Critical Areas

Wetland area near Allen Lake.

Like many other counties and cities, Sammamish has recently updated its Critical Areas Code provisions for protection of environmentally sensitive areas. Critical areas include wetlands, streams and other fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, frequently flooded areas, geologically hazardous areas, and aquifer recharge areas. The updated ordinance sets standards and criteria for development or other activities proposed in and around critical areas.

Draft Wetland Inventory

The city of Sammamish is embarking on an update of its wetland inventory. Some results are available (see here). This inventory will be an ongoing process that is periodically updated. Included in this link is a map outlining the approximate boundary of each wetland and a “Wetland Rating Form - Western Washington”; which contains information about buffer requirements, the wetland classification and other important details. Please note a more complete map of critical areas within the city of Sammamish may be found through the NWMaps website (see here).

Adopted Regulations

• Ordinance O2005-193: Critical Areas Regulations

Environmental Regulations Prior To Critical Areas Update

• Code for applications vested prior to Jan 3, 2006

Resources

• 2005 Critical Areas Code Update Info – See this link for more information about the 2005 critical areas update process.
• Hazard trees in critical areas: 153 KB
• Native Plant Guide
• Voluntary Invasive Plant Removal in Critical Areas and Buffers: 72 KB
• Wetland Regulations in the City of Sammamish: 56 KB

Maps, Exhibits and Forms

• CARA Map: 550 KB
• Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas: 897 KB
• Critical Area Bond Quantity Worksheet: 98 KB application/vnd.ms-excel
• East Lake Sammamish Basin Plan: 6.56 MB
• Environmentally Sensitive Areas with Wildlife Corridors: 1.60 MB
• Geo Flood Hazard Map: 3.93 MB
• Special Overlays - Districts: 1.79 MB
• Wetland and Special Overlays Map: 864 KB
• Wetland Rating Form Western Washington: 144 KB

Links

• Beaver Lake Management District
• Living With Wildlife
• Shoreline Master Plan

Comments

• Critical Areas Comment Letters 7-13-2010 City Council Meeting: 865 KB
• Critical Areas Comment Letters 8-13 Updated 7-29-2010: 20.80 MB