Chapter 31.04
PORT ANGELES REGIONAL PLAN

Sections:

31.04.010    Purpose and intent.

31.04.030    Port Angeles Planning Area – 2014 Vision Statement.

31.04.100    Public facilities and services – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.105    Public facilities and services – Policies.

31.04.110    Transportation – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.115    Transportation policies.

31.04.120    Affordable housing – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.125    Affordable housing – Policies.

31.04.130    Economic development – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.135    Economic development – Policies.

31.04.140    The natural environment – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.145    The natural environment – Policies.

31.04.150    Public involvement and education.

31.04.155    Public involvement and education – Policies.

31.04.200    Agricultural land – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.205    Agricultural land conservation – Policies.

31.04.210    Forest land – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.215    Forest land conservation – Policies.

31.04.220    Rural land – Inventory and analysis.

31.04.225    Rural and resource land use designations, purpose and designation criteria.

31.04.230    Rural land – Policies.

31.04.240    Urban growth – Discussion.

31.04.300    Urban land use designations, purpose and designation criteria.

31.04.310    City of Port Angeles urban growth area.

31.04.320    Gales Addition neighborhood – Port Angeles urban growth area.

31.04.330    Lee’s Creek neighborhood – Port Angeles urban growth area.

31.04.340    4 Seasons neighborhood.

31.04.400    Fairview neighborhood.

31.04.410    Deer Park neighborhood.

31.04.420    Monroe Road/Foothills neighborhood.

31.04.430    Black Diamond neighborhood.

31.04.440    Dry Creek neighborhood.

31.04.450    Place Road/Eden Valley/Little River neighborhood.

31.04.460    Lake Sutherland neighborhood.

Appendix A    Implementation strategy.

SOURCE:    ADOPTED:

Ord. No. 575, 1995    06/27/95

AMENDED SOURCE:    ADOPTED:

Ord. No. 584, 1996    02/27/96

Ord. No. 725, 2002    08/06/02

Ord. No. 746, 2003    12/16/03

Ord. No. 788, 2005    12/20/05

Ord. No. 802, 2006    12/19/06

Ord. No. 835, 2008    10/21/08

Ord. No. 850, 2009    06/23/09

31.04.010 Purpose and intent.

It is the purpose and intent of this regional comprehensive plan to refine and to further the objectives of the Clallam County Comprehensive Plan, in this title. This regional plan provides a guide for coordinated and orderly growth and development of the land and physical improvements in the unincorporated areas of the Port Angeles regional planning area. The Port Angeles regional planning area shares its boundaries with the Port Angeles School District and is generally described as the area west of Siebert Creek and east of Lake Sutherland and excluding the area within the Crescent School District. The Port Angeles watershed, as defined for this study, encompasses a portion of the Dungeness watershed (Siebert and Bagley creeks), and all the drainage basin to just west of the Elwha River. It drains from the high ridges of the Olympic Range to Port Angeles Harbor and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Included in this watershed are Bagley Creek, Siebert Creek, Morse Creek, Lee’s Creek, Ennis Creek, Peabody Creek, Valley Creek, Tumwater Creek, Dry Creek, and the Elwha River drainages.

The Port Angeles Regional Comprehensive Plan was developed by 67 people, representing various interest groups, organizations, neighborhoods, and tribal and other government agencies. These 67 people formed five separate subcommittees to write the Plan: affordable housing, transportation, capital facilities, economic development, and land use and watershed subcommittees. Additionally, the Growth Management Steering Committee continuously monitored and reviewed progress on the Comprehensive Plan.

The individuals on the subcommittees volunteered their time over approximately 15 months to study background information, discuss community issues, set goals for the future, brainstorm solutions, and communicate with constituent groups. The subcommittee volunteers also took time to learn what the community wanted for the future, through informal discussions with their neighbors and colleagues, and by hosting public meetings in neighborhood granges and halls to discuss their ideas and listen to the responses.

This plan contains goals and policies for watershed management as defined under Chapter 400-12 WAC, the Nonpoint Rule, to implement the Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan. The watershed plan provides for education, incentives, and regulatory approaches to preventing and controlling cumulative effects from diffuse sources of pollution across the watershed landscape. Within the comprehensive plan, these watershed actions have been identified with a droplet symbol – “”. As a watershed, the Port Angeles region consists of overlapping governmental jurisdictions which have responsibility for managing water-related resources under various mandates. Tribal, federal, State, and local entities were invited to participate and were informed about the Plan through their subcommittee representative. In addition, each entity in the watershed with responsibility for action under the Plan has written a letter of concurrence indicating their acceptance of those responsibilities (see Appendix C, on file in the Department of Community Development).

31.04.030 Port Angeles Planning Area – 2014 Vision Statement.

We envision the Port Angeles Region as Clallam County’s economic center,...

The Port Angeles Region has undergone significant change in the 20 years that have passed since the first Growth Management comprehensive plan was adopted in 1995. This plan led to a successful partnership of public, tribal and private interest groups which worked cooperatively to build a diversified, sound regional economy, managed growth to preserve resources and community character and maintained the County’s high quality of life.

Businesses which provide regional services have been grouped at convenient locations at major intersections within the urban growth area and conform to visually pleasing landscape and building design standards. These regional service center sites have been identified both within the City of Port Angeles and within the unincorporated urban growth area. Developers seeking to build a regional business facility are directed to these community approved sites. All neighborhood and regional business centers are linked by an efficient local transit system. Tribal business centers have also grown to become major employers within Clallam County.

Most new manufacturing and industrial concerns are located at the expanded Airport Industrial Park. A major push to provide infrastructure and prebuilt manufacturing sites combined with a major marketing effort in the mid-1990’s proved fruitful with several small to mid-size manufacturers relocating to Clallam County. These industries, along with local industries that were encouraged to grow with local support, now supply work for our citizens and have replaced jobs lost in other manufacturing sectors. The Airport Industrial Park has maintained a campus-like appearance which provides an attractive site to relocate a business. Port activity has also increased markedly in the last 20 years. Cruise ships and high speed passenger ferries now regularly stop in Port Angeles with visitors connecting to various points of interest in the County. Many value-added wood products, other manufactured products and specialty food products are being shipped from plants in the County to the Pacific Rim Nations. The Port is has become a major marine repair and oil spill response center.

where the urban area of Port Angeles is a cultural, educational and growth center,...

The urban area of Port Angeles provides a mixture of employment, residential, commercial, cultural and recreational opportunities. Peninsula College is now a four-year institution offering advanced degrees. Much of the new development and redevelopment which occurred after 1995 took place within the existing urban center of Port Angeles where infrastructure was in place or could be easily extended. Today, there is still ample room for development within that original urban growth area. Port Angeles is the ultimate supplier of services within the urban growth area.

a transportation hub,...

Port Angeles is linked to all other urban growth areas in the County by an efficient transit system. The County-wide transit system operates a high speed electric bus in the “transit priority” lane of Highway 101. Many electric cars now are used for local trips. The new Port Angeles Parkway provides an alternate east side, cross town route for local access to Port Angeles. The airport has become the center for commuter, visitor and freight shipment with convenient connections to transit, ferry and freight haulers. Within the Port Angeles urban growth area, neighborhood population centers are linked to the Olympic Discovery Trail via multiple feeder trails and paths for efficient nonmotorized transportation options for reaching work or for recreation.

with a population that respects the beauty and function of the natural environment,...

Twenty (20) years of work in education and environmental restoration have resulted in the development of a strong sense of stewardship towards the Port Angeles watershed and its environmental resources by all watershed residents. Critical areas are protected and environmental enhancement projects have restored many acres of wetlands and miles of streams to salmon runs. Few weekends go by when local groups are not found in the field working on habitat improvements or maintenance. Water is clean and abundant due to conservation efforts. The abundance of intact native plant communities and natural systems in the County are the focus of many professional research efforts which share their results with visitors and students through several interpretive centers built in the region. Careful stewardship has ensured the conservation of our land, air, water and energy resources for future generations.

Forest resource lands, farms and important open space resource lands first identified in 1992 remain in resource use. Many of the agricultural and open space resource lands have been permanently protected through transfer or purchase of development rights. The rural portions of the region identified in the 1995 plan have retained their rural character through the use of low density development options, open space development patterns, critical area protection measures and purchase of development rights. A clear boundary exists between rural and urban areas.

a good place to live,...

The Port Angeles region is known for its livable neighborhoods which express their own unique character. They are all noted for their quality of life, pedestrian orientation and superior design. Many residential areas have been separated from the hustle and bustle of commercial activities near Highway 101 by allowing public uses such as schools, parks and public golf courses as commercial to residential buffers. Commercial businesses in these neighborhoods provide goods and services to neighborhood residents and some have residences located on upper stories. The Highway 101 corridor is now a tree lined boulevard with landscaped medians as it passes through the urban area and businesses all along this corridor have upgraded their landscaping and physical appearance. Most high density, low cost housing has been infilled into single-family neighborhoods located just off Highway 101 in urban growth areas where easy access to transit and job opportunities is available. Well designed and landscaped manufactured home parks and multifamily developments provide an attractive low cost living environment. Visitors to our area note the distinct open space boundaries between neighborhoods which make use of the steep sided creek ravines which are left in the natural state.

where we work together,...

The Port Angeles region enjoys a healthy and stable economy, emphasizing diversity in the range of goods produced and services provided. Businesses continue to locate in our County because of the high quality of life, provision of business infrastructure, the emphasis on superior schools, and the ability of a tightly knit community to provide a safe living environment for all. The business community also recognizes that the predictability brought about by the management of growth and the creation of effective public/tribal/private partnerships has fostered a relationship of trust between residents, business interests and governments. This trust has benefited the overall economic development of the County. Problems identified by residents and the business community are clearly articulated in the Plan and solutions have been proposed with clear sources of funding identified. Residents and business interests trust their local governments to follow through on solutions because the Plans and promises made to manage growth in 1995 have been followed and changes to the original plan occur as a result of demonstrated community need. Relationships with tribal governments have improved as the community embraces its cultural diversity. Change is accepted and proceeds in an orderly fashion based on the growth management plan.

Over all, we envision a great place for all to live, work and play!

31.04.100 Public facilities and services – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goals. Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards.

Encourage development in urban areas where adequate public facilities and services exist or can be provided in an efficient manner.

Encourage the retention of open space and development of recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks.

(2) Watershed Goals. Protect beneficial uses of water from nonpoint sources of pollution in the Port Angeles watershed, including the effects of pathogens, chemicals, sediment, and nutrients on both surface and ground water resources.

(3) Overview. A major goal of the growth management plan is to ensure that public monies are utilized efficiently. It is more cost efficient to provide many public facilities and services when the population is concentrated, as is the case in an urban area. The designation of urban growth areas enables Clallam County and other service providers to plan cost effective and efficient services.

Growth increases the demand for new and/or improved public facilities and services. New residential growth may impact school facilities by increasing the number of school age children in an area without developing a corresponding increase in school facilities. Development can increase traffic levels on County roads and transit systems. Connections to water or sewer systems diminish the available capacity for future growth.

