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Notice of public hearing: Ordinance 20024

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METROPOLITAN KING COUNTY COUNCIL

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Critical Areas Ordinance

Ordinance 20024

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing will be held before the Metropolitan King County Council on May 12, 2026, at 1:30 PM to consider comments on Ordinance 20024 (Proposed Ordinance 2024-0408), which is the Critical Areas Ordinance and served as the County’s 2025 Comprehensive Plan update. The public hearing will be held at the King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Avenue Room 1001, Seattle; remote public testimony on Zoom will also be accepted. Written public testimony will be accepted from 9:00 a.m. on April 11, 2026 through 10:00 a.m. on May 12, 2026 by sending such public testimony to clerk.council@kingcounty.gov. Please include the Ordinance number 20024 and related agenda item in the subject line. Information on the public hearing and how to submit public testimony can be found at this website:  https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/committees/full_council.aspx.

 

SUMMARY

King County adopted updated regulations to critical areas by Ordinance 20024. A portion of updated regulations constitute elements of the King County Shoreline Master Program and requires approval by the Washington State Department of Ecology. A public hearing is being held to supplement the record for Department of Ecology’s consideration. The following elements of the Shoreline Master Program, as identified in K.C.C. 20.12.200, were amended by Ordinance 20024:

 

  • K.C.C. 21A.24.045– Allowed alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.051– Agricultural activities development standards 
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.070.A., B.2., C.2., D., and E. – Alteration exception
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.125 – Avoiding impacts to critical areas
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.130 – Mitigation and monitoring 
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.133 – Off-site mitigation 
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.183 – Revegetation in critical areas and critical area buffers - modification to planting plans - list of approved climate adaptive plants 
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.200 – Building setbacks
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.275 – Channel migration zones - development standards and alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.280 – Landslide hazard areas - development standards and alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.285 (Formerly K.C.C. 21A.24.310) – Steep slope hazard areas - development standards and alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.290 – Seismic hazard areas - development standards and alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.292 – Alluvial fan hazard areas
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.295 – Tsunami hazard areas
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.316 – Critical aquifer recharge areas - development standards
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.318 – Wetlands - identification of and delineation of boundaries – categories
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.325 – Wetlands – buffers
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.335 – Wetlands - development standards and alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.340 – Wetlands - specific mitigation requirements
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.355 – Aquatic areas — water types 
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.358 – Aquatic areas – buffers
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.365 – Aquatic areas - development standards and alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.380 – Aquatic areas - specific mitigation requirements
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.382 – Wildlife habitat conservation areas - development standards
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.386 – Wildlife habitat networks - development standards and alterations
  • K.C.C. 21A.24.388 – Wildlife habitat conservation areas and wildlife networks - specific mitigation requirements
  • K.C.C. 21A.25.100 – Shoreline uses 
  • K.C.C. 21A.25.110 – Aquaculture
  • K.C.C. 21A.25.150 – Recreational development
  • K.C.C. 21A.25.160 – Shoreline modification
  • K.C.C. 21A.25.190 – Excavation, dredging, dredge material disposal and filling
  • K.C.C. 21A.25.210 – Expansion of a dwelling unit or residential accessory structure

 

Review and updates to critical area regulations in the shoreline jurisdiction include provisions to protect public health and safety by limiting development in hazard areas, such as steep slopes, alluvial fans, tsunami hazard areas and channel migration zones, to protect environmentally critical areas, including wetlands and aquatic areas through increased widths and mitigation provisions. The provisions protect shorelines through the no net loss of ecological functions and values standard based on best available science (BAS).

 

Under the substantial progress exception in RCW 36.70A.130(7)(a), the county timely took action to complete the associated updates to critical areas regulations, including the Shoreline Master Program. Council took action on the Shoreline Master Program pursuant to Chapter 90.58 RCW and Chapter 36.70A RCW. The comments received at the public hearing will be forwarded to the Washington State Department of Ecology for consideration in its review of the county’s Shoreline Master Program.

 

A copy of Ordinance 20024 is available on the internet at https://kingcounty.legistar.com/ LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7045329&GUID=B3207DE4-C67D-4EFE-8CEE-D7C01C455B0D. You may also view this notice at the Clerk’s webpage at https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/clerk/ordinances_advertised.aspx.

 

 

DATED at Seattle, Washington, this 11th day of April, 2026.

 

METROPOLITAN KING COUNTY COUNCIL

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

 

Melani Hay

Clerk of the Council