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Page 2 <br />Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas (FWHCAs) including wildlife connectivity <br />corridors and shrubsteppe habitat are in these areas. We recommend directing growth towards <br />the Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) and reducing population growth in unincorporated areas of the <br />county. Continued sprawl is likely to undermine the value of these lands to various wildlife <br />species. The county should consider additional policies to limit population growth in <br />unincorporated and rural areas. The county should take additional measures to meet GMA <br />planning goal 2 that directs plans to reduce sprawl by reducing the inappropriate conversion of <br />undeveloped lands and encouraged growth in urban or incorporated areas. <br />2.3.10. Natural Environment <br />NE-G5, P26. WDFW Priority Habitat and Species (PHS) should be added to this list. Also <br />recommend changing the word "evaluate" to "promote". <br />Section 3. Rural and Resource Lands. <br />3.3.7 Rural Recreation. RR-G12. While WDFW understands and appreciates the need for <br />balanced recreation, high -impact recreational development should be discouraged in areas of <br />overlap with mapped corridors of wildlife connectivity. Please add this under RR-G12. <br />Commercial Agriculture Land Incentives. RR-G19-P103. These naturally occurring ponds and <br />springs have high wildlife use and are often critically important in areas of limited water such as <br />the dry areas zoned for commercial agriculture. Please clarify that these stock water uses will not <br />preclude or diminish access by wildlife at these naturally occurring sites. <br />Section 5. Transportation <br />T-G1, P9. WDFW has its climate resiliency guidance on culverts. Suggest integration into this <br />element: hM2s://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/habitat-recovery/fish-passage/climate-change to <br />consider the impacts of climate hazards. <br />T-G6, P23. Wildlife. Consider tweaking the existing goal to add enhance wildlife connectivity <br />(right now only says minimize impacts). Under P23, add existing roadways (right now it just <br />says new roadways), but when we retrofit or rebuild roads, we should also look at connectivity <br />options. <br />Section 7. Utilities. <br />U-G7, P21. WDFW recently completed its guidance on solar and wind, including where we <br />recommend avoidance and mitigation strategies, BMPs and studies. We recommend that the <br />WDFW guidelines are required for environmental review of any new wind and solar. <br />hqps://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02662 <br />Section 9. Parks and Recreation <br />RPO-GI, P4. We appreciate the inclusion of these significant corridors. We would like to discuss <br />ways that we can incorporate wildlife connectivity corridors identified in WAHCAP and <br />designate those into open space plans. https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/habitat- <br />recovery/connectivity/action-plan <br />