This growth management plan identifies urban areas where public facilities and services can be provided efficiently; ensures that public facilities and services keep pace with growth so that service levels are not diminished; and plans for the location of facilities and services. The plan also identifies the type of public facilities and services which are appropriate in rural and resource lands. The low density of development allowed in these areas dictates much lower levels of public facilities and services in order to minimize public costs.

As a watershed plan, these actions must ensure that public facilities manage the cumulative effects of growth. The plan outlines how the individual and cumulative effects of stormwater quality and quantity should be controlled, with an emphasis on best management practices and proper operation and maintenance of facilities. It also describes methods to assist the public in understanding and complying with new standards of stormwater management. The watershed actions recommend expansion of facilities and services related to waste recycling, reduction, and disposal. A marina and active boating community bring economic benefits to the Port Angeles area, but they also carry increased potential for water quality degradation from waste disposal and the chemicals associated with boat fueling, cleaning, and maintenance. Boating facilities must be designed and operated to minimize the potential for adverse impacts from these activities.

(4) Definition. The Growth Management Act defines “public facilities” as streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, street and road lighting systems, traffic signals, domestic water systems, storm and sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreation facilities, and schools. “Public services” include fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, public health, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services.

(5) Schools. The Port Angeles School District has facilities within the City of Port Angeles and in the rural locations of Fairview, Dry Creek and lower Monroe Road area. Some of the immediate needs for school facilities were met in 1994 with passage of a bond to allow replacement of the aged facility at Dry Creek. Some existing school facilities are overcrowded, requiring the use of portable classroom buildings. Future growth anticipated by this plan will require new or expanded facilities which will be primarily funded by local levies (bonds) authorized by voters within the school district.

(6) Water. Major public water systems in the Port Angeles region are operated by the City of Port Angeles, Dry Creek Water Association, Black Diamond Water District and the Public Utility District Number 1 of Clallam County which operates several water systems in the Port Angeles area. The Public Utility District finances construction of these systems through local utility districts (LUDs). There are numerous smaller private water purveyors within the area.

(7) Stormwater Management. Presently, Clallam County requires a drainage plan, approved by the Department of Public Works, before a building permit can be issued. The standard method for controlling runoff as recommended by the County is through the use of drywells. Alternative methods include detention ponds, infiltration basins, retention ponds or underground storage tanks. Three (3) primary influences on current and potential stormwater sources outside the City of Port Angeles will be: conversion of forest to residential uses, cumulative effects of development, and lack of clearing and grading ordinance.

The City of Port Angeles is developing a comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan which will present a comprehensive strategy to identify and protect local water resources (streams, wetlands, and shorelines), by controlling local sources of pollution, effective maintenance and operation of existing facilities, definition of appropriate standards for new development and the designing and construction of needed flood control improvements.

(8) Sewer. Sanitary sewer exists within the City of Port Angeles. The Public Utility District is authorized to provide sewage disposal service throughout the PUD service area.

(9) Parks and Recreation. The Clallam County fairgrounds represent the only major County park facility located in the Port Angeles planning area. The City of Port Angeles has twenty-four (24) parks and park facilities located within the City. City parks range in size from the 147-acre Lincoln Park to several neighborhood parks under one acre in size. Major recreational or community facilities include the Arts Center, Vern Burton Community Center, the Community/Senior Center and William Shore Pool. The Port of Port Angeles owns and operates the Port Angeles Boat Haven in Port Angeles harbor The planning area also includes the Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest and State Department of Natural Resource lands which have numerous recreation sites. Private recreation opportunities in the area include Peninsula Golf Course. There is a demand for new golf courses with public access. New neighborhood scale parks will be needed to serve the growing urban population in the unincorporated portions of the Port Angeles urban growth area.

(10) Fire Protection. Fire protection in the Port Angeles planning area is provided by Clallam County Fire Protection Districts Numbers 2 and 3 in areas outside the city and by the Port Angeles Fire Department inside the city. Three (3) fire stations located at Gale’s Addition, Dry Creek and Black Diamond serve the area within District 2. Fire District 3 from Deer Park Road to Siebert Creek would be served by the R Corner fire station. The City of Port Angeles Fire Station is located downtown on 5th Street. Fire protection districts, like hospital and library districts, are junior taxing districts. Funding for these junior taxing districts comes from property taxes.

(11) Public Health. Public health facilities serving this planning area are located within Port Angeles. Public health services are available through Clallam County’s home health program. Numerous private health care facilities exist within the planning area. These facilities are needed to serve the aging population.

(12) Other Governmental Services. Clallam County provides various facilities and services from the County Courthouse and remote facilities in the Port Angeles planning area. Services provided by the County include law enforcement, roads, public works, health, social services, juvenile services, Superior Court and community development. Major facilities include the Courthouse, Juvenile Center, and County Shop. As the population grows in this area, the need for facility expansion and increased services should be closely monitored.

(13) Financing: New development often pays for the cost of extending new public facilities and services. For example, if a development is proposed on a County road that is not adequate to handle additional traffic, the County is able to require the developer to pay the costs of improving the County road (called “mitigation”). Water and sewer systems are similarly financed; if a developer proposes to extend water and sewer to a property, it is the responsibility of the developer to pay the costs for extending those services.

Another way that development pays for the cost of extending new public facilities is through development fees. For example, the City of Port Angeles requires anyone who hooks up to the sewer or water system to pay a connection fee. This fee is put into a special account for the eventual planning and upgrade of the system, such as the sewer treatment facility. This connection fee is in addition to requiring the developer to extend the actual collection or distribution lines.

This method of paying for public facility and service extension is based on three principles: (a) setting level of service standards for public facilities and services; (b) ensuring that public facilities and services necessary to support development are adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy (called “concurrency”); and (c) requiring development to pay fees for the new facilities rather than relying solely on property taxes or grants to fund development of these public facilities.

31.04.105 Public facilities and services – Policies.

(1) Parks and Recreation.

(a) Policy 1. Identify and provide for increased recreational and public access opportunities to natural resource lands and water where appropriate.

(i) Ensure prominent signage of the Olympic Discovery Trail and all its access trails and paths.

(ii) Develop a prominent system of bicycle/pedestrian feeder trails connecting US 101 to the Olympic Discovery Trail utilizing, among other options, creek bottom corridors such as Tumwater and Valley Creek Trails to provide efficient non-motorized transportation options in the Port Angeles urban growth area.

(iii) Encourage the development of the Foothills Cross Country Equestrian/Pedestrian Trail.

(iv) Maintain working relationship with Pacific Northwest Trails Association in the development of feeder trails and lowland alternatives to their primary Pacific Northwest Trail Route (PNT). As a lowland option to the PNT, the Olympic Discovery Trail Route may be designated a National Recreation Trail where it qualifies and not a National Scenic Trail should the PNT achieve that status.

(v) Encourage the establishment of neighborhood parks within the urban growth area to provide for the localized recreational needs of neighborhood residents in the urban area.

(vi) Encourage further development of saltwater access points for recreation, such as trails, boating, and passive uses.

(vii) Encourage further development of public access to freshwater areas, particularly Lake Sutherland and the Elwha River. With Elwha Dam removal, there will be increased visitation and safe access will be needed.

(viii) Existing managed public access to public forest lands for recreation should be maintained.

(b) [Policy No. 2] That portion of the Clallam County Parks and Recreation Plan, as now or hereafter amended, which relates to the Port Angeles region is hereby adopted as part of this plan.

(c) [Policy No. 3] Parks and recreation facilities necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development as identified in the County Capital Facilities Plan, as now or hereafter amended.

(2) Marinas and Boats.

(a) [Policy No. 4] Update the Shoreline Master Program for the Port Angeles region to include best management practices for marinas. Periodically review the Program and implementation to evaluate effectiveness of BMPs in controlling and preventing pollution associated with marina and boating activities.

County, City of Port Angeles

(b) [Policy No. 5] Site, design and maintain marinas and marine facilities to protect against adverse effects on shellfish resources, wetlands, submerged aquatic vegetation, or other important riparian and aquatic habitat areas. The design of marinas and marine facilities should consider the migration, survival, and harvestability of food fish and shellfish.

County, City of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles

(c) [Policy No. 6] Where feasible, redevelopment or expansion of existing marina facilities that have minimal environmental impacts is preferred over new marina development in important habitat areas.

County, City of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles

(d) [Policy No. 7] Design boat hull maintenance areas to minimize contaminated runoff. Include source control best management practices that collect pollutants and keep them out of runoff. Boat hull maintenance areas shall be specified with signs listing required BMPs, and hull maintenance should not be allowed to occur outside these areas.

County, City of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles

(e) [Policy No. 8] Locate and design fueling stations so that spills can be contained in a limited area. Fueling stations and other marine facilities shall have spill containment information and equipment in a clearly marked, easily accessible location. A spill contingency plan must be developed for fuel storage and dispensation areas and must include spill emergency procedures, such as health and safety, notification, and spill containment and control procedures. Marine facilities personnel must be properly trained in spill containment and control procedures.

County, City of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles

(f) [Policy No. 9] Install pumpout, dump station, and restroom facilities where needed to reduce the release of sewage to surface waters, especially where liveaboards comprise a significant portion of the marina users. These facilities should allow ease of access and have signage to promote use by the boating public. All sewage pumpout facilities should be regularly inspected and maintained in operational condition.

Port of Port Angeles

(g) [Policy No. 10] Provide opportunities and facilities for proper disposal of solid and hazardous wastes.

County, City of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles

(i) Designate locations for maintenance and cleaning, and employ best management practices to minimize wastes associated with maintenance/cleaning activities.

(ii) Provide appropriate storage, transfer, containment, and disposal facilities for liquid material, such as oil, harmful solvents, antifreeze, and paints. Provide opportunities for recycling of these materials.

(3) Schools.

(a) [Policy No. 11] New school facilities proposed after the effective date of this plan should locate within the Port Angeles urban growth areas where public facilities and services needed to support the school facilities (e.g., water, sewer, transportation, fire and police) can be efficiently provided.

(b) [Policy No. 12] School facilities necessary to support development should be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use, or a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements within six years without decreasing current service levels below established minimum standards.

(c) [Policy No. 13] The County, City of Port Angeles, State of Washington and the Port Angeles School District should work cooperatively to identify funding sources needed for improvements to school facilities caused by new development.

(4) Water. Please see urban growth area policies for specific reference to water service within the designated urban growth areas.

(a) [Policy No. 14] Public water systems should be provided within designated urban growth areas. Public or municipal water systems (i.e., PUD and City of Port Angeles) should be limited in rural lands to those areas that are within Rural Character Conservation land use designations where public water systems are required to serve clustered development and to those areas that can demonstrate water quantity limitations, water quality problems or hydraulic continuity to rivers and streams. Public water systems in resource lands should be limited to those necessary to serve clustered development in Commercial Forest/Residential Mixed Use land use designations and to those areas that can demonstrate water quantity limitations, water quality problems or hydraulic continuity to rivers and streams.

(b) [Policy No. 15] New development shall utilize existing community water systems where available and feasible, rather than establishing new community water systems in areas already served by existing systems.

Clallam County, PUD #1 of Clallam County

(c) [Policy No. 16] Extension or the existence of public water service in designated rural areas or resource lands shall not result in or be justification for higher density than that anticipated by a regional or subarea comprehensive plan.

