CRA-11-0045 Erosion-Landslide-Stream-Habitat.pdf, /1 C. I �; 9 V
A r V A W14 If 012 11 113 3111
121 5"' Avenue North, Edmonds WA 98020
Phone: 425.771.0220 - Fax: 425.771.0221 ® Web: �v%v�v,(,i,c(iiiioi(is.w,,t.tis
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DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT - PLANNING DIVISION
Critical Areas Reconnaissance Report
Criticol Areas File Number
Determination
Site l,ocation
7'ox Account Number
Property Owner
Applicont
Critical Areas Present
Site Description
CA'A20110045
,Study Required
16628 --- 76"' Avenue We,st, Edmonds
00693100000800
Briori Baird
Bruce ONeill
Fv-1 Geologically llazordou,s Areas
R1 Erosion Hazard Areas
0 /. an dslide f lazard A reas
Streams
0 Fish & Wildlife Habitat Conservation Are
During review and inspection of the subject site, it was found that the site may contain (or be adjacent to) critical
areas, including a Stream, Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Area, and Geologically Hazardous Areas
(Erosion Hazard Area and Landslide Hazard Area), pursuant to Chapters 23.40 through 23.90 of the Edmonds
Community Development Code (ECDC). Cited sections of the Edmonds Community Development Code (ECDC) can
be found on the City of Edmonds website at ww-w-,-(--i.e.,d,rrmo,a.ids.wa. Lis.
The subject site slopes downwards very steeply to the south and west at well over a 40% slope. This slope qualifies
as both an Erosion Hazard Area and a Landslide Hazard Area. The slope continues onto the adjacent open space
area where a stream is located. Additionally, a mapped Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Area is located on
or adjacent to the subject property.
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.
Critical Areas Reports identify, classify and delineate any 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 your specific
development proposal. If a specific development proposal results in an alteration to a critical area, the critical
areas report will also contain a mitigation plan. You have the option of completing the portion of the study that
classifies and delineates the critical areas and waiting until you have a specific development proposal to complete
the study. You may also choose submit the entire study with your specific development application. Please review
the minimum report requirements for all types of Critical Areas which 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. You may contact the
Planning Division for more information. General Mitigation Requirements for all Critical Areas are discussed in
ECDC 23.40.110 through 23.40.140.
Erosion Hazard e
It appears that this property contains or is adjacent to an Erosion Hazard Area. Geologically hazardous areas
include areas susceptible to erosion, land sliding, earthquake, or other geological events. They pose a threat to the
health and safety of citizens when incompatible development is sited in areas of significant hazard. Such
incompatible development may not only place itself at risk, but also may increase the hazard to surrounding
development and use.
Erosion Hazard areas include Alderwood and Everett series soils on slopes of 15 percent or greater, among others.
Landslide Hazard Areas are further defined in ECDC 23.80.020.A. In addition to the general requirements for
Critical Areas reports referenced above, specific Critical Area report requirements for Erosion Hazard Areas (which
are one of the Geologically Hazardous Areas) are provided in ECDC 23.80.050.
(Vote that Stable Erosion Hazard Areas may have limited report requirements at the director's discretion. At a
minimum, an erosion and sediment control plan prepared in compliance with the requirements in ECDC Chapter
18.30 shall be required.
Development is restricted within an Erosion Hazard Area and must meet additional 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. Note that it is important for the report to be prepared by a qualified
professional as defined in the ordinance. Report requirements are given in ECDC 23.80.050, and more generally in
ECDC 23.40.090.D. Development standards are given in ECDC 23.80.060 and 23.80.070.
Page 1 2
Landslide Hazard Areas
It appears that this property contains or is adjacent to a Landslide Hazard Area. Geologically hazardous areas
include areas susceptible to erosion, land sliding, earthquake, or other geological events. They pose a threat to the
health and safety of citizens when incompatible development is sited in areas of significant hazard. Such
incompatible development may not only place itself at risk, but also may increase the hazard to surrounding
development and use.
Development is restricted within a Landslide Hazard Area and its buffer. Projects that will intrude into these areas
will require a report by a licensed Geotechnical Engineer. The criteria that are applied depend on the amount that
the buffer is reduced. The buffer can be reduced to a minimum of ten (10) feet (with an additional 15' building
setback per ECDC 23.40.280) if a report is prepared that meets the standards listed in ECDC 23.80.050. The
alteration must also meet the requirements listed ECDC 23.80.060. In addition, proposals to reduce the buffer to
less than ten (10) feet must comply with the design standards listed in ECDC 23.80.070.A.3.
A stream is located on or near the subject 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 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.
Page 13
Fish & Wildlife Fly tat Conservation Areas
Since the site is located within and adjacent to a mapped Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Area, the City
would like to preserve as much of the native vegetation as possible. The applicant must submit a clearing/tree
cutting plan with any development permit. Tree cutting and clearing of native vegetation should be limited to the
footprint of development. Please note that a separate tree cutting permit may be required, depending on the
scope of work.
Determination:
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. Please note that tree removal on sites containing critical areas may first require a
tree cutting permit, and the illegal removal of trees may result in penalties and steep fines (ECDC 18.45.070,
ordinance #3828).
Jen Machuga, Associate Planner June 10, 2011
Name, Title
Signatu
Date