A. The purpose of this chapter is to designate and classify ecologically sensitive and hazardous areas as critical areas and to protect, maintain and restore these areas and achieve no net loss of their functions and values and allow for reasonable use of public and private property.

B. This chapter is intended to implement the goals, policies, guidelines, and requirements of the city comprehensive plan and the Growth Management Act (Chapter 36.70A RCW).

C. Critical areas provide a variety of valuable and beneficial biological and physical functions that benefit the city and its residents. Critical areas may also pose a threat to human safety or to public and private property. The beneficial functions and values provided by critical areas include, but are not limited to, water quality protection and enhancement, fish and wildlife habitat, food chain support, flood storage, conveyance and attenuation of flood waters, groundwater recharge and discharge, erosion control, wave attenuation, and protection from hazards and the impacts of climate change. Groundwater recharge is of particular concern for the city because the Island’s drinking water is supplied solely by groundwater.

D. By limiting adverse impacts to and alteration of critical areas, this chapter seeks to accomplish the following goals:

1. To conserve the biodiversity of plant and animal species, protect, maintain and restore healthy, functioning ecosystems through the protection of unique, fragile, and valuable elements of the environment, including, but not limited to, ground and surface waters, wetlands, fish and wildlife and their habitats;

2. Direct development, uses and activities to less environmentally sensitive sites and mitigate unavoidable impacts to critical areas by regulating alterations in and adjacent to critical areas;

3. Prevent cumulative adverse environmental impacts to water quality, water quantity, wetlands, and fish and wildlife habitat, and the overall net loss of wetlands, frequently flooded areas, aquifer recharge areas, and habitat conservation areas;

4. Protect members of the public and public resources and facilities from injury, loss of life, or property damage due to landslides and steep slope failures, erosion, seismic events, or flooding; and

5. Alert owners, potential purchasers, real estate agents, appraisers, lenders, builders, developers and other members of the public to natural conditions that pose a hazard or otherwise limit development.

E. This chapter is to be administered with flexibility and attention to site-specific characteristics. It is not the intent of this chapter to make a parcel of property unusable by denying its owner reasonable use of the property or to prevent the provision of public facilities and services necessary to support existing development. (Ord. 2018-01 § 2 (Exh. A), 2018)