(d) [Policy No. 17] Level of service and facility standards should be developed by the water service provider, with standards based on expected land use densities established by this plan.

(e) [Policy No. 18] Water systems necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use.

(5) Stormwater Management.

(a) [Policy No. 19] Control stormwater runoff and treat associated pollutants generated from new development, redevelopment, and new and relocated roads, highways, and bridges.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Transportation

(i) For new development, maintain post development peak runoff rate and average volume at levels that protect aquatic resources and capital improvements.

(ii) Both structural and nonstructural methods should be employed to mitigate the adverse impacts of stormwater.

(iii) Management practices should be designed for site-specific conditions to achieve the desired maximum effectiveness.

(iv) Regional stormwater management is advocated as a means of correcting existing problems, but not necessarily as a means of addressing new projects.

(v) Minimize stormwater impacts to natural conveyance systems.

(vi) Biofiltration best management practices shall be a required component of all stormwater management systems where feasible.

(vii) Where feasible, utilize appropriate biofiltration pollution control mechanisms to treat road and highway runoff prior to discharging to surface and ground waters of the watershed. Minimize stormwater impacts during road highway projects and seek mitigation which would increase stormwater storage.

(b) [Policy No. 20] Riparian areas, and wetlands should be protected and restored as part of regional stormwater management.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(i) Use vegetation and “soft” practices, such as reed berms or willow revetments, rather than “hard” structural improvements, such as rip-rap or concrete revetments, to stabilize stream channels and reduce or eliminate the effects of stormwater.

(ii) Maintain, and increase where feasible, the natural storage capabilities of the watershed’s wetlands. Investigate the potential for increased stormwater storage through artificial wetland development at suitable sites.

(iii) Utilize constructed wetlands to treat and contain surface water runoff pollutants and decrease loading to surface waters. Constructed wetlands or sediment retention basins should be located to have a minimal impact on the surrounding areas. While wetlands constructed for stormwater treatment do not replicate all of the ecological functions of natural wetlands, they should be designed with enhancements which increase their aesthetic value as a landscape amenity whenever possible.

(c) [Policy No. 21] Develop a schedule for implementing stormwater controls and capital facilities identified in stormwater management plans (Clallam County; City of Port Angeles, 1986, 1994), and other necessary improvements to existing stormwater control structures.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(i) Identify and establish priorities and funding for regional structural solutions, retrofit needs and opportunities, and nonstructural alternatives.

(d) [Policy No. 22] Pollution prevention mechanisms, including education and source control and treatment, should be implemented by all jurisdictions as part of comprehensive stormwater management plans. Jurisdictions should cooperate in watershed-wide stormwater management planning and implementation.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Transportation

(e) [Policy No. 23] Alternative designs and maintenance strategies should be developed for impervious parking lots which promote sweeping, use of vegetated areas/grassed swales, and other methods to contain and control pollutants.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(i) All new storm drains shall be identified with a “Dump No Waste, Drains to ... [stream, groundwater, etc.]” message.

(ii) Conduct a volunteer project to stencil existing storm drains with a “Dump No Waste” educational message.

(f) [Policy No. 24] Publish design standards in a readily understandable format for permit applicants and responsible parties. Provide clear requirements to expedite planning, review, and approval of stormwater control methods.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(g) [Policy No. 25] Jurisdictions should undertake periodic monitoring and maintenance to ensure proper operation and maintenance of stormwater facilities of facilities they own and/or operate.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Transportation

(h) [Policy No. 26] Adopt and implement planning and design standards for stormwater facilities that require the minimum amount of maintenance for proper, long-term functioning. Ensure continued performance through appropriate maintenance operations. Repair damage after storms, and periodically inspect practices.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(i) [Policy No. 27] Publish specific obligations and responsibilities of the stormwater facility owner/operator including procedures for identifying owners/operators with long-term responsibility for the facility. Whenever possible, facilities should be operated and maintained by a public entity or professional services contractor. Once installed, facilities should receive thorough maintenance at regular intervals, by individuals trained in proper inspection and maintenance of such facilities.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(j) [Policy No. 28] Develop a procedure for addressing maintenance default by negligent owner/operators. A provision shall be made for public assumption of stormwater control facilities.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(k) [Policy No. 29] Establish a stormwater review and inspection program which includes staff training and education.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(l) [Policy No. 30] Develop training and education programs and materials for public officials, contractors, and others involved with the design, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of runoff facilities.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(m) [Policy No. 31] Educate the public about the importance of stormwater management facilities. Explain the purpose and details of stormwater projects and programs, the benefits they provide, and the need for regular maintenance of facilities. Signage at these facilities is an effective way to provide this information, in addition to field trips, workshops, and other educational activities.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(n) [Policy No. 32] Periodically review and evaluate stormwater management programs to ensure continued effectiveness and efficiency. Evaluate locally applied stormwater BMPs to determine their general effectiveness in reducing the quantity and quality impacts of runoff.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(6) Fire Protection. [Policy No. 33] Fire protection and suppression facilities in urban areas should receive first priority. Fire flow (e.g., fire hydrants) in rural areas and resource lands should not be required of new development. Extension of public water systems for fire protection should not be required in rural or resource lands except for commercial/industrial uses and public facilities.

(7) Other Governmental Services. [Policy No. 34] Clallam County and other governmental service providers should continually monitor the population growth, age and other demographic characteristics of the population to determine the need for new or expanded services.

(8) Sanitary Waste Disposal. Please see County-wide Comprehensive Plan policies for specific reference to sanitary waste disposal within and outside urban growth areas. Also see urban growth area designation policies in this regional plan for specific reference to sanitary waste disposal within the designated urban growth areas.

(a) [Policy No. 35] Develop local facilities to treat and dispose of biosolids.

Clallam County, PUD #1 of Clallam County

(b) [Policy No. 36] So that septic sludge could be treatable through a local sewage treatment plant, land application, or other facility, educate waste generators to keep hazardous wastes out of municipal, community, and individual sewage disposal systems.

Clallam County, PUD #1 of Clallam County

(c) [Policy No. 37] Collect, recycle, market and distribute products manufactured from waste such as natural wood debris, debris from the construction industry, and secondary sources of similar material such as yard wastes.

Clallam County

(i) Support development and implementation of a solid waste recycling and utilization project as a public-private partnership between local government and industry.

(d) [Policy No. 38] Pursue a mandatory recycling program in an effort to reduce waste and illegal dumping. Provide incentives such as a variable can rate.

Clallam County

(e) [Policy No. 39] Additional transfer stations offering both waste disposal and recycling should be located conveniently in rural areas. New and existing transfer stations should operate during hours convenient to the public.

Clallam County

(f) [Policy No. 40] Identify common illegal dumping sites. Take measures to reduce the occurrence and negative impacts of dumping, such as posting signs, increasing enforcement, and organizing cleanups. Offer landfill fee waivers or “amnesty days” for organized community cleanups.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(g) [Policy No. 41] Continue household hazardous waste collection events, and expand to include commercial and agricultural waste collection. Develop used oil, used antifreeze, and hazardous chemical recycling programs and site collection centers in convenient locations.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

31.04.110 Transportation – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goals. Encourage efficient multimodal transportation systems that are based on regional priorities and coordinated with County and city comprehensive plans.

Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards.

(2) Definition. The “transportation system” is composed of air, water, and land transportation facilities and services, including highways and streets, paths, trails and sidewalks, transit, airports, and ports.

(3) Circulation System. The transportation and circulation system should function to serve the land use patterns established by the Comprehensive Plan. For example, rural areas should be served by a transportation system designed for rural uses while urban areas should be served by a circulation system designed to serve urban uses. The transportation system should also focus on connections, either between urban centers, such as from Port Angeles to Sequim, or between different “modes” of travel, such as automobiles to public transit. Some parts of the circulation system in this area serve County-wide and State-wide interests, such as Highway 101, Olympic Discovery Trail, Old Olympic Highway, and boat launch/moorage facilities. It is imperative that the County-wide and State-wide interests are considered when making land use or facility decisions affecting these systems.

(4) Land Use Coordination. In the past, land use planning and transportation planning were not always coordinated. A major problem with the 1982 comprehensive plan was that it utilized a saturation density scheme which allocated enough density to handle more than 100 years of growth. This over-allocation of density creates problems for planning the transportation system due to the fact that large populations can be accommodated in many rural locations and it is difficult to determine where system improvements will be needed next. Although densities allocated in this plan correct this problem in some areas, the problem can still be seen in examining the system deficiencies at build-out densities. As some areas approach build-out in the near future, the transportation system would fail without large expenditures for system improvement. These types of problems will need careful monitoring in the future and a concurrency management system must be instituted to maintain the level of service at acceptable levels. Gone are the days when developments were approved on roads without consideration to impacts on roads or better use of public transportation and highways were built in rural areas which encouraged their conversion. The Clallam County Comprehensive Plan indicates that the transportation system should be consistent with the land use plan.

(5) Level of Service. Level of service standards measuring the degree of traffic congestion are used to serve as a gauge to judge the performance of the transportation system. Level of service is ranked from “A” (free flowing, uncongested) to “F” (Highly congested). When land use assumptions are made based on expected population growth and traffic demand, transportation engineers determine whether the transportation system is capable of handling the increased demand by using these level of service (LOS) standards. LOS standards are based on the average daily traffic (ADT) and characteristics of the area that the road serves (rural, suburban and urban). While LOS standards indicate the degree of congestion or how free-flowing the traffic is, they do not indicate whether the road meets adopted County road (safety) standards.

The level of service established in the County-wide Comprehensive Plan for County roads, either in urban or rural areas is LOS “C.” LOS “C” describes a condition of traffic where the flow of traffic is stable but speeds are controlled by the volume of traffic and the driver begins to feel uncomfortable due to the number of vehicles on the road. Level of service for State highways is LOS “D” for urban areas and tourist corridors, and LOS “C” for rural highways. LOS “D” describes a traffic condition where flow is stable but speed and freedom to maneuver are severely restricted and the driver experiences a poor level of comfort. Figure 6 indicates that most County roads are currently operating at or above these standards.

The forecast of future traffic on County roads in this plan is based on two (2) methods: projected population growth and build-out potential based on land use designations. The forecast of traffic and the impact on adopted LOS standards is used to determine if the transportation system is capable of handling the demand. If the system is not capable of handling the demand, the comprehensive plan must identify how the system will be improved and financed, or the land use plan must be revised to ensure that the minimum “level of service” standards are met.

Figure 4 indicates that the current system is designed to handle the projected twenty (20) year population growth of this region. Table 1 in this section, however, indicates that the system is not designed to handle the estimated build-out. The following roads show failure to meet LOS standards based on the build-out analysis: Old Olympic Highway, Black Diamond Road, Mt. Pleasant Road and Monroe Road. The date when they fail to meet LOS standards depends upon growth rates. As can be seen in the table, portions of Old Olympic Highway, Mt. Pleasant Road and Monroe Road are already operating at LOS “C.” This indicates that these road segments may fail to meet standards within a shorter period of time.

