LAKE STEVENS — It will be one of the public’s last chances to weigh in on proposals to create new buffers between construction and streams and wetlands.
The new buffers are of particular concern for a community that surrounds a lake and has several streams and wetlands. The new no-build zones don’t include the actual lake.
The City Council could approve the new buffers as soon as March 31, city administrator Jan Berg said.
The latest plan represents an increase from controversial rules approved last year, but allows flexibility in the no-build zones through techniques such as use of porous concrete, wetland restoration and other environmentally friendly measures.
Last year, the council approved one set of modest increases in the buffers, then expressed an interest in making the rules stricter still. The last move drew fire from some city officials, including Mayor Vern Little, and businesspeople who supported the modest increases.
The new compromise plan would widen no-build buffers by 50 feet, from 100 to 150 feet, for the highest-quality streams from an environmental and habitat standpoint.
It increases the distances for the next category of stream from 75 feet to 100 feet. The streams in downtown Lake Stevens fit into one of these two categories, planning director Becky Ableman said.
For wetlands, the distances are increased from a high of 150 feet to a high of 190, depending on land use and wetland quality.
So far, elected city officials have been supportive of the new plan devised by city staff. The plan has received mixed reviews from the environmental group Futurewise, which along with the Pilchuck Audubon Society filed a legal challenge to last year’s rules.
The environmental groups appealed to the state Growth Management Hearings Board to overturn the rules approved last year, arguing they were too lax. One of their concerns is the buffers do not apply to the lake. The city has said the lake shore is governed by a separate set of state rules.
The groups have agreed to keep the action on hold until the new plan is addressed.
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
Public hearing
A public hearing on the city’s environmental rules for new construction is 7 tonight at the Lake Stevens School District Educational Services Center, 12309 22nd St. NE.
For more information, call 425-334-1012.
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