17.10.020 Applicability.
This chapter establishes regulations for the protection of properties which contain or are adjacent to environmentally critical areas. Environmentally critical areas include those which meet the definitions and requirements of this chapter. The city may inventory critical areas on maps for reference and potential indicator purposes. All critical areas shall be verified by separate studies to indicate the extent of such areas. Development proposals for properties which contain or are adjacent to designated or regulated environmentally critical areas shall comply with the provisions and requirements of this chapter.
A. A permit shall be obtained from the city for any activity which alters or disturbs an environmentally critical area or buffer, including but not limited to, clearing, grading, draining, filling, dumping of debris, demolition of structures and installation of utilities.
B. A permit shall be obtained from the city for any proposed activity adjacent to a critical area.
C. No boundary line adjustments or development permits including subdivisions, short plats, conditional use permits, rezones or variances shall be granted for any lot which contains or is adjacent to an environmentally critical area until approvals as required by this chapter have been granted by the city.
D. A permit shall be considered valid for two years. The director, upon request by the applicant, may extend the validity of such permit for an additional year.
The provisions of this chapter apply to projects proposed by private and public entities. No permit granted pursuant to this chapter shall remove an applicant’s obligation to comply in all respects with other federal, state, and local regulations and permit requirements that may be required, including but not limited to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife hydraulic project approval (HPA), Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 permits, Ecology Section 401 permits, and National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The applicant is responsible for complying with these requirements, in addition to this chapter. (Ord. 3193 § 2, 2016)