Table 1 – LOS Analysis for County Roads (Build-out and Population Growth)

Road Name	Current LOS1	LOS - Build-out2	LOS -2000 Pop.3	LOS - 2010 Pop.	ADT - Most Recent Count4	ADT - 2000 Pop.	ADT - 2010 Pop.	ADT - Build-out	From Mile Post	To Mile Post
Black Diamond	B	D	B	B	1,170	1,501	1,771	12,675	3.66	3.76
Mt. Pleasant Road	C	F	C	C	3,379	4,688	8,200	29,056	5.76	5.83
Old Olympic Hwy.	C	E	C	C	4,291	5,504	6,495	19,691	0.26	0.34
Monroe Road	C	E	C	C	3,000	4,163	7,281	25,797	0.57	0.73
Airport Road	B	D	B	B	1,229	1,576	1,860	13,574	0.17	0.58
Baker Street	B	D	B	C	1,499	2,080	3,638	12,889	0.00	0.09
1.    Current LOS is analyzed using the Highway Capacity Manual.
2.    Build-out LOS is determined based on future build-out with two (2) considerations: vacant parcels and proposed land use densities within the Plan.
3.    LOS 2000 and LOS 2010 is based on projected population growth rates, not land use densities or vacant parcels.
4.    ADT – Average Daily Traffic. Most Recent Count is anywhere from 1985 to 1993. The ADT for population counts are based on projected population growth rates.

(6) Road Standards. Level of service standards do not indicate that a County road meets minimum design standards. Design standards for County roads are set forth in RCW 35.83.030 and RCW 43.32.020. Those standards are as follows:

Table 2 – Design Standards for County Roads

	ADT
	Below 150	150 - 400	401 - 750	751 - 1,000	1,001 - 2,000	2,001 - plus
Roadway Width	20 - 24 ft.	24 ft.	26 ft.	28 ft.	34 ft.	40 ft.
Lane Width	10 ft.	10 ft.	10 ft.	10 ft.	11 ft.	12 ft.

Based on these standards, Figure 2 indicates the County roads with width deficiencies. As can be seen, nearly all of the County roads in this region do not meet the adopted road width standards, even though they meet LOS standards.

Table 3 identifies the County roads segments which are eighteen (18) feet or less in width. These road segments do not meet minimum safety standards. The table also clearly outlines the discrepancy between using LOS standards and road width standards. For example, although Kemp Street is currently at LOS “A,” and is projected to be LOS “B,” it clearly is deficient in road width (only twelve (12) feet). LOS measures how free-flowing a roadway segment is, but fails to recognize whether the road meets minimum safety standards.

Table 3 – County Road Segments Less than Twenty (20) Feet in Width and over 124 ADT

Road Name	Pavement Width – Current	Deficient Road Width	Current LOS	LOS – Build-out	ADT – Most Recent Count
3rd Ave.	18	6	A	B	254
4th Ave.	18	10	B	C	932
5th Ave.	18	16	B	C	1107
Alice	18	2	A	B	131
Bagley Creek Rd.	18	6	A	B	275
Bay View Ave. S.	18	6	A	B	153
Bean Rd.	18	8	A	C	643
Benson Rd.	18	6	A	C	200
Brook Ave. S.	18	8	A	C	573
Brown	18	8	A	C	547
Carne St.	18	6	A	B	175
Draper	18	6	A	B	314
Dry Creek Rd.	18	6	A	C	288
Eden Valley Rd.	16	4	A	B	142
Elwha Rd.	16	8	A	B	250
Ennis Creek	18	6	A	C	275
Ennis Cutoff Rd.	18	8	A	C	500
Erving Jacobs Rd.	18	6	A	B	235
Gagnon	16	4	A	B	123
Glass Rd.	16	8	A	B	179
Golf Course Rd.	18	8	A	C	402
Hauk	12	12	A	C	257
Henry Boyd Rd.	16	8	A	B	300
Herrick Rd.	18	6	A	B	253
Hoare	16	8	A	B	202
Hunt Rd.	16	4	A	B	144
Kemp St.	12	12	A	B	193
Lake Farm Rd.	16	8	A	B	192
Larch Ave.	18	16	B	C	1,382
Lee’s Creek	16	8	A	C	322
Little River Rd.	18	6	A	A	197
Lower Elwha Rd.	18	8	A	C	543
Marzden Pl.	18	2	A	B	125
Masters	18	6	A	C	226
McNutt St.	16	0	A	B	150
Monroe	18	10	B	C	805
Mt. Angeles Rd.	18	10	B	C	928
Mt. Pleasant Rd.	18	10	B	C	993
Pine Pl.	16	4	A	B	125
Pioneer	18	16	B	C	1,189
Place Rd.	16	8	A	C	369
Rife Rd.	16	8	A	B	178
Scrivner E.	18	8	A	C	438
South Shore Rd.	16	10	A	B	450
Stratton Rd.	16	8	A	C	266
Township Line Rd.	14	10	A	B	197

(7) Private Roads. The transportation system in the Port Angeles region also includes private streets and easements, often unimproved, designed to serve lots within short plats and surveys. A mechanism to upgrade these roads to land division and fire protection minimum standards should be in place to assist property owners developing property which does not directly abut a public street.

(8) Alternative Solutions. Solutions to transportation deficiencies may include incentives to change patterns of transportation behavior, such as car pooling rather than single occupancy vehicles, and enhancements to alternative modes of transportation that would be efficient and less costly to maintain, such as transit or bicycle lanes.

31.04.115 Transportation policies.

(1) Highway 101.

(a) [Policy No. 1] Preserve and enhance the Highway 101 corridor for regional mobility to improve its functionality for business, area residents, tourists, nonmotorized transportation, freight and services.

(i) Clallam County should study and plan to construct a new east-west route to be located south of and paralleling Highway 101 on the east side of the Port Angeles urban growth area. This new roadway would be primarily located within the urban growth area and provides an alternate east-west entrance into the urban area for local residents as well as an emergency access route in case the sole access point at Morse Creek should become impassable due to an emergency.

(ii) Encourage the Washington State Department of Transportation to retain all of their properties adjoining Highway 101 and Highway 112 for future use as rest stops, scenic pullouts, roadside parks and future transit pullouts.

(iii) Work with the Washington State Department of Transportation and other agencies to ensure that Highway 101 meets the goal that the corridor function regionally for the mobility of goods, services and passengers. Included in this goal would be review of State access policy to ensure the direct access to the highway from individual properties is minimized.

(iv) Improve Highway 112 and 101 in conjunction with casino development plans of the Elwha S’Klallam Tribe to ensure that safety and level of service are maintained at current levels.

(v) Adopt regulations prohibiting access to Highway 101 when access to County/City roads is available or when shared access points are available.

(vi) Highway 101 should have adequate shoulders for bicyclists. Current deficiencies in the eastern portion of the urban growth area should be corrected to encourage bicycle commuting. Storage facilities for bicycles should be available in conjunction with transit shelters along the corridor.

(vii) Pedestrian facilities (sidewalks or paths) should be planned along the Highway 101 corridor through the urban growth area of Port Angeles.

(viii) Park-and-ride lots and transit shelters should be conveniently located along the Highway 101 corridor in the urban growth area of Port Angeles and at the intersections of County arterials and Highway 101.

(ix) Passing lanes should be planned along the highway corridor in rural areas.

(x) The proliferation of stoplights on Highway 101 should be discouraged. New development should be encouraged to locate at existing intersections where stoplights are already in place.

(xi) Left-turn access to Highway 101 should be controlled with raised landscaped medians for Highway 101 center median turn lanes to prevent the potential for head on collisions caused by drivers using center median turn lanes as a left turn acceleration lanes.

(xii) The Warren-truss Elwha River Bridge should be studied for the parameters of: (1) retaining multi-use circulation; (2) rehabilitating for historic purposes and nonmotorized circulation only; (3) removing and re-establishing an improved circulation pattern; or (4) removing and replacement in the same location. New funding opportunities should accompany each transportation study option.

(b) Policy 2. Enhance the roadway aesthetics and improve the facades and landscaping of businesses fronting on the Scenic Highway 101 corridor in the urban growth area in order to enhance business opportunities and general appearance to local residents and the traveling public.

(i) The Port Angeles Highway 101 urban corridor should develop as a tree lined, landscaped boulevard. Deciduous street trees, landscaped medians, roadside landscaping and improved pedestrian amenities should be included in all future urban Highway 101 upgrades and as development standards for new development along the corridor. Assist corridor business owners in obtaining the funding needed to upgrade building facades, landscaping and pedestrian amenities.

(ii) The east entrance to Port Angeles urban growth area at Deer Park should be enhanced with landscaped medians, street trees and streetscape landscaping in accordance with the Port Angeles Gateway Plan.

(iii) Clallam County should work with the Washington State Department of Transportation to obtain funding for ADA accessible restrooms at the Deer Park Scenic Gateway Center, a popular access point to the Olympic Discovery Trail.

(iv) Work with the Washington State Department of Transportation and Clallam Transit to ensure a safe drop-off point for transit riders accessing businesses near the Deer Park Cinema.

(v) Increase traveler information and services at the Deer Park Scenic Gateway Center. Inform vehicle and bicycle travelers about the Olympic Discovery Trail, its route and connections, and access to city services.

(vi) Adopt regulations prohibiting access to Highway 101 when access to County/City roads is available or when shared access points are available.

(c) [Policy No. 3] Improve circulation patterns around the City of Port Angeles. (See Figure 10)

(i) Highway 101 capacity should be improved in the urban growth area through development of shared parking regulations, required interconnection of parking lots on adjoining lots and an associated reduction of individual access points directly onto Highway 101.

(ii) New and expanded commercial or industrial development should make appropriate provisions for transit connections in the urban area.

(2) Rural and Urban Roads.

(a) [Policy No. 4] With the completion of a new east-west route on the east side of the Port Angeles urban growth area, the circulation system of County roads in rural and resource land areas should be considered completed for this planning area. The County should not pursue new County roads except in those circumstances where roads are built within subdivisions with private funds and then turned over to the County for maintenance.

(b) [Policy No. 5] Road systems in rural and resource areas should be at rural and resource land standards which preserve the essential character of the land use.

(i) County gravel roads in forested resource lands should remain at gravel standards or be returned to another agency or vacated to adjacent property owners in order to lessen development conversion pressures which occur when paved roads provide access to resource areas. Examples of roads that should remain gravel include Little River Road (between Lake Dawn and Black Diamond Road), Upper Monroe Road, and Upper Mount Pleasant.

(ii) Improve Siebert Creek curve on Old Olympic Highway for all modes of transportation including bikes.

(c) [Policy No. 6] The following road improvements have been identified based on LOS standards, improved circulation, and road width and safety standards. The roads are listed in approximate order of importance:

•	Old Olympic Highway (finish widening, straighten alignment)

•	Larch Avenue (realignment of intersection with Highway 101)

•	Edgewood Drive/Airport Road (intersection)

•	Gales Street (widen)

•	McNutt Street intersection with Highway 101 (eliminate intersection)

•	Old Mill Road/Simmons Road (school bus pullout)

•	North Lee’s Creek Road (guardrails)

•	Black Diamond (widen)

•	O’Brien Road (realign, widen)

•	Lower Elwha Road (curves, shoulders, guardrails)

•	Lake Farm Road (widen north of school)

•	Monroe Road (widen between Arnette and Draper)

•	Mt. Pleasant Road (widen road north of Draper and near Gravel Pit)

•	Draper (widen)

•	Gasman Road (realign at old rail crossing)

•	Deer Park (install guardrail)

•	Dan Kelly Road at intersection of Colville Road (intersection improvements)

•	Mt. Pleasant Road at Dietz Road (intersection improvements)

•	Henry Boyd Road (intersections and shoulder widening)

•	Little River Road (curves)

•	Place Road (guardrail)

•	Township Line (widen).

