OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Shoreline Planning Commission Public Hearing on Critical Areas Code Update - November 6, 2025

Planning Commission — Thursday, November 6, 2025
BodyShoreline, Washington
SessionPlanning Commission
DateThursday, November 6, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 30:32

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Good evening.

0:01

I would like to call to order the Shoreline Planning Meeting.

0:07

What's happening over there, Andrew?

0:11

All right.

0:12

Good evening.

0:13

Oops.

0:14

I would like to call the order the Shoreline Planning Commission meeting of Thursday, November 6th, 2025.

0:20

Carla, will you call roll?

0:23

Yes.

0:24

Chair Brinson.

0:25

I am here.

0:26

Commissioner Cabe.

0:27

Here.

0:28

Commissioner Fry.

0:29

Present.

0:30

Commissioner Hadley.

0:32

Here.

0:32

Commissioner Lai.

0:34

Here.

0:34

Thank you.

0:35

Vice Chair Mosier.

0:36

Yeah.

0:36

And Commissioner Povick is absent with notice.

0:39

Thank you.

0:40

Excellent.

0:40

Thank you.

0:42

Approval of the agenda.

0:45

Thumbs up.

0:46

All right.

0:46

And approval of the meeting minutes from October 16th.

0:52

Excellent.

0:53

Also approved.

0:55

Now, is there any public general public comment?

1:00

Not related to our public hearing.

1:05

Nothing, uh nothing tonight.

1:07

Excellent, thank you.

1:08

Moving on.

1:09

Tonight's public hearing is on the environmentally critical areas code update.

1:14

The purpose for this hearing is to obtain public testimony and for the commission to develop a recommendation to forward to the city council on this topic.

1:21

Public comments are limited to three minutes per person testifying.

1:25

When the clerk calls your name for either in-person or remote comment, please state your name and city of residence for the record before you begin.

1:33

The process for the public hearing is as follows.

1:35

First, the city will present its staff report, and then the commission will be given an opportunity to ask clarifying questions.

1:43

Individuals will be given an opportunity to testify.

1:47

After all the testimony has been received, the commission will begin deliberation and may ask questions of the staff or individuals who testified.

1:54

The commission will then vote and close the public hearing.

1:57

I now wish to open the public hearing.

2:03

All right, good evening, Commissioners.

2:05

Let's see, make sure I can be heard.

2:08

My name is Elise Keim.

2:10

I am the planning manager here for the City of Shoreline with a brief staff presentation on the Critical Areas Code update for the public hearing.

2:21

What I have in store for you during this presentation is a recap of why we're updating our critical areas code, a summary of the process to date, summarizing some amendments that have uh occurred since we were last together in early October discussing this topic, go over the uh development code amendment criteria, and then uh move on to Commission questions, testimony, and then discussion and a recommendation if Commission so uh deems it appropriate.

2:54

So, first up, why are we updating our critical areas code?

2:58

Uh cities in Washington State are required to have a uh development code that protects environmentally critical areas.

3:05

This is a requirement of the Growth Management Act, and cities are required to periodically review and update their critical areas codes so that they are incorporating best available science.

3:17

When we did our analysis of our current critical areas code, which was last uh updated in 2015, what we found is the gap was related to uh best available science for protection of streams and stream ecosystems.

3:33

DFW, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, excuse me, uh published updated guidance on best available science for how to protect stream ecosystems with the concept uh focused on riparian management zones, these areas around streams.

3:49

So, uh with that in mind, our goals for this update process have really been focused on updating the code to be uh incorporating best available science with really a focus on riparian management zones, as that was the big topic that had changed since our last update in 2015, and the goals of the code were to make sure that we uphold our environmental protection standards while still maintaining that flexibility for existing development.

4:16

Additional goals included to reorganize and consolidate the code so that it was easier to understand for both review staff and applicants.

