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The city adopts the following specific policies in order to achieve the environmental goals of the Everett community:

A. Policies Pertaining to the Natural Environment.

1. Earth.

a. To encourage land development practices that result in a minimal disturbance to the city’s vegetation and soils;

b. To encourage building and site planning practices that are consistent with the city’s natural topographical features;

c. To insure prompt development, restoration and effective erosion control of property after land clearing through the use of phased development, replanting, hydroseeding and other appropriate engineering techniques;

d. Prohibit development on steep slope areas when such development would create imminent danger of landslides.

2. Air.

a. To work in cooperation with the Air Pollution Control Agency having jurisdiction over the proposal, to secure and maintain such levels of air quality as will protect human health and safety and to the greatest degree practicable, prevent injury to plant and animal life and to property, foster the comfort and convenience of inhabitants, promote the economic and social development of the city, and facilitate the enjoyment of the natural attractions of the city.

3. Water.

a. To encourage development and construction procedures which conform to the South Everett Drainage Basin Plan and Chapter 14.28 EMC, or as such may be amended or superseded, to minimize surface water and ground water runoff and diversion and to minimize erosion and reduce the risk of slides;

b. To encourage sound development guidelines and construction procedures which respect and preserve the city’s watercourses; to minimize water quality degradation and control the sedimentation of creeks, streams, ponds, lakes and other water bodies; to preserve and enhance the suitability of waters for contact recreation and fishing; to preserve and enhance the aesthetic quality of the waters; to encourage water conservation and reuse;

c. To maintain and protect ground water resources, to minimize adverse effects of alterations in ground water quantities, locations and flow patterns.

4. Plants and Animals.

a. To protect the unique and threatened or endangered plants and animals and critical areas and habitat within the city;

b. To preserve and enhance the city’s physical and aesthetic character by preventing indiscriminate removal or destruction of trees and ground cover on undeveloped and partially developed property;

c. To encourage the retention of trees and other vegetation for visual buffers and soil retention;

d. To encourage building and site planning practices that are consistent with the city’s vegetational features while at the same time recognizing that certain factors such as condition (e.g., disease, danger of falling, etc.), proximity to existing and proposed structures and improvements, interference with utility services, protection of scenic views, and the realization of a reasonable enjoyment of property may require the removal of certain trees and ground cover.

5. Energy and Natural Resources.

a. To encourage the wise use of nonrenewable natural resources;

b. To encourage efficient use of renewable resources;

c. To incorporate energy conservation features as feasible and practicable into all city projects and promote energy conservation throughout the community.

B. Policies Pertaining to the Built Environment.

1. Environmental Health.

a. To encourage development practices consistent with Chapter 20.08 EMC or as such may be amended or superseded. To minimize the exposure of citizens to the harmful physiological and psychological effects of excessive noise; to control the level of noise in a manner which promotes commerce; the use, value and enjoyment of property; sleep and repose; and the quality of the environment;

b. To require proposals involving the potential risk of an explosion or the release of hazardous substances to the environment to include specific measures which will ensure the public health, safety and welfare;

c. To restrict or prohibit uses which will expose the public to unsanitary conditions or disease;

d. To restrict or prohibit uses which are dangerous to health, safety or property in times of flood or cause excessive increases in flood heights or velocities;

e. To require that uses vulnerable to floods, including public facilities which serve such uses, shall be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;

f. To meet the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program and State of Washington Flood Control Program.

2. Land and Shoreline Use.

a. Relationship to Land Use Plans and Estimated Population.

(1) To implement and further the city’s comprehensive plans, including the land use plan, transportation plan, open space, parks and recreation plan, Everett comprehensive plan, shoreline master program and other plans formally adopted by the city;

(2) To encourage orderly growth in undeveloped areas of the city by maximizing the efficiency of utilities and roads and other capital improvements.

b. Housing.

(1) To encourage the provision and maintenance of adequate housing for the residents of Everett, for all income levels;

(2) To evaluate impacts of new nonresidential development which would reduce existing housing stock or reduce land available for residential development.

c. Light and Glare.

(1) To minimize excessive light and glare.

d. Aesthetics.

(1) To encourage development which maintains and improves the existing aesthetic character of the community;

(2) To maximize protection of existing public scenic vistas and scenic corridors.

e. Recreation.

(1) To protect the existing open space areas for future generations and promote their expansion.

f. Historic and Cultural Preservation.

(1) To consider the historical and archaeological importance of all buildings and sites prior to any change in use or development, and to recognize properties and structures included in the “Historical Resource Survey for Everett Washington” (1986) or as such may be amended or superseded, as properties of historical significance.

3. Transportation.

a. To approve street designs which are beneficial to the public in consideration of vehicular and pedestrian safety, efficiency of service, influence on the amenities and livability of the community, and economy of both construction and the use of land;

b. To encourage increased traffic volumes only in areas with sufficient capacity to provide safe and efficient traffic flow or where adequate traffic improvements will be provided in conjunction with the development; to require adequate vehicular and pedestrian access to new developments, and minimize pedestrian-vehicular conflict points.

4. Public Services and Utilities.

a. To encourage and approve development only where adequate public services, including fire and police protection, are available or will be made available to serve the proposal;

b. To encourage and approve development only where adequate utilities, including water, sewer, power, communications and drainage facilities are available or will be made available in conjunction with the proposal;

c. To protect the existing open space areas for future generations and promote their expansion.

C. Other Policies.

1. To minimize the reduction of available natural light due to the casting of shadows by new development;

2. To encourage planned residential development; to preserve and maintain sensitive environmental areas which could be negatively impacted by traditional development techniques;

3. A single development or land use though otherwise consistent with zoning and other city policies may create adverse impacts upon facilities and services, natural systems or the surrounding area when aggregated with the impacts of prior or other proposed development. It is the policy of the city to analyze such cumulative environmental impacts and condition or deny proposals to minimize or prevent adverse impacts in accordance with other provisions of this chapter;

4. In assessing the environmental impacts of a proposal and in determining the need for conditioning or denying a proposal in accordance with other provisions of this chapter, the responsible official shall utilize SEPA, all policies, guidelines and regulations adopted pursuant to SEPA, federal, state and regional environmental quality standards, and the legislative enactments of the city, both specific and general, now in effect or enacted in the future;

5. The city reserves the right to impose specific conditions upon any action or to deny action in conformance with the policies stated in this chapter, so as to mitigate or prevent adverse environmental impacts;

6. It is not the intent or purpose of this chapter to prevent or delay the reasonable development of land in the city. (Ord. 3774-20 § 5(X) (Exh. 3), 2020.)