(3) Road Standards.

(a) [Policy No. 7] Improvements to County roads should consider the rural character of the Port Angeles region. Needed safety improvements should be the minimum necessary to address the safety problem, particularly in rural areas where country roads enhance the character of the area, as well as being a deterrent to speeding. In rural areas, limit the number of access points to County roads in order to limit impediments to traffic and to maintain open space qualities. Please see County-wide Comprehensive Plan for adopted County road standards.

(b) [Policy No. 8] When County roads are rebuilt in this area, forecasts of future traffic should be based on the following principles:

(i) If the County road is on the regional transportation network (see Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization – PRTPO), the road should be designed to accommodate transportation growth rates within the PRTPO plan.

(ii) If the County road is not on the regional transportation network, the road should be designed based on 50 percent of potential build-out as indicated in the land use plan.

(c) [Policy No. 9] Private road standards should allow for flexibility while meeting minimum safety requirements for emergency vehicles, except in those circumstances where it is in the best public interest to develop a public road. Right-of-way standards, improved widths, and surfacing of private roads should not be required at the same standard as public roads. The use of road improvement districts (RIDs) should be encouraged to equitably share the cost of upgrading private roads to land division and fire protection minimum standards.

(4) Paths, Trails and Sidewalks.

(a) [Policy No. 10] The safety and quality of travel experience for the nonmotorized traveler shall be improved with a greater role in the transportation system. Nonmotorized travel should be promoted within the Port Angeles area for multipurpose commuter, recreation and transportation trails for users of all abilities.

(b) Policy 11. The Olympic Discovery Trail should be a priority transportation and recreational facility providing easy access to affordable physical activity, a safe off-road non-motorized alternative for commuters, and a scenic route for touring bicyclists. The Olympic Discovery Trail at full development will connect Port Townsend to Forks with trail extensions accessing LaPush on the Pacific Ocean, a total distance of 145 miles.

(c) Policy 12. A system of lateral/feeder trails should connect US 101 to the Waterfront Trail adjacent to Lee’s, Ennis, Peabody and Tumwater Creeks.

(d) Policy 13. Utilizing City-owned former railroad grade, complete and sign the westerly extension of the Olympic Discovery Trail from the base of Ediz Hook to the City’s western boundary and the Elwha River including construction of a bridge over Dry Creek by the City.

(e) Policy 14. A path, trail, or sidewalk accommodating non-motorized travel shall be required along US 101, County arterials, major collectors within urban growth areas, and within walking distance of school facilities.

(5) Policy 15. The following are the designated bicycle routes. All roads on a designated bicycle route should have a minimum improved shoulder width of three to five feet, depending on the speed limit of the road. Several of these routes are within the City of Port Angeles. The City should be encouraged to designate these routes and provide safe bicycle shoulders.

•	US 101 from Siebert Creek to Lake Crescent

•	Old Olympic Highway from Siebert Creek to Highway 101

•	Olympic Discovery Trail/Waterfront Trail from Old Olympic to Ediz Hook

•	Marine Drive

•	Front Street from College Plaza to the Waterfront Trail

•	First Street from College Plaza to the Waterfront Trail

•	Race Street from Front Street to the Hurricane Ridge Road

•	Hill Street

•	M Street from Hill Street to 18th Street

•	L Street from 18th Street to Lauridsen

•	Lauridsen from L Street to Airport Drive

•	Airport Drive from Edgewood Drive to Lauridsen Boulevard

•	Edgewood Drive from Airport Road to Laird Road

•	Laird Road from Edgewood Drive to Highway 101

•	Highway 112 from Freshwater Bay to Highway 101.

(6) Multimodal:

(a) Policy 16. First priority for transit service and facility improvements should be for designated urban growth areas and routes along the regional transportation system.

(b) Policy 17. Park-and-ride lots and transit shelters should be conveniently located along the Highway 101 corridor in the urban growth areas of Port Angeles and at the intersections of County arterials or collectors and Highway 101. Design park-and-ride lots with transit shelters and bicycle storage facilities on-site.

(c) Policy 18. Encourage reduced reliance on single occupant vehicles (SOV) and reduce vehicle trips generated while encouraging the use of other transportation modes as cost effective or time saving travel alternatives.

(i) In the Port Angeles urban area, foster employer and retail business partnerships with the assistance of local service organizations to implement programs encouraging employees to use alternate transportation modes by exchanging coupons as proof of HOV or non-motorized trips to work for retail service or merchandise.

(ii) Encourage transportation shuttle services and parking strategies for regional attractions such as Hurricane Ridge, the Elwha Valley, and Lake Crescent with private charter services and public/private partnerships.

(iii) Encourage ridership and support transit expansion to reduce single occupant vehicles (SOVs).

(iv) Develop neighborhood scale park-and-ride lots at Highway 101 junction of collectors in the Port Angeles urban area. Design lots with bicycle storage facilities on-site. Proposed locations: Gales Addition (Stock Market Foods), Mt. Pleasant Road, Strait View Drive, and Deer Park Road.

(v) Pursue the Port Angeles Multimodal Transportation Center for most efficient usage as a regional and local facility.

(7) Airports.

(a) Policy 19. Ensure that land uses adjacent to the Port Angeles International Airport are compatible with the continued use of the airport for the air transportation needs of the region.

(b) Policy 20. Provide adequate roadway connections between the Port Angeles International Airport and the existing major arterial streets, roads and highways serving the airport. Ensure that there are adequate public transportation connections to the Port Angeles International Airport.

(8) Marine Terminals.

(a) Policy 21. Ensure adequate access to the Port Angeles Marine Terminals providing ferry access to Canada.

(b) Policy 22. Monitor efforts to establish a high speed passenger/package freight vessel transportation system (i.e., mosquito fleet) in the Puget Sound region, and support the inclusion of Port Angeles in such a system if it is established.

(9) Level of Service.

(a) Policy 23. The minimum acceptable level of service (LOS) standard for County roads in both rural and urban areas shall be LOS “C,” using standard rating methodology.

(b) Policy 24. New development, such as land divisions and non-resource uses (e.g., forestry, agriculture, fisheries) should not be allowed unless served by a County road meeting a surface width standard of 18 feet and having a maximum grade of 12 percent.

(10) Financing.

(a) Policy 25. Place a high priority on investment and expenditure of limited public funds in the transportation system in urban growth areas and limit investment and expenditure in rural areas to arterial development connecting communities and neighborhoods.

(b) Policy 26. The existing transportation system should be maintained before expenditure of limited public funds on expanded facilities.

(c) Policy 27. Traditional funding sources should continue to be the primary funding source pay for improvements to County roads in the region.

(d) Policy 28. The County shall require new development to rectify and/or compensate for impacts to transportation facilities not meeting minimum safety standards or for developments expected to increase demand, such as significantly higher average daily traffic (ADT).

31.04.120 Affordable housing – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goal. Encourage the availability of affordable housing to all economic segments of the population of this State, promote a variety of residential densities and housing types, and encourage preservation of existing housing stock.

(2) Definition. “Affordable housing” is typically broken into three categories based on family income. Because of the increase in housing values in the past five years, all three categories of affordable housing are desired within the planning area.

(a) “Very low income” means those families earning below 50 percent of County-wide median income can afford the rent or sale price.

(b) “Low income” means those families earning 50 to 80 percent of County-wide median income can afford the rent or sale price.

(c) “Moderate income” means those families earning 80 to 95 percent of County-wide median income can afford the rent or sale price.

(3) Cost of Housing. The 1990 U.S. Census indicated that a family earning the family median income in Clallam County could purchase a home of average value in the Port Angeles region. While the census figures indicate that housing is affordable in the Port Angeles region to a family earning the median income, one must weigh the fact that the average home value figures are on the low side due to the large number of older homes in the region. New homes in the Port Angeles region sell for prices that are out of reach for many families in Clallam County. The census also demonstrated that manufactured housing is an affordable housing option for many residents of the Port Angeles region.

(4) Affordable Housing Types. The types of affordable housing available within the Port Angeles area include:

•	Multifamily in Port Angeles;

•	Mobile home parks, such as Welcome Inn, Elmer’s Trailer Park, etc.;

•	Housing developments which have manufactured housing;

•	Urban density housing with small lot sizes, such as Gales Addition; and

•	Accessory housing, such as converted basements and guest houses.

(5) Regulations. Additional regulations and costs for public services and facilities can drive up the cost of housing. Limiting densities in rural areas may make the area more exclusive, which could raise property values and thus, property taxes.

Flexible zoning techniques could lower the cost of some property. Rather than establishing minimum lot sizes in rural areas, land divisions could be based on maximum residential density. Utilizing flexible zoning, a landowner might be able to place lots closer to required services, such as roads and electricity, thus lowering the cost for development of the lots.

31.04.125 Affordable housing – Policies.

(1) Affordable housing opportunities will be available throughout the Port Angeles region in urban and rural areas. Strategies for supplying affordable housing opportunities will vary in rural and urban areas in order to maintain the character of these areas.

(2) Clallam County should encourage the development of affordable housing opportunities in urban areas. Affordable housing in urban areas will be provided through the following techniques:

(a) Multifamily developments will be encouraged to locate in the urban growth areas where transit access, availability of facilities/utilities and other factors important to multifamily development can be provided.

(b) Manufactured home parks and developments will be encouraged within the urban growth area. Existing manufactured home parks will be encouraged to remain in operation. Home prices within these parks are generally less than stick-built homes on individual sites due to smaller lot sizes or lot rental practices.

(c) The smaller lot sizes and higher densities allowed within the urban growth area should allow building lots and housing units to be available at prices affordable to many County residents.

(d) Accessory housing will be allowed in all urban and rural zones.

(e) Accessory housing and multiunit apartments will be allowed above commercial buildings and multifamily dwellings will be permitted to locate behind commercial highway frontages or along back streets in commercially zoned areas. The zoning designation of urban neighborhood commercial will be established in the unincorporated portions of the Port Angeles urban growth area as mixed use districts allowing a blend of commercial uses and multifamily development.

(3) Affordable housing opportunities should be encouraged in rural areas but will follow rural density and open space guidelines to maintain rural character and limit the development of large urban pockets within the rural area. Affordable housing opportunities in rural areas will be met through the following techniques:

(a) Accessory housing or “granny flats” will be an allowed use.

(b) Under rural character conservation homesites smaller than one acre will be approved in rural areas as long as the overall density of the site is not increased over present levels and open space areas (10 acres or larger) are provided as an integral part of the development. Half acre lots should sell at prices affordable to many moderate income residents in the County.

(4) The County should place a high priority on the provision of infrastructure to serve high density housing in the unincorporated portion of urban growth areas by working out agreements with urban service providers for sewer and water service to such developments and should consider partially subsidizing infrastructure costs to low-income affordable housing projects.