4:27

The process to date, uh we have met several times in this forum uh with um planning commission going over uh these uh uh introductions to the best available science, different approaches, and uh reviewing draft code language.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████13%
Procedural████████12%
Public Engagement███5%
Economic Development███4%
Summary of Proceedings

Shoreline Planning Commission Public Hearing on Critical Areas Code Update - November 6, 2025

The Shoreline Planning Commission held a public hearing on November 6, 2025, to consider the proposed Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA) Code Update. The meeting began at 7:00 p.m. and adjourned at 7:30 p.m. The Commission received public testimony, discussed key issues including wellhead protection and tree retention, and voted unanimously to recommend the updated code to the City Council.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda was approved as presented.
  • The draft minutes from October 16, 2025, were approved as presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Lora Petso (Edmonds resident): Opposed the draft ordinance due to concerns about contamination and lack of protection for her drinking water, noting that the Deer Creek Wellhead Protection Area extends into Shoreline. She submitted written comments.
  • Kathleen Russell (Shoreline, Tree Preservation Code Team): Raised concerns about a discrepancy in tree retention requirements—30% in Critical Areas versus 35% on other private property. She requested that the Commission include specific Tree Code requirements for Critical Areas and Critical Area Buffers in the Critical Areas Code for clarity.
  • Bob Danson (General Manager, Olympic View Water and Sewer District): Provided detailed written comments and urged the City to add a sentence recognizing the Deer Creek Wellhead Protection Area buffer as a Critical Aquifer Recharge Area (CARA), stating it meets the definition under state law and best available science. He expressed concern that the draft ordinance does not include this buffer despite overlapping with high-risk areas.
  • Ruth Williams (Seattle, Thornton Creek Alliance): Urged caution in the use of the Reasonable Use allowance, recommending a variance requirement to avoid overuse. She emphasized the importance of protecting critical areas for watershed health and commended Shoreline for the update.

Discussion Items

  • Wellhead Protection Area: Vice Chair Mosier asked for clarification on the wellhead protection area issue. Planning Manager Elise Keim reported that the City met with the Department of Ecology, Department of Health, and Olympic View earlier in the week. The agencies clarified that a wellhead protection area can be a CARA but is not synonymous; the elective buffer in Shoreline is not a required component. Staff’s recommendation remains unchanged, as drinking water concerns are best addressed through stormwater provisions rather than CARA designation.
  • Tree Retention Discrepancy: Chair Brinson asked about the 30% versus 35% tree retention. Keim explained that the Critical Areas Code standard focuses on no net loss of ecological function or no increase in hazards, not a percentage. The 30% is a backstop, and actual retention rates in critical area reports are typically much higher.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion: Vice Chair Mosier moved, seconded by Commissioner Fry, to recommend to the City Council approval of the Critical Areas Code Amendments as contained in Attachment A of the staff report.
  • Vote: The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote (6-0; Commissioner Povick excused).
  • Next Meeting: The Commission will hold an informational briefing on economic development in Shoreline on November 20, 2025.
  • The public hearing was closed at approximately 7:30 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I would like to call to order the Shoreline Planning Meeting. What's happening over there, Andrew? All right. Good evening. Oops. I would like to call the order the Shoreline Planning Commission meeting of Thursday, November 6th, 2025. Carla, will you call roll? Yes. Chair Brinson. I am here. Commissioner Cabe. Here. Commissioner Fry. Present. Commissioner Hadley. Here. Commissioner Lai. Here. Thank you. Vice Chair Mosier. Yeah. And Commissioner Povick is absent with notice. Thank you. Excellent. Thank you. Approval of the agenda. Thumbs up. All right. And approval of the meeting minutes from October 16th. Excellent. Also approved. Now, is there any public general public comment? Not related to our public hearing. Nothing, uh nothing tonight. Excellent, thank you. Moving on. Tonight's public hearing is on the environmentally critical areas code update. The purpose for this hearing is to obtain public testimony and for the commission to develop a recommendation to forward to the city council on this topic. Public comments are limited to three minutes per person testifying. When the clerk calls your name for either in-person or remote comment, please state your name and city of residence for the record before you begin. The process for the public hearing is as follows. First, the city will present its staff report, and then the commission will be given an opportunity to ask clarifying questions. Individuals will be given an opportunity to testify. After all the testimony has been received, the commission will begin deliberation and may ask questions of the staff or individuals who testified. The commission will then vote and close the public hearing. I now wish to open the public hearing. All right, good evening, Commissioners. Let's see, make sure I can be heard. My name is Elise Keim.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com