EXCERPTS FROM THE CLALLAM COUNTY CRITICAL AREAS CODE

Page 44

Landslide Hazard Protection standards

1. Buffers

(a) “A minimum buffer of 50 feet shall be established from the top, toe and all edges of landslide hazard areas for Major or Minor New Developments, except as otherwise allowed under this subsection. The buffer shall not be altered except by a General Exemption Certificate of Compliance, Variance, or Reasonable Use Exception approval, as authorized by this chapter, Provided that such alterations meet all other standards for the protection of aquatic Habitat Conservation Areas.”

(b) “Buffers that are in their natural state should not be altered and should remain in their natural condition, and enhanced whenever possible.”

(c) “The buffer may be reduced to not less than 20-feet by the administrator upon submittal of a geotechnical report as specified in Part Eight, PROVIDED FURTHER that vegetation removal, including mature trees, within the buffer area that is reduced is kept to a minimum.”

(d) “Any buffer reduction to less than 20 feet, or developments proposed within the landslide hazard shall require a reasonable use exception approval pursuant to Part Seven, and shall require a geotechnical report as required by Part Eight.”

(e) Hazard tree removal. “Where a threat to human life or property is demonstrated, the Administrator may allow the falling of a danger or hazard tree subject to the following criteria: 1) tree removal is the minimum necessary to balance the protection of the critical area and its buffer with protection of life and property; and planting of a tree may be required to assure habitat protection.”

(f) Pre-existing lots or land divisions regulated by Title 29, Clallam County Land Division Code, for which geotechnical plans were previously prepared may be considered to have already complied with this section unless new information such as recent geologic activity warrants a new report to be required, PROVIDED that any stormwater best management practices that were not previously included as a part of the geotechnical report shall be incorporated.”

(g) “The buffer may be increased by the Review Authority for development adjacent to a bluff or ravine which is severely unstable on recent geological events.”