(5) Planned unit developments will be encouraged within the urban growth area with incentives provided to supply a percentage of affordable housing in each development. Prime consideration for planned unit development in rural areas should be maintenance of surrounding rural densities to maintain rural character, although some affordable units may be produced through this technique.

(6) The County-wide Housing Task Force should set goals for the provision of low cost and special needs housing in the Port Angeles region. These goals should recognize the needs identified in the Clallam County Needs Assessment Report published in June of 1991 as well as more current data or plans.

(7) Repealed by Ord. 725, 2002.

(8) Infill development in urban growth areas should be encouraged to take place at the maximum densities allowed.

(9) Clallam County should examine the feasibility of encouraging the construction of very low and low income housing by exempting these units from impact fees, should such fees be adopted.

(10) Clallam County should encourage the housing authority to obtain more HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers for the Port Angeles area.

(11) Clallam County should develop a housing rehabilitation program under the Community Development Block Grant Program to aid low income residents of the Port Angeles Planning Region.

(12) Flexible zoning techniques, such as cluster housing, transfer of density on a parcel, and plan unit developments that maintain current densities and the essential character of the area in which they are located should be allowed in order to lower the cost of land for affordable housing opportunities.

(13) Multifamily developments within urban growth areas should be allowed in all residential zones where density exceeds seven units per acre. Areas zoned at lesser densities in urban areas are usually heavily impacted by wetlands and other physical constraints which would severely constrain multifamily development.

(14) The County should ensure that development standards do not discourage the provision of affordable housing.

(15) The County should ensure that sufficient lands are designated within urban growth areas for the provision of high density and affordable housing development.

31.04.130 Economic development – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goal. Encourage economic development throughout the State that is consistent with adopted comprehensive plans, promote economic opportunity for all citizens of this State, especially for unemployed and for disadvantaged persons, and encourage growth in areas experiencing insufficient economic growth, all within the capacities of the State’s natural resources, public services, and public facilities.

Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.

(2) Watershed Goal. Ensure long-term, sustainable, environmental and economic health of the watershed.

Ensure cooperation and coordination in resource management.

Promote stewardship by residents, decision makers, visitors, and agencies in the Port Angeles watershed.

(3) Outlook. The economy of Clallam County and the Port Angeles regional planning area has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. Twenty years ago, the area relied heavily on the forestry industry. Changes in forest management have led to increased efforts to diversify the region’s economic base. The recent relocation of Admiral Marine works to Clallam County with the addition of 150 new jobs is a prime example of diversification which strengthens the local economy. The region will continue to look to the forest industry, tourism, recreation, services, the construction industry and retail for its economic future. Light manufacturing and medical services also can play a vital role in the future.

A healthy, sustainable environment and economy must focus on development in place, redevelopment, and improving existing facilities. Existing levels of industry and commerce must be supported, and obsolete industries must be replaced by viable ones. Industries must be environmentally responsible if they wish to do business in Clallam County. And financial resources must be available to invest in new technologies that achieve the dual objectives of environmental and economic health.

Commercial and industrial development has and will continue to play a vital role in the economic development of the region. Commercial development, particularly retail, has expanded considerably in the last 10-year period. Industrial or manufacturing type jobs, however, have not flourished. Manufacturing is an important part of an economic development strategy: the jobs are family wage income, far exceeding service type jobs, and the sale of manufactured goods outside the region represent new dollars recruited within the local community. Both commercial and industrial development requires suitable locations, appropriately zoned, and with the necessary infrastructure.

The following table illustrates current commercial and industrial zoning within the region.

Area	Commercial Land Use	Industrial Land Use
City of Port Angeles	350 acres	855 acres
Unincorporated UGA	412 acres	366 acres
Outside UGAs	42 acres	142 acres (RLC)

31.04.135 Economic development – Policies.

(1) Clallam County should develop infrastructure extension agreements with the City of Port Angeles or the PUD that would allow development of industrial and commercial lands which are not contiguous to the City within the unincorporated portion of the Port Angeles urban growth area. Any such infrastructure extension agreements shall be consistent with an annexation plan agreed upon by Clallam County and the City of Port Angeles.

(2) Clallam County should identify urban regional commercial sites within the Port Angeles urban growth area, properly zone these sites, maintain them in appropriate sizes and quantity, and coordinate the provision of infrastructure. Design standards addressing buffers, traffic, access, noise, screening, landscaping and signage should be developed for regional commercial sites.

(a) Based on current population forecasts, the County should identify, properly zone, and reserve for future development up to two large site, urban regional commercial properties on the east side of Port Angeles.

(b) Regional commercial centers should be clustered at intersections of major collectors and Highway 101, rather than continuing to allow narrow strip development along the entire length of urban highway. Clustering regional commercial sites should enhance business vitality, protect residential property values north and south of the corridor, allow efficient service provision, minimize traffic lights on Highway 101 and improve traffic safety.

(c) Investigate the feasibility of regional commercial preservation regulations which act to maintain these properties in the large parcel sizes needed to attract regional business growth.

(3) Determine the long-range demand for industrial space and identify suitable areas for regional industrial development.

(a) Designations of land for industrial uses should provide sites of sufficient size as to attract small to medium size industrial facilities and locate industry where infrastructure is planned, exists, or can be efficiently provided.

(b) Investigate the feasibility of industrial preservation regulations which act to maintain these properties in the large parcel sizes needed to attract regional industrial growth.

(c) Due to the present lack of industrial site demand and the lack of infrastructure, some of the large area which was designated for industrial uses in the Dry Creek area in the 1982 Comprehensive Plan has been re-evaluated for its potential land use. Property which is not needed for long-term industrial development has been identified in the current plan and residential development at urban densities will be permitted on these lands located inside the urban growth area. Residential development at rural densities on these former industrial sites will be permitted outside the urban growth area.

(4) Clallam County should ensure that a reasonable proportion of small parcels (less than 10 acres) exists for small business serving neighborhood needs within the UGA. Neighborhood Commercial land use designations can be utilized to separate urban regional commercial sites and allow for commercial land uses at scales appropriate for their neighborhood setting. The existence of a commercial strip between urban regional commercial sites should not warrant the expansion of their depth into residentially zoned areas as that will not change the strip commercial nature of development but will only result in a deeper commercial strip.

(5) Clallam County working in concert with other economic development interests should maintain current commercial/industrial site survey information including available and projected public facilities and services, surrounding land uses, transportation capabilities, site suitability based on environmental constraints, and other relevant economic information.

(6) Clallam County should coordinate the development of capital facilities and public improvements as a priority to lands designated for commercial and industrial development. Clallam County should work with the City of Port Angeles and the Port to develop a coordinated infrastructure development plan for development of industrial lands.

(7) Clallam County should ensure that Highway 101 is maintained for smooth flow of commercial traffic through encouraging controlled access to the highway, supporting bypasses of current traffic bottlenecks, minimizing additional stoplights on the highway, consolidating commercial driveways fronting on Highway 101 and supporting multimodal options to single occupancy use of the highway.

(8) Clallam County will make continuous, concerted efforts to attract and support businesses which employ or address the needs of disabled and handicapped persons.

(9) Clallam County will develop and implement a set of landscaping/building design guidelines for development along the Highway 101 and Highway 112 corridors. Landscaping and design guidelines will be used to improve the visual appearance of these important travel ways. Landscaping guidelines should generally implement the design features of the drawings prepared for the Comprehensive Plan. Grant funding should be sought through various sources to upgrade landscaping and facades for existing commercial and industrial operations.

(10) All levels of government should encourage economic development by working cooperatively with other economic development interests to provide water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure, appropriate land use designations (e.g., zoning) and to encourage new businesses to locate in those areas. Improvement costs should be paid through bonds, local improvement districts, and real estate excise taxes and repaid by the developer over time. The cost of connection to these systems needs to be carefully considered as excessive fees can discourage economic growth.

(11) Urban neighborhood commercial designations within urban growth areas should allow for a mix of residential and commercial land uses in order to encourage more interaction between local residents and businesses.

(12) Rural areas should allow research parks when the nature of the research requires a rural location such as is the case with the Battelle Facility near Sequim which required a waterfront location. Standards should be developed to ensure that these facilities do not cause adverse impacts, such as increased traffic, noise or pollution.

(13) Recreational developments that provide attractions to tourists and citizens in the area should be encouraged. Examples of appropriate developments would include golf courses, shoreline access, parks, trails. Existing tourist attractions, including Hurricane Ridge, the Olympic Discovery Trail, and Sol Duc Hot Springs should be maintained for year-round public access and enjoyment.

(14) Resource-based industries should continue to be supported, including conservation of forest and agricultural lands, and processing of raw materials.

(15) Clallam County should ensure that land use plans and regulations provide an environment conducive to business development, consistent with economic goals and objectives and protection of the public health, safety and welfare.

(16) The quality of the environment should be protected in order to attract tourists and new business which desire to locate in a quality environment enjoyed on the Olympic Peninsula.

(17)  Foster public dialogue to explore and define the elements of a sustainable community.

WSU-Cooperative Extension

(a) Bring together development, industry, agriculture, private citizens, and interest groups in a forum setting to identify issues, common goals, ideas, and funding sources for developing and sustaining environmental and economic health.

(b) Sponsor public cultural celebrations and entertainment that illustrate and/or support balancing environmental and economic issues.

(c) Sponsor a sustainable enterprise fair to market innovation within Clallam County, and to market Clallam County to innovative enterprises.

(18)  Employ educational institutions to gather information about new technologies and sustainable enterprises. Identify model communities, programs, businesses, and approaches to watersheds and sustainability. Present this information to business, industry, homeowners, schools.

WSU-Cooperative Extension

(19)  Maintain and expand an inventory of sustainable industries and innovative technologies which could be transferred to the Port Angeles watershed. Make this inventory available through public libraries and public and private offices.

Clallam County Economic Development Council, North Olympic Library System

(20)  Initiate a dialogue with neighborhood and community groups to exchange information about what is environmentally and economically acceptable.

Clallam County Economic Development Council

(21)  Continue to develop high-quality educational institutions that are attractive to industries. Improve local secondary schools to provide academic and vocational training consistent with market

needs. Seek to establish research facilities, satellite campuses, and higher-education academic institutions.

Port Angeles School District, Peninsula College, Western Washington University

(22)  Build the resources of the public and school libraries through contributions of published materials that describe sustainable enterprises and communities on a concrete (rather than theoretical), project-oriented level. Utilize Western Washington University’s Peninsula College Environmental Studies program as a repository and general distribution center for this information.

North Olympic Library System, Peninsula College, Western Washington University

(23)  Develop local facilities for recycling and manufacturing of recycled products. Search out and retain markets for recyclable materials. Provide additional sites for short-term storage of recyclable materials awaiting efficient means of transport. Pursue incentives to reduce waste storage through: the cost effectiveness of landfill disposal versus transportation costs; subsidizing transportation of collected materials if economically beneficial; establishing a waste-to-energy facility; or other methods.

Clallam County, Clallam County Economic Development Council

(24)  Facilitate materials exchange, through physical or electronic bulletin boards, community “flea markets,” or a dedicated reuse/recycling facility.

