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CRA20150079 Critical areas letter.pdfCITY OF ED ONL S 121 5"' Avenue North, Edmonds WA 98020 Phone: 425.771.0220 • Fax: 425.771.0221 • Web: www..edtnondswa'gqy DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT • PLANNING DIVISION Critical Areas Reconnaissance Report Critical Areas File Number Determination Site Location Tax Account Number Property Owner Applicant Critical Areas Present Site Description CRA20150079 Study Required 535 Hemlock Way 27032500218500 Douglas and Cynthia Howell Cynthia Howell Q Geologically Hazardous Areas Q Erosion Hazard Areas 0 Landslide Hazard Areas Q Streams Although the majority of the property is level, the eastern property boundary slopes downward steeply to Shellabarger Creek. This slope exceeds 40% according to City LiDAR data. Due to the degree of the slope on and adjacent to the eastern side of the site, it was found that the site contains slopes that are steep enough to be considered both an Erosion Hazard Area (over 15% slopes) and a Landslide Hazard Area (over 40% slope). Cited sections of the Edmonds Community Development Code (ECDC) can be found on the City of Edmonds website at www.edmondswa.gov. Allowed Activities & Exempt Proposals Certain activities are allowed in or near critical area buffers as specified in ECDC 23.40.220. Similarly, certain development proposals may be exempt from Critical Areas requirements (ECDC 23.40.230). If you have any questions about whether your proposed development qualifies as an allowed or exempt activity, please contact a Planner for more information. General Report Requirements Critical areas reports identify, classify and delineate areas on or adjacent to the subject property that may qualify as critical areas. They also assess these areas and identify any potential impacts resulting from specific development proposals. If a specific development proposal results in an alteration to a critical area, the critical areas report must contain a mitigation plan. General mitigation requirements for all critical areas are described in ECDC 23.40.110 through 23.40.140. Critical area reports are most commonly submitted when applying for a building permit or land use development application (although they can be submitted at any time). The minimum requirements for all critical area reports are listed in ECDC 23.40.090.D. There are additional report requirements for different types of critical areas (see below). Note that it is important for the report to be prepared by a qualified professional as defined in the ordinance. There are options on how to complete a critical areas study and an approved list of consultants that you may choose from. Please contact the Planning Division for more information. Erosion Hazard Areas Development is regulated within Erosion Hazard Areas and must meet specific criteria. For erosion hazard areas with suitable slope stability, an erosion and sediment control plan prepared in compliance ECDC 18.30 will be considered to meet the critical areas "Study Required" determination. The determination of "suitable slope stability" will be made by both the Planning and Engineering divisions of the City of Edmonds. In areas where the slope stability is not suitable, projects within Erosion Hazard Areas will require a report by a licensed geotechnical engineer or other qualified professional. Report requirements and development standards for alterations within erosion hazard areas are found in ECDC 23.80.050 through 23.80.070. Landslide Hazard Areas Development is restricted but not prohibited within Landslide Hazard Areas and their associated buffers. There are standard required setbacks from landslide hazard areas (per ECDC 23.80.070 and ECDC 23.40.280); however, these setbacks may be reduced or eliminated with the submission and City approval of a geotechnical report produced by a licensed geotechnical engineer. Specific report requirements for landslide hazard areas and design criteria are found in ECDC 23.80.050 through 23.80.070. Streams Shellabarger Creek is adjacent to the property. Streams are areas where surface waters produce a defined channel or bed which demonstrates clear evidence of the passage of water. Streams need not contain water year-round. Streams are regulated as types of Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas. Streams are classified according to whether or not they run year round and whether or not they support fish populations according to the Page 12 classification system listed in ECDC 23.90.010.A.1. The minimum buffer widths for streams vary depending on the type of stream and are listed in ECDC 23.90.040.D.1. In addition to the general requirements for Critical Areas reports referenced above, specific Critical Areas report requirements for Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas are provided in ECDC 23.90.020.A to C and additional technical information requirements for streams are listed in ECDC 23.90.020.D. Development proposals that encroach into streams or their buffers or building setbacks may be allowed through the approval of certain processes. The width of a stream buffer may be reduced through buffer enhancement if through the review of a Stream Buffer Enhancement Plan that meets the specific requirements referenced in ECDC 23.90.040.D.2. The maximum amount that a buffer can be reduced through buffer enhancement is 50%. A buffer may also be modified through a process called buffer averaging. The criteria applied to buffer averaging are listed in 23.90.040.D.2. The maximum amount that the buffer width can be reduced at any single location through buffer averaging is 50%. Development proposals that propose encroachments into buffers beyond what is allowed through the above methods require a Critical Areas Variance or a Reasonable Use Exception. If you think that you have a proposal that may require one of these processes, please contact a Planner for more information. Determination: Study Required This review applies to the entire subject parcel. Depending on the location and project proposed relative to the identified critical areas, certain studies and reports may be required. Please contact the Planning Division at 425.771.0220 if and when you have a specific development proposal for this site in order to discuss the various permits that will be required. Sean Conrad, Associate Planner Name, Title August 5, 2015 Signature Date Page 13 IMM m EM I m i®��\�\:�^ �d \�.� \� \� d� \�\��\\ I m