THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE’S ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREAS UP FOR VOTE
Vote on Monday will reflect the Council’s resolve to enhance environmental protections
SEATTLE – A City Council vote on Monday will address the delicate balance between Seattle's strong conservation values and the need to accommodate growth. Seattle’s environmentally critical areas—among the densest urban environments on the West Coast—could be further protected if an ordinance, up for a Full Council vote at 2 p.m. in Council Chambers, passes.
“This ordinance could bring a healthier environment here for our fish and vegetation; for our waters and streams; and for everyone who calls Seattle home,” said Councilmember Jean Godden, chair of the council’s Energy and Technology Committee.
Among many amendments designed to protect Seattle’s environment, the adopted ordinance:
Widens buffer areas along creeks to 75 feet in areas where there are anadromous fish, such as salmon;
Protects streams and waterways by restricting use of fertilizers and pesticides in riparian corridors and wetlands; and
Requires that mitigation in shoreline habitat buffers be provided as close to the shoreline as possible.
These protections will further guard streams, wetlands and shoreline habitats.
To read the full text of the ordinance, Council Bill 115414, please visit the council’s legislative database at this link.
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