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<br /> <br />15 <br /> <br />submit to the County complete information regarding the critical area on the <br />application for the underlying development, on forms provided by the county. <br />b. As part of critical areas review, the County shall: <br />i. Verify the information submitted by the applicant; <br />ii. Evaluate the project area and vicinity for critical areas and buffers; <br />iii. Determine whether the applicant is required to seek additional critical area <br />consultation with qualified professionals and/or agencies, which may include <br />a joint site visit with county staff, agency staff, and/or qualified professionals; <br />(1) This additional consultation may be required for, but is not limited to, <br />areas which contain unmapped critical areas and/or difficult mitigation <br />circumstances. <br />iv. Determine whether the proposed development is likely to impact the <br />functions or values of critical areas; and <br />v. Determine if the proposed development avoids impacts or adequately <br />addresses the impacts to the critical area and buffer associated with the <br />alteration or development. <br />c. Make a review determination: <br />i. No Critical Areas Present. If after a site visit the director’s analysis indicates <br />that the project area is not within or adjacent to a critical area or buffer and <br />that the proposed alteration or development is unlikely to degrade the <br />functions or values of a critical area, then the director shall rule that the <br />critical area review is complete and note on the underlying application the <br />reasons that no further review is required. A summary of this information <br />shall be included in any staff report or decision on the underlying permit. <br />ii. Critical Areas Present, but No Impact – Waiver. If the director determines <br />there are critical areas within or adjacent to the project area, but that the best <br />available science shows that the proposed alteration or development is <br />unlikely to degrade the functions or values of the critical area(s) or buffer(s), <br />the director may waive the requirement for a critical areas report. A waiver <br />may be granted if there is substantial evidence that all of the following <br />requirements will be met: <br />(1) There will be no alteration of the critical area or associated riparian <br />management zone or buffer; <br />(2) The development proposal will not negatively impact a critical area or <br />buffer. <br />iii. Critical areas may be affected by proposal. If the director determines that a <br />critical area or areas or buffer(s) may be affected by the proposal, then the <br />director shall notify the applicant that a critical areas report must be <br />submitted prior to further review of the project, as described in KCC <br />17A.01.080. The director may use the following indicators to assist in <br />determining the need for a critical areas report: <br />(1) Indication of a critical area on the county critical areas maps that may <br />be impacted by the proposed alteration or development; <br />(2) Information and scientific opinions from appropriate agencies, <br />including but not limited to the Washington State Departments of Fish <br />and Wildlife and Ecology; <br />(3) Documentation, from a scientific or other reasonable source, of the <br />possible presence of a critical area; or <br />(4) A finding by a qualified professional, or a reasonable belief by the <br />director, that a critical area may exist on or adjacent to the site of the <br />proposed alteration or development. <br />iv.