HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2023-11-09 ITEM 7 - NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND SHORELINE ELEMENTS - STAFF MEMORANDUMTO:
FROM:
BY:
DATE:
City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
Department of Community Development — Nora Gierloff, AICF, Director
Tukwila Planning Commission
Nora Gierloff, AICP, DCD Director
Nancy Eklund, AICP & Neil Tabor, AICP
November 9, 2023
SUBJECT: Natural Environment & Shoreline Elements - Briefing
ISSUE
This agenda item is to brief the Planning Commission at their November 9, 2023, meeting on
status of proposed amendments to the Natural Environment Element and Shoreline Element of
the City's Comprehensive Plan.
BACKGROUND
The Growth Management Act requires that the comprehensive plans and development
regulations support specific goals, as discussed in RCW 36.70A.020. Examples of these goals are
as follows (the full list is at the end of this memo):
(10) Environment. Protect and enhance the environment and enhance the state's high quality of life,
including air and water quality, and the availability of water.
(14) Climate change and resiliency. Ensure that comprehensive plans, development regulations, and
regional policies, plans, and strategies under RCW 36.70A.210 and chapter 47.80 RCW adapt to and
mitigate the effects of a changing climate; support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and per
capita vehicle miles traveled; prepare for climate impact scenarios; foster resiliency to climate
impacts and natural hazards; protect and enhance environmental, economic, and human health and
safety; and advance environmental justice.
(15) Shorelines of the state. For shorelines of the state, the goals and policies of the shoreline
management act as set forth in RCW 90.58.020 shall be considered an element of the county's or
city's comprehensive plan.
In support of this, the City is updating both the Natural Environment and the Shoreline
Elements as a part of the 2024-2044 Periodic Comprehensive Plan Update. As described in
RCW 36.70A.020, This update requires that cities be guided by regional policies, plans, and
strategies (links to this guidance is in the Additional Resources section at the end of this memo).
The King County Countywide Planning Policies provide guidance focused on addressing issues of
Climate Change, Community Resilience and Equity, which have been incorporated into these
draft elements.
Tukwila City Hall • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
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INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Natural Environment and Shoreline Element Updates - Briefing
November 9, 2023
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UPDATES IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT & SHORELINE ELEMENTS
Shoreline Element
RCW 36.70A.020 states that the goals and policies of Shorelines of the State and the Shoreline
Management Act (RCW 90.58.020) shall be considered in cities' comprehensive plans. Tukwila
last updated its Shoreline Master Program (SMP) in 2019, and the Shoreline Element is largely
consistent with that update, however, there are a few minor deviations.
Amendments to the SMP (and the associated Shoreline Element) require that the City engage
with the Washington Department of Ecology in a defined review process that takes an extended
period of time and involves a lot of agencies. At this time, there is not sufficient staff and
Planning Commission capacity to integrate the requirements of a formal Shoreline amendment
as a part of the Comprehensive Plan update process, however, we believe our proposed
updates are minor enough to be acceptable without opening the full review process. The
majority of the changes identified are either formatting changes, changes relating to
differences between the DOE -adopted Element and what we have in our 2015 plan, and minor
changes that bring the Element into consistency with adopted state laws.
In the past few months, staff have been unsuccessful in securing a meeting with DOE to review
the proposed draft. We are still hoping to hear back from them before the end of the year. If
necessary, we will need to set aside the proposed amendments until a later date when there is
time to engage in the required DOE review process.
Natural Environment Element
Changes to the Natural Environment Element were initiated for several reasons — to address:
• Updates to old information — inventory information is no longer current or there is new
information that can be added (e.g., conditions have changed)
• Changes to reflect new practices or procedures, either by the City or other agencies
• Changes to reflect climate change, resiliency, or equity requirements. These updates
were completed both by staff and a consultant hired as a part of the Periodic Update
Grant. (Many climate change additions have been marked with a grey highlight).
At this time, the City is integrating its Climate Change policies through the various elements of
the Plan, although in 2029, we will be required to develop a separate comprehensive plan
element to address climate change. The climate change section of the Natural Environmnet will
serve as a starting place for that element. The description of the required content for that
element is found in the Additional Resources section of this memo (starting on page 4).
