Department, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Olympia, WA 98502.

In the coming days, video and audio from the hearing will be posted on our website. At the conclusion of the written comment period, all materials received will be posted as well.

Click here for the public hearing notice from June 23.

Below is the Board’s public hearing draft. Not all chapters have been amended since the Planning Commission’s recommendation (published on May 22). Changes to the Planning Commission recommendation have been preserved in bill format with additional text shown in underline and deleted text shown as struck out.

Memorandum: Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) Proposed Fee Realignment

To view the Board's public hearing draft as one file, please click here.

Changes made since the release of the Board Public Hearing Draft:

Individual Chapters of Clean Copy Public Hearing Draft	Individual Chapters Amended Following Planning Commission Recommendations
24.01 General Provisions	24.01 General Provisions
24.03 Definitions	24.03 Definitions
24.05 Administrative Procedures	24.05 Administrative Procedures
24.10 Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas	24.10 Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas
24.15 Geologic Hazards	24.15 Geologic Hazards
24.16 Seismic Hazard Area	24.16 Seismic Hazard Area
24.17 Volcanic Hazard Area
24.18 Mine Hazard Area	24.18 Mine Hazard Area
24.20 Frequently Flooded Areas	24.20 Frequently Flooded Areas
24.25 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Areas	24.25 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Areas
24.30 Wetlands	24.30 Wetlands
24.35 Special Reports	24.35 Special Reports
24.40 Critical Area Review Permit	24.40 Critical Area Review Permit
24.45 Reasonable Use Exception	24.45 Reasonable Use Exception
24.50 Nonconforming Uses, Structures and Lots	24.50 Nonconforming Uses, Structures and Lots
24.55 Subdivision in Critical Areas	24.55 Subdivision in Critical Areas
24.60 Critical Area Signs and Fencing
24.65 Critical Area Tracts and Easements	24.65 Critical Area Tracts and Easements
24.70 Surety Agreements	24.70 Surety Agreements
24.90 Emergency Authorization	24.90 Emergency Authorization
24.91 Amendments	24.91 Amendments
24.92 Enforcement, Violations, and Penalties	24.92 Enforcement, Violations, and Penalties
Chapter 17.15 Agricultural Critical Areas Ordinance
Chapter 17.30 Noxious Weeds Containment
Title 20 Summit Lake Changes	Title 20 Summit Lake Changes
Title 20 Rural Residential Density Changes	Title 20 Rural Residential Density Changes
Title 21 Lacey UGA Residential Density Changes
Title 23 Olympia Residential Density
Chapter 2.05, 2.06, Title 13 CAO Reference Changes
Title 14 CAO Reference Changes
Title 17 CAO Reference Changes (except Chapter 17.15)
Title 18 CAO Reference Changes
Title 19 CAO Reference Changes
Title 20 CAO Reference Changes
Title 21 CAO Reference Changes
Title 22 CAO Reference Changes
Title 23 CAO Reference Changes

Click here for documents related to the December 2011 public hearing.

Interested Parties: Check back with this website for updated information. If you would like to be added to our Web Mail list, please click here. Staff contact: Andrew Deffobis, Associate Planner. Phone: (360) 754-3355, x5467 E-mail: deffoba@co.thurston.wa.us.

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