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sTnrg Off, <br /> O q <br /> ws F y�z <br /> 0 <br /> State of Washington <br /> DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE <br /> South Central Region • Region 3 • 1701 South 241" Avenue, Yakima, WA 98902-5720 <br /> Telephone: (509) 575-2740 • Fax: (509) 575-2474 <br /> April 13, 2026 <br /> Jeremy Johnston <br /> Long Range Planner <br /> Kittitas County Community Development Services <br /> 411 N. Ruby Street, Suite 1 <br /> Ellensburg, WA 98926 <br /> SUBJECT: WDFW comments on Kittitas County draft 2026 Critical Areas Ordinance <br /> Dear Mr. Johnston, <br /> Thank you for the opportunity to review the Kittitas County draft Critical Areas Ordinance <br /> (CAO). The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has reviewed the CAO, and <br /> we appreciate that many positive aspects have been included in the ordinance for the protection <br /> of fish and wildlife habitats. We provide these comments to improve the ordinance in accordance <br /> with WDFW's mission to preserve,protect and perpetuate the state's fish, wildlife and <br /> ecosystems. <br /> 17A.01.060 Exceptions-Reasonable Use. <br /> (2) (c) Reasonable Use Review Criteria. To clarify how (iii) "The proposed impact to the critical <br /> area is the minimum necessary to allow for reasonable use of the property" and to align with(vi) <br /> "The proposal will result in no net loss of critical area functions and values consistent with the <br /> best available science"we recommend adding upper limits such as percent or square footage of <br /> the critical area that can be impacted. <br /> 17A.01.100. Critical areas miti a tion. <br /> • 17A.01.100 (2) (c) Mitigation areas need to be placed in a form of permanent protection <br /> such as deed restriction or conservation easement and details included in the mitigation <br /> plan proposed. <br /> • 17A.01.100 (4) The county should work to implement a shrubsteppe mitigation program <br /> to offset the impacts of development on shrubsteppe using the framework under <br /> 17A.01.100.4. <br /> 17A.04.020. Designation, and mapping, and classification. <br /> • 17A.04.020 (3) Footnote 1 only refers to WDFW riparian guidelines. PHS has other <br /> guidelines including but not limited to shrubsteppe. Recommend deleting the footnote or <br /> adding references to other PHS guidelines which can be found at: Priority Habitats and <br /> Species: Publications I Washington_ Department of Fish &Wildlife <br />