16.18A.010 Purpose.
The purposes of this chapter are to:
A. Preserve the city’s important environmental features while allowing development to occur if compatible with and in consideration of these critical areas;
B. Avoid impacts to critical areas and preserve the functions of critical areas. In appropriate circumstances, impacts to specified critical areas resulting from regulated activities may be minimized, rectified, reduced, and/or compensated for, consistent with the requirements of this chapter;
C. Avoid wetland impacts and achieve a goal of no net loss of wetland function, value, and acreage; and where possible enhance and restore wetlands;
D. Protect critical aquifer recharge areas by avoiding land use activities that pose potential contamination, and minimize impacts to recharge areas through the application of strict performance standards;
E. Avoid and minimize potential impacts to life and property from geologic hazards such that sites are rendered as safe as one not containing such hazard through appropriate levels of study and analysis, application of sound engineering principles, and regulation or limitation of land uses;
F. Achieve no net loss of core preservation areas within fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, and minimize impact to and retain character of quality habitat areas, and protect species of concern, priority species, and species of local importance;
G. Achieve the following goals by limiting development and alteration of critical areas:
1. 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;
2. Protect unique, fragile, and valuable elements of the environment, including ground and surface waters, wetlands, and fish and wildlife and their habitats;
3. Direct activities not specifically dependent on critical area resources to less ecologically sensitive sites, and mitigate unavoidable impacts to critical areas by regulating alterations in and adjacent to critical areas; and
4. Prevent cumulative adverse environmental impacts to water quality, wetlands, and fish and wildlife habitat, and the overall net loss of area and function of wetlands, and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas;
H. Provide standards, guidelines, and criteria to guide application of these critical areas goals and policies when considered with other goals and policies of the Algona Municipal Code (AMC), including those pertaining to natural features and environmental protection; serve as a basis for exercise of the city’s substantive authority under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and the city’s SEPA rules; protect critical areas in accordance with the Growth Management Act and through the application of best available science, as determined according to WAC 365-195-900 through 365-195-925, and in consultation with state and federal agencies and other qualified professionals; and coordinate environmental review and permitting of proposals to avoid duplication and delay. 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 economic use of the property or to prevent the provision of public facilities and services necessary to support existing development and planned for by this community without decreasing current service levels below minimum standards;1
I. The city’s enactment or enforcement of this chapter shall not be construed for the benefit of any individual person or group of persons other than the general public. (Ord. 1104-15 § 1 (Att. A)).
1See RCW 36.70A.020(12).