Clallam County

(25)  Initiate an awards program to recognize excellence and use of sustainability and nontoxic principles in residential and commercial development and in facility operation and maintenance.

Clallam County Economic Development Council

(26)  Evaluate and, where feasible, reform regulations to provide economic and other incentives to attract environmentally compatible enterprises to the Port Angeles watershed. Encourage businesses to make commitments to environmental enhancement in the watershed.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(27)  Acquire information and conduct studies to establish the limits of a healthy watershed in Port Angeles. Identify benchmarks of health which should not be exceeded, including those related to water quantity, resource extraction, and vegetation, fish, and wildlife abundance and diversity. Identify conservation measures and technological methods which could be used to extend those limits while retaining a reserve capacity to account for unpredictable needs or losses.

Western Washington University, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Peninsula College

(28)  Utilize a process similar to the Dungeness-Quilcene pilot project to allocate water resources among user groups before there is a crisis.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Port of Port Angeles, PUD #1 of Clallam County, Water Associations, Affected Parties

(29)  Analyze the economic impacts of protecting shorelines, streams, wetlands, and other water-related resources. Include the costs and benefits of protection policies, as well as the potential future costs resulting from degradation or irreversible loss of resources.

Clallam County

(30)  Conduct long-term monitoring of parameters of watershed health. Summarize the “State of the Watershed” annually in a report written for citizens and policy makers, and include a water quality summary in the EDC’s “Investor’s Guide.”

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Western Washington University, Clallam County Economic Development Council

31.04.140 The natural environment – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goals. Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries, including productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of productive forest lands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.

Encourage the retention of open space and development of recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks.

Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.

Protect the environment and enhance the State’s high quality of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water.

(2) Watershed Goals. Protect and enhance watershed resources, and reverse degradation where it has occurred.

Protect beneficial uses of water from nonpoint sources of pollution, including the effects of pathogens, chemicals, sediment, and nutrients on both surface and ground water resources.

Ensure cooperation and coordination in resource management.

(3) Flora and Fauna. The Olympic Peninsula is renowned for its extensive conifer stands of Douglas fir, Western red cedar, Sitka spruce, and Western hemlock. The fir, cedar, and spruce are the largest tree species in the watershed. Located within the conifer stands are deciduous trees: red alder, bigleaf and vine maples, willow, and black cottonwoods. They thrive in bottom land environments, particularly alongside streams, but occasionally grow elsewhere. Many locations in the higher elevations and a few locations in the lower elevations of the watershed contain special plants and plant communities. Some plants are listed by Washington State’s Natural Heritage Program as sensitive or monitor species. Vegetative cover can reduce pollutant loads, by slowing, detaining, or even absorbing quantities of bacteria, chemicals, sediment, and even heavy metals.

Many different mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and insects use one or more habitats found within the watershed. Marine mammals commonly found near the shoreline include sea and river otters (also in rivers and streams), harbor seals, gray whales, and harbor porpoises. Cavity nesting ducks found in the watershed feed on animal matter in wetlands and require snags and emergent/woody vegetation in swamps. Buffers areas with large trees and woody vegetation for breeding and rearing of their young are beneficial. Many other species of birds either live entirely in the watershed or use it as a resting/feeding area during annual migrations. Many shore birds use the Port Angeles regional watershed shoreline to feed during spring and fall migrations.

(4) Streams. There are 312 miles of mapped streams within the Port Angeles regional watershed, which includes Bagley Creek, Siebert Creek, Morse Creek, Lee’s Creek, Ennis Creek, Peabody Creek, Valley Creek, Tumwater Creek, Dry Creek, and the Elwha River drainages. Most of these streams are perennial. All of these subwatersheds outlet into the Strait of Juan de Fuca or are a tributary to the Elwha River. Base flow in most area streams is maintained by springs, seeps, and wetlands. Stream corridors are influenced by the management and use of adjacent lands. The overall health of stream corridors determines the productive capabilities of wildlife and fish habitats within the corridor. Vegetation along streams reduces bank erosion and diminishes the impacts of flooding. Streamside vegetation filters nutrients and sediment from surface runoff, preventing or slowing their entry into surface or groundwater. Maintenance of stream flows is extremely important, especially during times of low precipitation. Several streams in the watershed have limited fish production because of low flows. Stream corridors within the Port Angeles regional watershed display a wide variety of conditions from densely wooded and undisturbed to heavily impacted. The Elwha River is the major river in the watershed. Federal law (PL102-495) has authorized a study for restoration of anadromous fish to this river. Clallam County does not support removal of the Elwha River dams, but should dam removal become a reality, could provide technical and educational support for the project.

(5) Marine Waters. Port Angeles regional watershed provides habitat for a variety of marine and freshwater fishes. The marine shoreline of most of the watershed is fairly steep with large cobble and rock. Nearshore habitats are important nurseries for many kinds of juvenile fish. Many commercially and recreationally important species of shellfish are found immediately offshore of the Port Angeles regional watershed. Dungeness crab, shrimp, sea cucumbers, and red sea urchins are the primary species harvested. Other species found and harvested to a limited extent are octopus, green sea urchins, squid, and pink shrimp. Subtidal commercial concentrations of geoducks and hardshell clams occur in the Strait.

Historically, the Port Angeles Harbor was a site of shellfish harvest by indigenous peoples. Port Angeles Harbor is now classified as prohibited for shellfish harvest by DOH, due to the limited intertidal areas and the nearness of pollution sources in the harbor. Regardless of their commercial harvestability or fitness for human consumption, shellfish serve an important ecological function. They filter pollutants from water, and are a food source for other creatures, such as birds, waterfowl, and marine mammals. Port Angeles Harbor is on the State 303(d) list for water bodies with limited water quality due to levels of dissolved oxygen in water and PCBs in edible fish. Net pens in the harbor are currently utilized for the commercial production of salmon.

(6) Wetlands. The Port Angeles regional watershed has a wealth of wetlands which contribute to the overall health, diversity, and function of the area. Three hundred sixty-six (366) wetlands are mapped in the Port Angeles regional watershed. The estimated acreage of deepwater in the watershed is 633 acres. Wetlands cover about four (4) percent (3,043 acres) and additional hydric soils four (4) percent (2,696 acres) of the total acreage of the watershed. Together, wetlands and additional hydric soils make up eight (8) percent of the watershed. The vast majority of wetlands are classified in the palustrine system.

Common plants in wetland areas include mosses, wire grass, reeds, cattails, rushes, willows, sedges, and many other water-loving plants. According to the Washington Natural Heritage Program, the Olympic Peninsula has the greatest diversity in kinds of wetlands of any place in western Washington, and Peninsula wetlands support more rare plants than any other part of the State.

(7) Aquifers. Groundwater withdrawals for both industrial and domestic use occur in the watershed (Morse Creek, Elwha River). Aquifers are naturally recharged by precipitation falling over a region, and by surface water infiltration. In the Port Angeles watershed, most recharge may be attributed to fractured rock areas in the mountains (especially since precipitation is greater in the higher elevations) and flat areas with gravel or alluvial deposits. Because it is an “invisible” resource, we know little about the quantity of water available for beneficial uses, about the quality of water underground, or how it moves through the watershed. Available groundwater quality information for the watershed is limited to monitoring conducted at active and inactive landfills, and that conducted by public water systems utilizing wells.

31.04.145 The natural environment – Policies.

(1) General.

(a) [Policy No. 1] Review existing regulations relating to critical areas, sewage disposal, and land division for adequacy and effectiveness of ground and surface water protection measures.

County, City of Port Angeles

(i) Strengthen the wording and enforcement of existing laws, to protect water quality and quantity and to control specific sources of nonpoint pollution.

(ii) Provide incentives for compliance if necessary and include innovative enforcement approaches such as restoration, civil penalties, dedicated fines, and/or community service.

(b) [Policy No. 2] Address cumulative impacts to water quantity, water quality and beneficial uses, across all jurisdictions, when developing and implementing land use policies and plans. Conservation of water resources and prevention of pollution are the preferred management objectives.

County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, PUD #1 of Clallam County, WA Department of Natural Resources, WA Department of Transportation, Olympic National Park

(c) [Policy No. 3] Coordinate stream, salmon, and shellfish restoration and conservation projects for schools, volunteer organizations, landowners, and community groups. Assist real estate professionals, developers, business and industry representatives, conservation groups, and private landowners to implement restoration and conservation programs.

Clallam Conservation District, WSU-Cooperative Extension, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, County, City of Port Angeles

(d) [Policy No. 4] Coordinate an interagency team to train volunteer groups to protect and enhance wetlands, riparian areas, and other watershed resources.

WSU-Cooperative Extension

(e) [Policy No. 5] Provide information and education to the public and decision-makers on the rationale behind existing resource protection measures and ordinances.

County, City of Port Angeles

(2) Port Angeles Harbor.

(a) [Policy No. 6] Manage Port Angeles Harbor for the multiple beneficial uses for which it is designated under State and federal water quality standards, including recreation and aesthetics, fish and shellfish habitat, wildlife, and commerce and navigation.

City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Port of Port Angeles, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(b) [Policy No. 7] Coordinate a cooperative, multijurisdictional effort to identify existing pollution problems in the harbor, and needs and opportunities for restoration of marine resources. Undertake remediation of pollution in Port Angeles Harbor as soon as funding can be secured. Contain or remove contaminated sediments using best available technology.

City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, WA Department of Ecology

(3) Wetlands.

(a) [Policy No. 8] Amend wetland policies to include protection of identified water quality and hydrologic functions of wetlands – such as water retention/detention and pollutant removal – in addition to their habitat functions and values.

Clallam County

(b) [Policy No. 9] Develop a nonregulatory strategy for preserving wetlands through purchase, conservation easements, and other mechanisms. Identify significant riparian corridors and wetlands for possible purchase or acquisition of conservation easements. Prioritize the areas based upon specific criteria, or by public nomination. Seek funding and methods to permanently preserve and protect wetlands identified as significant. Conduct other wetland enhancements, such as:

•	Enhance wetlands at Laird Road through revegetation.

•	Improve the artificial wetland north of ITT/Rayonier landfill as an amenity or educational site.

•	Remove fill and pursue potential use of the airport wetland as mitigation banking site.

•	Other opportunities for wetland enhancement can be found at Lincoln Park, North Brook Street, 10th and “M” streets, and Big Boy Pond at Stevens Middle School.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, North Olympic Land Trust

(4) Wildlife.

(a) [Policy No. 10] Establish and/or support urban wildlife programs to create and enhance pockets of habitat within the City and outlying areas.

City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clallam County

(i) Bring the “Habitat in your Backyard” program to Port Angeles; distribute “how-to” packets for creating butterfly gardens, bird gardens, frog ponds, etc.

(b) [Policy No. 11] Create new corridors and maintain existing corridors of contiguous habitat for wildlife, in conjunction with streams and existing tracts of unbroken habitat.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(5) Public and Private Open Space.