Types of text changes that were made in the Natural Environment Element include the
following:
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Natural Environment and Shoreline Element Updates - Briefing
November 9, 2023
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Page
Delete Old /
Update with
New
Changes / New
Notes
Procedures
Climate Change/
Resiliency/Equity
Language
cleanup/
consolidation
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Archaeology — to be moved
to Community Image;
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Air quality resulting from
wildfires added
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Air quality resulting from
transportation system
impacts added
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Climate change additions
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Climate change additions
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Levee discussion moved to
Capital Facilities Element
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November 9, 2023
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ATTACHMENTS
• Shoreline - CLEAN
• Shoreline - TRACK CHANGES
• Natural Environment - CLEAN
• Natural Environment - TRACK CHANGES
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Additional Resources
• Planning Goals of Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.020)
The following goals are adopted to guide the development and adoption of comprehensive plans and development
regulations of those counties and cities that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 and, where
specified, also guide the development of regional policies, plans, and strategies adopted under
RCW 36.70A.210 and chapter 47.80 RCW. The following goals are not listed in order of priority and shall be used
exclusively for the purpose of guiding the development of comprehensive plans, development regulations, and,
where specified, regional plans, policies, and strategies:
(1) Urban growth. Encourage development in urban areas where adequate public facilities and services
exist or can be provided in an efficient manner.
(2) Reduce sprawl. Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low -density
development.
(3) Transportation. Encourage efficient multimodal transportation systems that will reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and per capita vehicle miles traveled, and are based on regional priorities and coordinated with
county and city comprehensive plans.
(4) Housing. Plan for and accommodate housing affordable to all economic segments of the population of
this state, promote a variety of residential densities and housing types, and encourage preservation of existing
housing stock.
(5) Economic development. Encourage economic development throughout the state that is consistent
with adopted comprehensive plans, promote economic opportunity for all citizens of this state, especially for
unemployed and for disadvantaged persons, promote the retention and expansion of existing businesses and
recruitment of new businesses, recognize regional differences impacting economic development opportunities,
and encourage growth in areas experiencing insufficient economic growth, all within the capacities of the state's
natural resources, public services, and public facilities.
(6) Property rights. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation having
been made. The property rights of landowners shall be protected from arbitrary and discriminatory actions.
(7) Permits. Applications for both state and local government permits should be processed in a timely and
fair manner to ensure predictability.
(8) Natural resource industries. Maintain and enhance natural resource -based industries, including
productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of productive forestlands and
productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.
(9) Open space and recreation. Retain open space and green space, enhance recreational opportunities,
enhance fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks and
recreation facilities.
(10) Environment. Protect and enhance the environment and enhance the state's high quality
of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water.
(11) Citizen participation and coordination. Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process,
including the participation of vulnerable populations and overburdened communities, and ensure coordination
between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.
(12) Public facilities and services. Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support
development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy
and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards.
(13) Historic preservation. Identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites, and structures, that
have historical or archaeological significance.
(14) Climate change and resiliency. Ensure that comprehensive plans, development
regulations, and regional policies, plans, and strategies under RCW 36.70A.210 and chapter 47.80 RCW
adapt to and mitigate the effects of a changing climate; support reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions and per capita vehicle miles traveled; prepare for climate impact scenarios; foster resiliency
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November 9, 2023
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to climate impacts and natural hazards; protect and enhance environmental, economic, and human
health and safety; and advance environmental justice.
(15) Shorelines of the state. For shorelines of the state, the goals and policies of the shoreline
management act as set forth in RCW 90.58.020 shall be considered an element of the county's or city's
comprehensive plan.
• Comprehensive plans —Mandatory elements. RCW 36.70A.070 (excerpt)
(9)(a) A climate change and resiliency element that is designed to result in reductions in overall
greenhouse gas emissions and that must enhance resiliency to and avoid the adverse impacts of climate change,
which must include efforts to reduce localized greenhouse gas emissions and avoid creating or worsening localized
climate impacts to vulnerable populations and overburdened communities.
(b) The climate change and resiliency element shall include the following subelements:
(i) A greenhouse gas emissions reduction subelement;
(ii) A resiliency subelement.
(c) The greenhouse gas emissions reduction subelement of the climate change and resiliency element is
mandatory for the jurisdictions specified in RCW 36.70A.095 and is encouraged for all other jurisdictions, including
those planning under RCW 36.70A.040 and those planning under chapter 36.70 RCW. The resiliency subelement of
the climate change and resiliency element is mandatory for all jurisdictions planning under RCW 36.70A.040 and is
encouraged for those jurisdictions planning under chapter 36.70 RCW.
