[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6169024,"mediaKeyId","5405366-f6e930b23b763074042c0efae60066ac","parentId",5405366,"title","Public commenters, WSDOT and rural groups urge revisions to critical‑area mapping, septic rules and mitigation options","audioSeconds",493,"startMs",162000,"endMs",655000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5405366-f6e930b23b763074042c0efae60066ac&start=162&end=655","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5405366-f6e930b23b763074042c0efae60066ac/thumbnail_162000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6169024/King-County/Washington/Public-commenters-WSDOT-and-rural-groups-urge-revisions-to-criticalarea-mapping-septic-rules-and-mitigation-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6169024-e078ba761be76ba886b0a801ff76c3aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770710902&Signature=WEBGbGr0P~nENPMYm-QoAF9pFUefntU5xUCKupkFjWNWpcvyOd~U5a6eFjEtHQLDBMalTvri4aWEG8Xj~ZLAa7dS9idK5u4ZGVvK9y7dqh-6631vu3xUMtdm~cqoUsgNp9ygqh74pp0IzDOlSDmpbj-f42l~r9n5vUU03giCC4jVaJ~gV~IjjGRkLk1yQtXVTUkyCofS-5~WcSLfaBp-TiHAAR6Vr381SmEhTsnfCI~ywHI5lmOG0~AkjAPMmTiRXyBkOM4y4pb1QEhe3sXsYlZyMLJJBYR2amDez6zU-n1wNE3P2MJu7pMukYBxhdcSLhjVNV8yME7FDVd~K2AvdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","King County, WA","date","2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","article","The committee took public comment at the start of its July 16 meeting on items appearing later on the agenda, principally the proposed critical areas ordinance updates and their mapping and permitting effects.

Mike Thomas of North Bend told the committee he was “greatly concerned about the intersection of critical aquifer recharge areas mapping … and onerous requirements on septic replacements.” He said more than 2,000 septic systems in North Bend could face elevated replacement costs if mapped in a critical aquifer recharge area and said “there is no evidence that these septic systems are contributing to drinking water quality issues” in his area. Thomas argued the county should “revisit the mapping and its science and its methods” and noted local geology and rainfall patterns as factors that, in his view, were not sufficiently accounted for in mapping.

Terry Lavender, representing the Joint Rural Team (a coalition of urban unincorporated area organizations and rural groups), said the proposed update to the critical areas ordinance “is very good and offers a greater level of protection to critical areas in the county,” but warned that without “major reform in the Department of Local Services permitting division, we're very concerned the promise of this update will fall short.” Lavender urged clearer materials, adequate staffing and effective code enforcement to make the rules usable for landowners.

Evan Doolin, mitigation lead for the Washington State Department of Transportation Environmental Services Office, said WSDOT “agrees with many of the proposed changes” but asked the county to explicitly include advanced mitigation sites in the code alongside mitigation banking. Doolin said advanced mitigation “provides very similar ecological benefits” and shortens the time between restoration benefits and project impacts. He also requested that the county allow similar mitigation‑ratio reductions for off‑site riparian mitigation using primary and secondary restoration actions, saying narrow rights‑of‑way often make on‑site riparian mitigation infeasible for transportation projects.

Committee members acknowledged the comments. Chair Sarah Perry thanked commenters and said the committee and staff would continue to work on mapping issues and the broader ordinance review. The committee did not take action on the comments; public remarks were recorded as input to the ongoing process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Local Services and Land Use Committee 7-16-25","oneSentenceSummary","The committee took public comment at the start of its July 16 meeting on items appearing later on the agenda, principally the proposed critical areas ordinance updates and their mapping and permitting effects.","taxTitle","King County, Washington","taxId",2541,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6169029,"King Conservation District reports increased grants, tree plantings and farm support in 2024 annual briefing",581,647000,1228000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5405366-f6e930b23b763074042c0efae60066ac&start=647&end=1228","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5405366-f6e930b23b763074042c0efae60066ac/thumbnail_647000.jpg","/articles/6169029/King-County/Washington/King-Conservation-District-reports-increased-grants-tree-plantings-and-farm-support-in-2024-annual-briefing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6169029-9e45168cdf74f1b4a3319a43802f1ed9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770710902&Signature=NZb8Gt-9dKYH8vkJ5VUhX~kiG1O4hKA0EQYiJh~33g~NN4XtpPTNf1G5mDT69s9LoK9CgACa15Ex5ZjwCOcLB7laFct70ugnGzyjR9E5vf6hMPy3bOAtTGfPRy-hNHtV~sfC4jeP~QVUTvgQN2~tP2T1oTFFa7qesIpl8vWvnjmsPXRAROsPjMw1lPZpse5U-abD-9rVxRSBHJNRBlwoUW5DpXCrvdjKk8DpO~Q9sdWXEupRuyzfY39velclszfDCY9c3Y~fOi~qgFxD1Vv5ty9oB4~qFLze2607lpUuqtiSJppb8ZJF-5Qjq7IB1r3hUylfX4S8KA3zjEAA-u2r4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chair Sarah Perry called the Local Services and Land Use Committee to order and introduced a required annual briefing from the King Conservation District.

