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Chapter 11 RECREATION, PARKS, OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT <br />11.7 .5 Po l icies <br />General Critical Areas <br />NE-Pl: Protect surface and groundwater resources. <br />NE-P2: Give special consideration to conservation or protection measures necessary to preserve or <br />enhance anadromous fisheries, including measures that protect habitat important for all life stages of <br />anadromous fish. <br />NE-P3: Use Best Available Science to regulate development in a manner that balances protection of <br />property rights and human health and safety with protection of critical area functions and values. <br />NE-P4: Develop regulations and performance standards to mitigate land use incompatibilities in and <br />adjacent to critical areas and their buffers for new and expanded uses and structures. <br />NE-PS: Use a preference-based system of mitigation sequencing that reduces impacts using approaches <br />ranging from avoidance to replacement. <br />NE-P6: Identify and map critical areas throughout the County and ensure that the information is accessible <br />to and understandable by citizens. <br />NE-P7: Evaluate opportunities to: <br />1. Use innovative land use management techniques to conserve and protect designated critical areas . <br />2. Use non-regulatory measure to protect and enhance critical areas (e.g. education, transfer of <br />development rights). <br />3. Encourage restoration and enhancement of critical area functions and values through incentives (e.g. <br />development flexibility). <br />4. Compensate property owners impacted by critical area regulations (e.g. modified taxation, value- <br />added development flexibility). <br />NE-PS: Develop incentives to promote agricultural and environmental stewardship, such as the Voluntary <br />Stewardship Program, to protect critical areas in areas used for agricultural activities while maintaining and <br />enhancing the viability of agriculture. <br />NE-P9: The County shall coordinate its own programs, regulations and mapping with public, tribal and <br />private organizations to protect and, where feasible, enhance the functions and values of critical areas. <br />NE-Pl O: Except as required by the Growth Management Act, the County shall develop performance <br />standards and regulations that are complementary and not duplicative or more restrictive than other <br />existing and applicable regulations (e.g. federal or state regulation). <br />NE-Pl 1: CAO regulations should recognize that some minor activities in critical areas or their buffers may <br />be exempt from critical area regulations due to their low likelihood of adverse impact. <br />NE-Pl 2: Support and encourage the purchase and dedication of lands by public or private organizations <br />for critical area protection and apply Best Management Practices to said property. <br />Page 141 <br />KITTITAS COUNTY [!] <br />Comprehensive Plan [i]