Frequently Asked Questions
Why is San Juan County updating the Critical Areas Ordinances?
• The County’s current regulations are not based on current information and were not designed with protecting the environment as the primary focus.
• The County is using the best available science to develop both regulatory and non-regulatory methods to improve protections for the environment and public safety, health and welfare for today and for the future.
• The updated CAO will provide clarity to what’s expected of property owners.
• A completed CAO Update is required under the state Growth Management Act. The San Juan County Update is past due, and as a result the County is losing out on potential state funding.
What are the Critical Areas that require protection?
There are five critical areas identified in the Growth Management Act (GMA). They are:
• Wetlands.
• Areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water.
• Frequently flooded areas.
• Geologically hazardous areas.
• Fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas.
There has been talk that new homes would have to be set 100 feet or more from the shoreline. Won't that put San Juan County’s real estate market at a competitive disadvantage compared with other communities that offer shoreline properties?
All cities and counties in Washington State are required to meet the Critical Area protection requirements of the GMA, and the recently released “Biological Opinion” applies to all Puget Sound cities and counties. Most communities have already increased their buffers to 100-150 feet, so we should continue to be competitive within Washington.
How will these protections be implemented?
All designated critical areas must be protected, but not all critical areas must be protected in the same manner or to the same degree. The required standard of protection is to prevent adverse impacts or to mitigate adverse impacts to achieve no net loss of the functions and values of the habitats.
Various strategies may be employed. Examples include:
• Buffer Zones (areas with no development) within specified distances from Critical Areas
• Mitigation for impacts
• Critical Area stewardship plans
• Requiring the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for land use and development
• Regulations regarding the use of certain chemicals to protect groundwater
More than just a regulatory ordinance, the San Juan County program will likely include land use policies, critical areas regulations, and zoning standards and may include non-regulatory programs. Recognizing unique environments of the islands, we will be working to have the programs geared to our local needs.