Rosa Mendez Perez, executive director of the King Conservation District, told the committee the district operates as “a non regulatory, special purpose District” that works “by offering education, technical expertise, and natural resource project opportunities, and also grant funding” to support voluntary stewardship on private lands.

Mendez Perez summarized 2024 outcomes recorded in the district’s annual report. She said the district supported nearly 98 acres of farmland improvements and worked with farmers to produce 50 written farm plans. “We helped residents put over 13,000 native trees and shrubs into communities to sequester carbon and provide habitat for wildlife,” she said. She also reported “we invested in local conservation with almost $700,000 in cost share projects and close to $2,000,000 in grant dollars distributed.” She added the district “secured close to $1,300,000 in external funding” that supports competitive, project-specific programs.

Mendez Perez gave examples showing the district’s work across urban and rural settings. She described forestry assistance tied to a Queen Anne neighborhood forest plan and partnerships with cities for tree giveaways in Shoreline and Tukwila. She highlighted riparian restoration on Big Sue’s Creek in Kent — a salmon habitat project that involved volunteers and Conservation Corps crews to plant hundreds of native shrubs and trees — and community garden contaminant testing offered to high‑risk neighborhoods.

On agricultural support, Mendez Perez said district funding helped Business Impact Northwest deliver training and technical assistance to farm and food businesses, and that in 2024 the district funded 553 acres of cover crops — its largest year for that practice — with almost $100,000 invested.

When Councilmember Perry asked how the district’s recently approved five‑year rate plan affected services, Mendez Perez said the increased rate enabled the district to hire a new climate‑focused staff position and to use county funds as matching dollars that leverage additional external grants. “That plan … gives us more funding to help us use as match when we apply to external funds,” she said, and it also helped shorten wait lists for popular services.

Perry thanked Mendez Perez and committee members for the briefing; no committee action was taken on the report beyond receiving the briefing.

Looking ahead, Mendez Perez said the district is finalizing a multi‑partner Department of Ecology contract to advance community‑centered riparian programming and is adding staff to focus on climate and regenerative agriculture work.

The committee did not vote on the briefing. The item was presented as the district’s annual report transmitted under the county’s interlocal agreement with King Conservation District.","At a July 16 Local Services and Land Use Committee briefing, King Conservation District Executive Director Rosa Mendez Perez highlighted 2024 program outcomes including expanded grant funding, cost-share projects, thousands of native plantings and outreach to farmers and urban communities.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6169019,"Chair Perry briefs committee on comprehensive striking amendment to King County critical‑areas regulations",1410,1555000,2965000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5405366-f6e930b23b763074042c0efae60066ac&start=1555&end=2965","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5405366-f6e930b23b763074042c0efae60066ac/thumbnail_1555000.jpg","/articles/6169019/King-County/Washington/Chair-Perry-briefs-committee-on-comprehensive-striking-amendment-to-King-County-criticalareas-regulations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6169019-9d7fb3c17a06d849f4abed91384a3882/orig.mp4?Expires=1770710902&Signature=cKv4ACJgZ2P47~scGmE8SZIGUZkQnrpC2ZqwGF7qCta0EeGA1M5EXv~t9pCqBENJe8JVbHUK6oZUp5T8FehtoPk2qmGNvyWGJA-uIeaSKljVxcdPEsN0xBsD6Tm7Kd7PCWVMaTgjy6kOIBBsZwgVGP1vAhyqcfKQEFVsXNg0b1NbyzJcLvoXncW0H3Sbx4QL2Mu2WbK960PEL5376TCzL2JVIxkYSCSoasaYStYTDGo9nUpxM4nU0EeMuOnKJzQoyT4Kea0YgdxtTZ~QWRVVvIsxU4yosCGBcoGaZdgiCT7mdUrXaeqklXPt2pDMHEQu8QHnuwJ5rZwgkaiYSATHtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chair Sarah Perry opened the Local Services and Land Use Committee’s briefing by placing the proposed critical areas ordinance update in the context of the Growth Management Act and the county’s 10‑year comprehensive plan update. She described the striking amendment she circulated after months of stakeholder engagement and said the committee would take up line amendments on July 23 and consider the striking amendment for a committee vote on August 20.

