16.54.010 Intent.
It is the intent of this chapter to:
A. Regulate use of designated environmentally critical areas consistent with the intent of the Growth Management Act and the Lacey Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Plan.
B. Recognize there are qualitative differences between and among specific types of critical areas. Not all areas and ecosystems are critical for the same reasons. Some areas are critical because of the hazard they present to public health and safety, some because of the values they represent to the public welfare. In some cases, the risk posed to the public by use or development of a critical area can be mitigated or reduced by engineering or design; in other cases that risk cannot be effectively reduced except by avoidance of the critical area. Hence, classification, designation and protection of critical areas is intended to recognize the differences among these areas, and to develop appropriate regulatory actions in response.
C. Identify special review procedures, standards and mitigating conditions when construction or other human activity is proposed for any parcel of land within or reasonably close to the boundaries of environmentally sensitive/critical areas as designated in a generalized manner on that map titled official zoning map of the city of Lacey or other environmental maps referenced in Chapter 14.28, 14.33, 14.34, 14.36, or 14.37 LMC or on lands meeting the requirements as an environmentally sensitive area as defined in said code sections.
D. Provide environmentally sensitive area designation for critical exemptions policy under WAC 197-11-908. (Ord. 935 §3 (part), 1992).