The purpose of this title is to designate and protect the functions and values of ecologically sensitive and hazardous areas without violating any citizen's constitutional rights. Landslide, erosion, volcanic and seismic hazards, wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, and flood hazard areas constitute critical areas that are of special concern to Orting. The city finds that these critical areas perform a variety of valuable and beneficial biological and physical functions that benefit the city and its residents; certain critical areas may also pose a threat to human safety or to public and private property. By limiting development and alteration of these critical areas, this chapter seeks to:
A. Protect members of the public and public resources and facilities from injury, loss of life, or property damage due to flooding, erosion, volcanic eruptions, landslides, seismic events, or steep slope failures;
B. Protect unique, fragile and valuable elements of the environment, including wildlife and its habitat;
C. Mitigate unavoidable impacts to environmentally critical areas by regulating alterations in and adjacent to critical areas;
D. Prevent cumulative adverse environmental impacts to water quality and wetlands;
E. Meet the requirements of the Washington growth management act 1 with regard to the protection of critical area lands;
F. Coordinate environmental review and permitting of proposals to avoid duplication and delay. (Ord. 2016-985, 7-13-2016)
Notes
| 1 | 1. RCW § 15.04.010. |