Critical Areas Ordinance Update

The Washington Growth Management Act requires local governments to protect 5 types of “critical areas”:

• Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas
• Fish & Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas
• Frequently Flooded Areas
• Geologically Hazardous Areas
• Wetlands

Stevenson’s critical areas ordinance is a response to that law and helps regulate how the development and use of land in Stevenson can occur without sacrificing the value placed on these areas by the state or hindering the functions these areas perform for our ecosystem.  The current Critical Areas Code (SMC 18.13) was adopted in 2008 and replaced the first critical areas ordinance adopted in 2003.

2017 Review & Amendment Process

Based on state-required timelines, Stevenson held a series of public workshops and meetings over the course of 2017 and 2018. The process included a public hearing in front of the City Council on July 19th, 2018, an unchallenged SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance, and completion of the state Department of Commerce-required 60-day comment period.

On September 20th, 2018, the City Council adopted Ordinance 2018-1123. The new regulations are effective beginning on October 1st, 2018 and will be codified as part of the City’s online codification resource.

As adopted by the City Council Ordinance 2018-1123 is available below: