The City of Seattle is completing work on the first major update to the City’s environmentally critical areas (ECAs) regulations since they were first adopted in 1992. ECAs include the city’s wetlands, areas important for fish and wildlife such as riparian corridors (creeks) and shorelines, geologic hazard areas (such as landslide-prone, steep-slope and liquefaction-prone areas), flood-prone areas, and abandoned landfills.

The Mayor forwarded his recommendations to the City Council in September. On Nov. 16, the City Council’s Energy and Environmental Policy Committee, chaired by Councilwoman Jean Godden, conducted a public hearing on the proposed ordinance. Approximately 30 people testified, with the great majority in favor of provisions that strengthen critical area protection, and with several opposed to aspects of the proposal. The Council was asked to consider or revisit the following:

• increased creek buffers
• creek daylighting provisions that are perceived as reducing protection
• adding tsunami and volcanic hazard areas
• shoreline buffer requirements—marine industrial interests want to lessen requirements and environmentalists have asked to increase requirements
• pesticide regulations, particularly as they affect the eradication of noxious plants and weeds in the city’s natural areas
• the removal of some public notification in landslide prone areas

At a Dec. 7 meeting, the committee voted to increase creek buffers from 50 to 75 feet for Type 2-3 anadromous fish-bearing streams, and from 35 to 50 feet for Type 4-5 streams. Also, the committee discussed, but did not vote on, amendments related to shoreline buffer requirements, creek daylighting and pesticides. On Jan. 11, 2006, the committee is scheduled to continue its deliberations and possibly vote on the ordinance.