Critical Areas Public Involvement Process

Initial Feedback to Planning CommissionAquifer Recharge

Flood Plains Important Habitat & Species

Volcanic Lahar Marine Bluff and Landslides

Prairie ProtectionsRiparian Habitat Areas

WetlandsSeismic Hazard Areas

October 5 – Great Wolf LodgeOctober 7 – County Fair Grounds

October 12 – Rainier Sportsman ClubOctober 18 – County Courthouse

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Critical Areas Continuous and Open Public Engagement

Process

• Website: thurstonplanning.org– Virtual Open House– Webmail• Postings of open houses• Posting of meetings• 416 subscribers as of today

– Approximately 150 before Open Houses started.

– Will post all questions received at Open Houses

– Will post draft ordinance2

Critical Areas Continuous and Open Public Engagement

Process

• Web Exposure1. League of Women Votes2. Olympia Master Builders3. Griffin Neighborhood Association4. Thurston Association of Realtors5. The Olympian

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Critical Areas Continuous and Open Public Engagement

Process

• TCTV - Commissioner InterviewsRun Dates:

9/24/201010/22/2010 at 12:00 AM10/22/2010 at 7:00 PM10/23/2010 at 12:00 PM10/24/2010 at 8:00 PM10/29/2010 at 12:00 AM10/29/2010 at 7:00 PM10/30/2010 at 12:00 PM10/31/2010 at 8:00 PM

• Prairies – Karen Valenzuela• Overall Critical Areas – Cathy Wolfe• Shorelines – Sandra Romero– Will post notices of Public Hearings

Critical Areas Continuous and Open Public Engagement

Process

• Outreach to Local Interest Groups1. Olympia Master Builders2. Thurston Association of Realtors3. Thurston Agriculture Committee4. Thurston Conservation District5. LOTT6. Department of Ecology7. Black Hills Audubon Society8. Deschutes TMDL Advisory Group9. Nisqually Shellfish Protection District10. Thurston Storm and Surface Water Advisory Board11. United States Fish and Wildlife12. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife13. Natural Resource and Conservation Service

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Critical Areas Continuous and Open Public Engagement

Process

• Public Notices– Monday, September 20, 2010

Public Invited to Open Houses on Critical Areas Ordinance Updates

– Friday, October 01, 2010Fact Sheets Available for Thurston County Critical Areas Ordinance Update

– Friday, October 15, 2010Public Invited to Open House on Critical Areas Ordinance Updates

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Critical Areas Continuous and Open Public Engagement

Process

• Outreach to Local Media• Invited

– Olympian– Chronicle– Nisqually Valley News

Development rules on tapOpen House: Thurston County plans sessions to

explain proposed critical-areas changesNATE HULINGS; Staff writer | • Published October 01,

2010 • Read more:

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/10/01/1388172/development-rules-on-tap.html#ixzz12wE80S1I

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Critical Areas Continuous and Open Public Engagement

Process

• Open Houses•October 5 – Great Wolf Lodge

–Approximately 60 Attended

•October 7 – County Fair Grounds–Approximately 12 Attended

•October 12 – Rainier Sportsman Club–Approximately 30 Attended

•October 18 – County Courthouse–Approximately 60 Attended

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Open HousesPublic Input

– Concerns about the change in the size off wetland buffers

– Concerns about Mazama Pocket Gophers and their habitat set asides• Is it really endangered?• Why 600 foot evaluation area?

– Concerns about Prairie Protection– Please Consider MT Vernon’s buffer

methods– Please look at non conforming uses

• Mortgage Financing• Insurance 9

Open HousesPublic Input

– Support protecting critical areas– Support for open space tax incentive

programs– Please do a direct mailing• In the tax assessment

– Concerns about impacts to agricultural lands

– Tax assessment’s should change due to impacts on property value due to critical areas

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Open HousesPublic Input

– Innovative techniques for zoning– Critical areas permit cost– FEMA Flood Maps– Channel Migration Zones

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Open HousesPublic Input

• Other– United Nations Agenda 21– Questionnaire to Panel and Commissioners

• # of children/# of grandchildren/Prairies/Oaks/Hindu practices/religious preferences of Panel and Commissioners

• Shorelines Management Plan– Desire for county to collaborate with federal

and state agencies to coordinate regulations– Concerns about dock replacement– Aqua Culture

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CAO

• Next Steps • Address Concerns and Finding of Fact

– Met with USFW and WA Fish and Wildlife– Consider changes to gophers regulations– Seek federal assistance with cost, easements,

programs.• Setting meeting with Realtors, Mortgage Brokers,

Insurance Regulators – Tentative October 29– Non Conforming Use– Mortgages

• Setting meeting with Assessor– Critical Areas and Tax Assessment methodology

• Separating and Responding to Issues– Federal– State– County

• Complete Staff Draft 13

CAO

• Next Steps – Planning Commission

• Review public feedback• Listen to tapes • Review comments posted on web• Forward questions and concerns to staff

– Staff • Develop public feedback matrix and responses• Incorporate public recommendations and comments within

guidelines of state law, Best Available Science, Best Professional Judgment.

• Develop range of policy options for PC to consider• Present to PC• Incorporate PC recommendations into draft

– Continue Public Process14