(d)(i) The greenhouse gas emissions reduction subelement of the comprehensive plan, and its related
development regulations, must identify the actions the jurisdiction will take during the planning cycle consistent
with the guidelines published by the department pursuant to RCW 70A.45.120 that will:
(A) Result in reductions in overall greenhouse gas emissions generated by transportation and land use
within the jurisdiction but without increasing greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere in the state;
(B) Result in reductions in per capita vehicle miles traveled within the jurisdiction but without increasing
greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere in the state; and
(C) Prioritize reductions that benefit overburdened communities in order to maximize the cobenefits of
reduced air pollution and environmental justice.
(ii) Actions not specifically identified in the guidelines developed by the department pursuant to
RCW 70A.45.120 may be considered consistent with these guidelines only if:
(A) They are projected to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions or per capita vehicle miles
traveled reductions equivalent to what would be required of the jurisdiction under the guidelines adopted by the
department; and
(B) They are supported by scientifically credible projections and scenarios that indicate their adoption is
likely to result in reductions of greenhouse gas emissions or per capita vehicle miles traveled.
(iii) A jurisdiction may not restrict population growth or limit population allocation in order to achieve the
requirements set forth in this subsection (9)(d).
(e)(i) The resiliency subelement must equitably enhance resiliency to, and avoid or substantially reduce
the adverse impacts of, climate change in human communities and ecological systems through goals, policies, and
programs consistent with the best available science and scientifically credible climate projections and impact
scenarios that moderate or avoid harm, enhance the resiliency of natural and human systems, and enhance
beneficial opportunities. The resiliency subelement must prioritize actions that benefit overburdened communities
that will disproportionately suffer from compounding environmental impacts and will be most impacted by natural
hazards due to climate change. Specific goals, policies, and programs of the resiliency subelement must include,
but are not limited to, those designed to:
(A) Identify, protect, and enhance natural areas to foster resiliency to climate impacts, as well as areas of
vital habitat for safe passage and species migration;
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(B) Identify, protect, and enhance community resiliency to climate change impacts, including social,
economic, and built environment factors, that support adaptation to climate impacts consistent with
environmental justice; and
(C) Address natural hazards created or aggravated by climate change, including sea level rise, landslides,
flooding, drought, heat, smoke, wildfire, and other effects of changes to temperature and precipitation patterns.
(ii) A natural hazard mitigation plan or similar plan that is guided by RCW 36.70A.020(14), that prioritizes
actions that benefit overburdened communities, and that complies with the applicable requirements of this
chapter, including the requirements set forth in this subsection (9)(e), may be adopted by reference to satisfy
these requirements, except that to the extent any of the substantive requirements of this subsection (9)(e) are not
addressed, or are inadequately addressed, in the referenced natural hazard mitigation plan, a county or city must
supplement the natural hazard mitigation plan accordingly so that the adopted resiliency subelement complies
fully with the substantive requirements of this subsection (9)(e).
(A) If a county or city intends to adopt by reference a federal emergency management agency natural
hazard mitigation plan in order to meet all or part of the substantive requirements set forth in this subsection
(9)(e), and the most recently adopted federal emergency management agency natural hazard mitigation plan does
not comply with the requirements of this subsection (9)(e), the department may grant the county or city an
extension of time in which to submit a natural hazard mitigation plan.
(B) Eligibility for an extension under this subsection prior to July 1, 2027, is limited to a city or county
required to review and, if needed, revise its comprehensive plan on or before June 30, 2025, as provided in
RCW 36.70A.130, or for a city or county with an existing, unexpired federal emergency management agency
natural hazard mitigation plan scheduled to expire before December 31, 2024.
(C) Extension requests after July 1, 2027, may be granted if requirements for the resiliency subelement
are amended or added by the legislature or if the department finds other circumstances that may result in a
potential finding of noncompliance with a jurisdiction's existing and approved federal emergency management
agency natural hazard mitigation plan.
(D) A city or county that wishes to request an extension of time must submit a request in writing to the
department no later than the date on which the city or county is required to review and, if needed, revise its
comprehensive plan as provided in RCW 36.70A.130.
(E) Upon the submission of such a request to the department, the city or county may have an additional
48 months from the date provided in RCW 36.70A.130 in which to either adopt by reference an updated federal
emergency management agency natural hazard mitigation plan or adopt its own natural hazard mitigation plan,
and to then submit that plan to the department.
(F) The adoption of ordinances, amendments to comprehensive plans, amendments to development
regulations, and other nonproject actions taken by a county or city pursuant to (d) of this subsection in order to
implement measures specified by the department pursuant to RCW 70A.45.120 are not subject to administrative
or judicial appeal under chapter 43.21C RCW.
• Regional and County Planning Policies:
https://www.psrc.org/planning-2050/vision-2050
https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/depts/executive/performance-strategy-budget/regional-planning/cpps
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