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JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
To: Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) and Planning Commission
Philip Morley, County Administrator
FROM: Patty C arnas, Director WGA
Dave Greetham, Planning Manager
Donna Frostholm Associate Planne
DATE: December 12, 2017
SUBJECT: Monday, December 18, 2017 County Administrator's Briefing Session
Critical Areas and Agriculture
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The Department of Community Development (DCD) is leading the County's periodic update of its
Comprehensive Plan and development regulations. DCD believes that a series of policy conversations
with the Board is advisable on high priority topics, namely the Housing, Economic Development, Land
Use Elements of the Comprehensive Plan as well as the update to the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO).
This will be fourth in a series of policy conversations during the County Administrator's briefing session
with DCD so that the Board may suggest or comment on emerging policy content as first drafts for
public review are being prepared.
ANALYSIS/STRATEGIC GOALS/PROS and CONS:
The periodic update is mandated by state law and directs that plans be "reviewed and revised if
necessary' using administrative guidelines (commonly referred to as the "checklist") published by the
Washington Department of Commerce. The intent of these afternoon briefing sessions is to ensure that
the Board is kept informed and given the opportunity to provide general policy feedback at this time in
the work plan.
During this policy discussion with the Board and County Administrator, DCD lead staff will summarize
regulatory requirements for the critical area ordinance update as it pertains to agriculture, state agency
conversations and guidance, discussions with the Conservation District, and other relevant information
that have been used by DCD.
FISCAL IMPACT/COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS:
There is no fiscal impact to this briefing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a briefing on the critical areas ordinance update as it pertains to agricultural activities.
CAB
,REVIEWED BY:
p irlp Morlej,_Q6unty Administ Date
CRITICAL AREAS ORDINANCE UPDATE
Board of County Commissioners Briefing
Department of Community Development (DCD) has updated the critical areas ordinance (CAO) to
include agriculture, as required under the Growth Management Act. This briefing provides DCD with an
opportunity to inform the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) about CAO revisions while also
allowing the BoCC to provide comments or guidance to DCD.
The purpose of the revisions are to protect critical areas while maintaining agricultural activities in
Jefferson County. DCD has reviewed best available science documents, reached out to other agencies,
reviewed legal decisions, reviewed other local regulations pertaining to agriculture, and relied on
information from reports prepared for the County by consultants as part of the current update process.
A new article has been added to Chapter 18.22 JCC that is specific to agricultural uses and development
on agricultural lands. A brief description of the new sections to the critical areas ordinance are
described below.
Article XIII (Agriculture):
• JCC 18.22.AAA specifies when the new article is applicable for agricultural uses and
development
• JCC 18.22.BBB lists regulated agricultural activities
• JCC 18.22.000 presents alternative options for farmers to address wetlands and fish and wildlife
habitat conservation areas:
o Conservation District prepares biological reports for permitting
o Reduced buffers
o Working buffer
JCC 18.22.DDD identifies benchmark criteria for agricultural compliance with critical areas
requirements
Critical Areas Ordinance Update BoCC Briefing