City of Bingen

Critical Areas Ordinance Update

 

What is a Critical Areas Ordinance?

The Critical Areas Ordinances includes policies and development regulations that protect the functions and values of critical areas which include: wetlands, areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water; fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas; frequently flooded areas; and geologically hazardous areas.

 

The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) requires updates to the Critical Areas Ordinance. The City's ordinance were last updated in 1997. The Critical Areas Ordinance update will identify any gaps and verify whether policies and regulations within the ordinance meet the Best Science Available requirements of the Growth Management Act.

 

What is Best Available Science?

The Washington State Legislature amended the Growth Management Act in 1995 to include a provision on best available science. It requires cities and counties to include the best available science in developing policies and development regulations to protect the functions and values of critical areas.

 

Critical Areas Ordinance Update Documents

• The City Council adopted Critical Area ordinances at its regulalry scheduled meeting on August 18, 2015. Adopted codes are listed below as well on the Bingen Municipal Code page.

• Adopted Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.010, Critical Areas General Provisions

• Adopted Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.020, Critical Areas Definitions

• Adopted Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.030, Critical Areas Fish and Wildlife Habitat

• Adopted Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.040, Critical Areas Wetlands

• Adopted Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.050, Critical Areas Geologically Hazardous Areas

• Adopted Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.060, Critical Areas Frequently Flooded Areas

• SEPA Determination of Nonsignficance

• Update Status and Schedule Memorandum

• Draft Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.010, Critical Areas General Provisions

• Draft Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.020, Critical Areas Defintiions

• Draft Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.030 Crticial Areas Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas

• Draft Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.040 Critical Areas Wetlands

• Draft Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.050 Critical Areas Geologically Hazardous Areas

• Draft Bingen Municipal Code 17.65.060 Critical Areas Frequently Flooded Areas

• Draft Frequently Flooded Areas Map

• Draft Fish & Wildlife Conservation Areas Map

• Draft Geologically Hazardous Areas Map

• Draft Wetlands Map

• Gap Analysis Document 

• Bingen Municipal Code 15.16, Flood Hazard Protection

• Bingen Municipal Code 17.65, Critical Areas

• Bingen Municipal Code 17.66, Slope Hazard Overlay Zone

• Bingen Municipal Code 17.67, Wetlands and Wetland Buffers