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Kittitas County, WA <br />§ 17A.06.030 CRITICAL AREAS § 17A.06.040 <br />Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/KI6857 on 2025-05-15 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />2. Impact avoidance. Impact avoidance measures shall include, but not be limited to, locating the use/ <br />development outside of the hazard area, reducing the number, size or scale of buildings, driveways <br />and other features; altering the configuration or layout of the proposed development; using <br />environmentally favorable construction materials; implementing special engineering methods for <br />construction, drainage, runoff management etc.; foregoing construction of accessory structures; <br />preserving native vegetation; and other reasonable measures. <br />3. Location of alterations. New development shall be directed toward portions of a parcel or parcels <br />under contiguous ownership that are not subject to, or at risk from, geological hazards and/or are <br />outside any setback or buffer established by this Chapter. <br />4. Critical facilities prohibited. Critical facilities shall not be sited within landslide, erosion, alluvial fan, <br />or mine hazard areas unless there is no other practical alternative. <br />5. Review by qualified professional. A qualified geologist or engineering geologist, or professional <br />engineer licensed in the state of Washington, shall review development projects that occur in <br />potentially geologically hazardous areas to determine the risk. If development takes place within an <br />identified geologically hazardous area requiring design or structural elements to mitigate the hazard, <br />a report describing the geologically hazardous area and conditions shall be prepared as described in <br />KCC § 17A.06.100, and the design shall be approved by an qualified engineering geologist, or <br />professional engineer licensed in State of Washington with expertise in geologically hazard mitigation. <br />6. Life of structure. Proposed developments shall be sited far enough from erosion and landslide hazard <br />areas to ensure at least one hundred (100) years of useful life for the proposed structure(s) or <br />infrastructure. The location should be determined by a qualified geologist or engineering geologist, <br />licensed in the state of Washington and be should be based on site specific evaluation of the landslide <br />and/or erosion hazard. <br />(Ord. 2021-016, 2021) <br /> <br />§ 17A.06.040. Landslide hazard area standards. <br />1. Generally. Alterations and development may be allowed adjacent to landslide hazard areas, provided <br />that all responsible measures have been taken to minimize risks and other adverse effects, and the <br />amount and degree of the alteration are limited to minimum needed to accomplish the project purpose. <br />Prior to approving a new alteration or development in or adjacent to a landslide hazard area the <br />Director shall determine that all the following standards are met: <br />a. A minimum setback equal to the height of the slope or 40 feet, whichever is greater or as <br />recommended in an approved geotechnical report; <br />b. The alteration or development includes all appropriate measures to eliminate, reduce, or <br />otherwise mitigate risks to health and safety; <br />c. The alteration or development is located outside of a landslide hazard area and any required <br />setback, as determined by a qualified engineer, engineering geologist, or geologist, licensed in <br />the state of Washington; <br />d. The alteration or development will not decrease slope stability on adjacent properties; <br />e. The alteration or development shall not increase the risk or frequency of landslide occurrences; <br />f. The removal and disturbance of vegetation, clearing, or grading shall be limited to the area of