Perry framed the amendment as an effort “to look for areas of agreement to ensure as much as possible that success with one policy objective wouldn't come at the detriment of another equally important objective.” She told colleagues the amendment incorporates feedback from tribes, agricultural groups, environmental advocates, housing stakeholders, and county staff.

Jenny Ngo of Council Central staff summarized a comparison matrix the chair provided that highlights substantive changes from the executive transmittal. Ngo told the committee the matrix focuses on “key changes that are included in the scribe with a comparison of the existing code and the executive's proposal.”

Major policy and code changes described in the striking amendment include:

- Fish habitat definition: The strike broadens the code’s fish‑habitat language beyond salmonids to include all native fish species and revises potential habitat to include upstream areas on the far side of human‑made barriers.

- Riparian and aquatic buffers: The chair’s amendment increases several riparian buffer widths inside and outside the Urban Growth Area and removes some basin distinctions, with illustrative figures discussed (examples in committee materials cited 115/165 feet previously and proposed 180/200 feet in certain categories).

- Revegetation and “climate‑adaptive” plants: The Stryker establishes revegetation standards for restored buffers and requires restoration to achieve equal or better ecological function; the county would develop a list of climate‑adaptive plants and work with tribes on incorporating traditional ecological knowledge into restoration guidance.

- Mitigation and mitigation ratios: The striking amendment prioritizes on‑site mitigation but allows off‑site mitigation when appropriate and adjusts alternative mitigation ratios upward in some riparian categories. For illegal alterations, the Stryker aligns the mitigation requirement to a 3:1 ratio for streams, compared with the executive proposal to increase some ratios to 4:1.

- Agricultural provisions: The Stryker refines commercial agriculture definitions and adjusts how new, existing and expanding farms qualify for critical‑area exceptions. It lowers evidentiary burdens in some cases (for example, reducing a proposed three‑year IRS filing requirement to one year or comparable documentation) and clarifies farm management plan timing and use for buffer reductions. It also includes consideration of the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) as an alternative approach for selected watersheds.

- Setbacks and site alterations: The amendment reduces some critical‑area setbacks from 15 feet to 10 feet to give property owners additional maneuvering space while buffers in many categories increase; it revises grading exemptions and lowers some thresholds used to trigger SEPA review for illegal alterations.

Committee members asked for clarification on hazardous substances restrictions for piers and docks, the rationale for broadening fish habitat beyond salmonids, whether agricultural plan approvals would remain administrative, and how channel migration mapping changes may affect farmers. John Taylor, director of King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, thanked council staff and executive staff for reconciling the executive transmittal and the Stryker and said “on balance, this is a great … document” while acknowledging further work is likely before final passage.

Chair Perry emphasized process and next steps: line amendments are due to Council Central staff by July 23, the committee plans to consider the striker and line amendments on August 20, and a second striking amendment will follow for full council consideration later in the year. Perry said additional summer work will refine best‑available‑science references, revegetation requirements, public‑agency exception criteria, grading exemptions, and mapping for channel migration hazard areas. The briefing did not include a committee vote; it was informational and part of the ongoing code adoption process.","Chair Sarah Perry presented a summary of her striking amendment to King County's proposed critical areas ordinance at a July 16 committee briefing, outlining changes to riparian buffers, fish‑habitat definitions, revegetation requirements, agricultural exceptions, mitigation priorities and next steps toward committee and full‑council review.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenters, WSDOT and rural groups urge revisions to critical‑area mapping, septic rules and mitigation options

King Conservation District reports increased grants, tree plantings and farm support in 2024 annual briefing

Chair Perry briefs committee on comprehensive striking amendment to King County critical‑areas regulations