Grays Harbor County Adopts Critical Areas Ordinance

On Monday, June 7th, Grays Harbor County Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt a highly controversial Critical Areas Ordinance that establishes building regulations for wetlands, aquifers, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, frequently flooded areas, and geologically hazardous areas. Washington’s Growth Management Act requires all counties and cities to adopt the Ordinance in order to outline regulations for all new development on or adjacent to “critical areas.” Grays Harbor is the last county in the state to do so.

The county held a public hearing on May 24th which was the last of several opportunities for citizens to provide input on the near final CAO. About 60 people showed up at the first of two sessions that day to submit testimony for consideration. The draft CAO had been an ongoing project for the County Public Services Department and Planning Director Brian Shea, for the last two years. The testimony given that day highlighted two well defined stances on the adoption of this CAO; those who felt government regulations are being too restrictive with setback requirements for property owners and then those concerned that the regulations aren’t going far enough to ensure environmental protection.

"This ordinance sets out to create a balance between the environmental protection regulations that are typically found in the state of Washington and individual property rights, which is not always an easy thing to do,” said County Public Services Department and Planning Director Brian Shea. The new ordinance can extend current buffers anywhere from 60 feet to 300 feet, depending on what kind of stream or wetland is involved. A buffer being an area a property owner would have to leave alone and protect from contaminants or anything that could endanger its water quality.

For more information on the newly adopted Critical Areas Ordinance please visit http://co.grays-harbor.wa.us.