(a) [Policy No. 12] Public actions should maintain and protect riparian and shoreline areas while providing public access where appropriate.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Natural Resources

(b) [Policy No. 13] Identify recreational access needs for streams and shorelines, and acquire easements where possible.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, North Olympic Land Trust, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(c) [Policy No. 14] Compile and distribute a summary of current incentive programs for open space retention and acquisition. Explain mechanisms for the protection of open spaces and natural environments; identify criteria for protection and acquisition; and describe the advantages and disadvantages of preservation.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, North Olympic Land Trust

(d) [Policy No. 15] Encourage and assist riparian property owners to dedicate conservation easements and other protective measures for corridor protection. Provide open-space tax status and other incentives for portions of properties located within the riparian corridor.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, North Olympic Land Trust

(e) [Policy No. 16] Pursue opportunities to obtain DNR-managed lands along riparian corridors for open space lands by purchase or other adequate compensation to the Trust for which it is managed.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, North Olympic Land Trust, WA Department of Natural Resources

(6) Shellfish. [Policy No. 17] Consider cumulative impacts to shellfish habitat and harvestability when shoreline master program, comprehensive plan amendments, and land use changes are reviewed.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe

(7) Fin Fish. [Policy No. 18] Maintain healthy wild native fish runs. Future replacement or enhancement of fish populations should utilize locally adapted stocks when available.

WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe

(8) Aquifers. [Policy No. 19] Conduct studies within the City and urban growth area to characterize possible contamination problems, and determine routes, types, and sources of contamination which may be affecting marine resources.

City of Port Angeles, Clallam County

(9) Streams and Riparian Corridors. Please see neighborhood policies for reference to specific stream corridors within the Port Angeles regional watershed.

(a) [Policy No. 20] For all streams, develop comprehensive, site-specific stream management plans which include stream surveys, assessment and monitoring, and recommendations for restoration or improvement. Stream evaluations should be performed in consultation with knowledgeable local residents. Plans should be linked to agency comprehensive plans, incorporate landowner needs and responsibilities, and provide for technical assistance to landowners.

Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clallam Conservation District

(b) [Policy No. 21] Monitor all streams for bacteria and chemical parameters. Immediately identify and remediate suspected sources of contamination.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe

(c) [Policy No. 22] Improve fish passage where needed, and create fish spawning and rearing habitat where appropriate.

WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam Conservation District

(d) [Policy No. 23] Protect and enhance riparian areas with vegetation to reduce stormwater impacts and to maintain optimum water temperature.

Clallam Conservation District, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(e) [Policy No. 24] Retain or immediately reestablish vegetated buffers within all stream corridors.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(f) [Policy No. 25] Use direct mailings and personal contacts to provide information and technical assistance to property owners and residents along floodplains, shorelines, and riparian areas. Include information about best management practices, low-impact shoreline management, management of erosive soils to protect water quality, and protection of riparian and other values.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Clallam Conservation District

(g) [Policy No. 26] Measure all surface water withdrawals at the source to determine actual withdrawals, to ensure compliance with permitted water right allocations.

WA Department of Ecology

(h) [Policy No. 27] Define necessary instream flows for fish on all streams. Establish limitations on surface water withdrawals to maintain optimum instream flow for fish at critical times. Encourage water conservation during low-flow months.

WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, City of Port Angeles, PUD #1 of Clallam County, Water Associations

31.04.150 Public involvement and education.

(1) GMA Goals. Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.

Identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites, and structures, that have historical or archaeological significance.

(2) Watershed Goals. Promote stewardship by residents, decision makers, visitors, and agencies in the Port Angeles watershed.

Protect beneficial uses of water from nonpoint sources of pollution, including the effects of pathogens, chemicals, sediment, and nutrients on both surface and ground water resources.

Ensure cooperation and coordination in resource management.

(3) Public Involvement. In the past, public involvement and education have often been viewed as luxuries that can only be carried out if staff time and budget permit. Or, they have been conducted only to satisfy the requirements of the law. Used correctly, however, public involvement and education are important strategies which can lead to more workable and lasting answers to local problems – answers that are arrived at with the help of a well-informed citizenry, through a process that goes well beyond the “one-way” communication of traditional public hearings. The Port Angeles Plan contains policies to foster effective public participation. The Plan provides for official recognition of neighborhood-based organizations. These organizations will be notified of Comprehensive Plan modifications, zone changes and development projects which could affect their neighborhoods. Official notification will allow local residents to be positively involved at an early stage in any change which could impact them. Proponents of change or development will be encouraged to work with neighborhood groups to reach mutually acceptable proposals.

Since nonpoint source pollution stems largely from human activity, watershed plans call for ongoing efforts to change people’s understanding and behavior The nonpoint rule requires public education measures in all pollution control strategies, and Clallam County recognizes that education is the most cost effective approach to pollution prevention. Because education and public involvement are closely linked, these activities are discussed together in this section.

With activism on the rise and the public’s increased understanding of the effect of environmental, land use, and transportation issues, citizen involvement starts way before final testimony at a public hearing. Effective citizen participation, whether by mandate or choice, expands the opportunities for citizens to discuss public policy and influence officials.

(4) Historical and Cultural Resources of Native Americans and other Residents of Clallam County. Native and non-native Americans in Clallam County are interested in preserving their history and culture. Historical and cultural resources include structures, landscapes, objects and areas with significance, some of which may not be physically apparent or measurable. Cultural resources have both a physical and social dimension, and are not limited to historical associations. Cultural resources connect special places, natural resources, and historic properties with the ongoing cultural practices of specific groups.

The tie between a resource and its cultural context defines why a resource should be preserved and which characteristics of the resource are most important to protect. Culture itself is a living, evolving process, and cultural resources traditionally identified by the tribes and others include regions, specific sites and landscapes where features are imbued with scenic, spiritual or mythological meanings.

Traditional cultural resources need to be defined, regarded and protected through a formalized procedure similar to that currently used to identify and protect archaeological and historical resources. Clallam County should expand and update its surveys of historic and cultural resources and use this inventory when evaluating the impacts of land use decisions.

The Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe exists as a sovereign government within what is now known as Clallam County, and is committed to helping identify and protect the region’s cultural resources. The Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe also desires to build an effective government to government relationship with Clallam County, based on collaboration and mutual respect.

31.04.155 Public involvement and education – Policies.

(1) Education.

(a) [Policy No. 1] Provide funding and support for a water resources field agent who will provide assistance in planning, conducting, and evaluating educational programs by working with local governments, property owners, and the public. The field agent should conduct regular educational presentations to civic groups and organizations in the community on water resource issues and watershed plan implementation.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, UW SeaGrant, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(b) [Policy No. 2] Conduct educational programs to meet applicable stewardship objectives and which are geared toward specific neighborhoods, organizations, and user groups. Programs should provide information, discussion, and activities and should address water quality and quantity issues and problems particular to these groups. Subjects covered may include on-site sewage disposal system operation and maintenance; riparian management; waste reduction, recycling, and disposal; water conservation.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Port of Port Angeles

(i) Conduct education programs for individual forest landowners, the general public, and the forest industry about forestry best management practices, streamside management, and watershed restoration.

WA Department of Natural Resources, Clallam Conservation District, WSU-Cooperative Extension

(ii) Provide public education programs for boaters, marina owners and operators, and other interested shoreline users. Signage, billing inserts, and workshops regarding proper waste disposal, spill management, and pumpout use should be a part of educational activities.

(iii) Conduct public education programs regarding proper use and disposal of household hazardous materials and chemicals.

(iv) Use public education and awareness programs to encourage the use of biodegradable cleaners and other alternatives to hazardous chemicals.

(c) [Policy No. 3] Continue Clallam Conservation District’s ongoing program of water quality education for small farm and commercial farm operators. Reach out to small farm operators to identify needs and concerns, provide information about good stewardship, and provide technical assistance for conservation planning and best management practices.

Clallam Conservation District, WSU-Cooperative Extension

(d) [Policy No. 4] Conduct outreach and awareness programs to reach a broad spectrum of the population, including previously underserved groups. Integrate environmental education and activities into other social and economic programs. Environmental education objectives should include giving marginalized groups employment skills, control over their environment, access to power, and cultural identity.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe

(e) [Policy No. 5] Conduct classroom workshops on clean water practices, planning for clean water, and salmon and watershed awareness. Integrate water quality and quantity studies into existing reading, social studies, and mathematics curricula.

Port Angeles School District, WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clallam Conservation District

(f) [Policy No. 6] Provide opportunities for students to earn classroom credit for participation in water quality community service projects, including short-term internships, attendance at public hearings, and serving on watershed management committees and other advisory boards.

Port Angeles School District, Peninsula College, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam Conservation District

(g) [Policy No. 7] Acquire and distribute self-contained educational programs such as scripted slide shows and videos; self-guided tours; and water quality self-assessment, to libraries, organizations, schools, and individuals.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(h) [Policy No. 8] Develop or purchase educational displays for use in public spaces, government offices, community events.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(i) Utilize brochures, booklets, and countertop video programs to provide water quality and water quantity education for individuals applying for County and City permits.

(2) Information.

(a) [Policy No. 9] Create and distribute a personal water quality decision-making guide, which includes issues related to individual attitudes and behavior, describes the options and opportunities the individual has to correct and prevent nonpoint source pollution, and the effects of those choices, and provides the individual with avenues to further protect water quality in their home, business, and community.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(b) [Policy No. 10] Increase community and governmental awareness and understanding of tribal governments in general, and the local tribes in particular. Provide information about tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and government-to-government interactions.

Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam County

(c) [Policy No. 11] All jurisdictions should work individually and cooperatively to identify, record, study and encourage the preservation, maintenance and appropriate use of lands, sites and structures that have cultural significance. The early identification and resolution of conflicts between the preservation of cultural resources and competing land uses should be promoted and facilitated.

(d) [Policy No. 12] Publicize the procedures for obtaining an hydraulic project approval permit from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for any activity within stream channels, and other State and local permits governing critical areas.

WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(e) [Policy No. 13] Use tourism advertising, publicity, and promotions to communicate environmental stewardship messages to local and regional audiences. Actively work with news media, tourism bureaus, and Chamber of Commerce to include education and information about water resource protection in their promotions.

North Olympic Peninsula Visitor and Convention Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Clallam Conservation District, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe

(f) [Policy No. 14] Develop art, literature, and historical presentations at schools and museums which demonstrate the cultural importance of the beneficial uses of water. Create items of popular culture (such as cards, calendars, posters, T-shirts) which portray aspects of the Port Angeles Watershed and its community as source of community identity.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(3) Activities.

(a) [Policy No. 15] Identify stream, wetland, and shoreline sites in the watershed which could be used for educational programs and develop site-specific materials for these places. Conduct field trips to these sites to demonstrate beneficial use and nonpoint pollution issues and solutions.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam Conservation District, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(b) [Policy No. 16] Conduct field trips and watershed tours for organizations, agency staff and boards, and the general public demonstrating nonpoint problems, beneficial uses, model farms and homes, and various best management practices as they apply to everyday situations in the watershed.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam Conservation District, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(c) [Policy No. 17] Work with teachers, citizens groups, agencies, and landowners to coordinate water quality and habitat enhancement projects on local streams. Utilize local volunteers to conduct an ongoing water quality monitoring program as an educational and public involvement tool.

Clallam Conservation District, WSU-Cooperative Extension, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(d) [Policy No. 18] Encourage neighborhood groups to undertake “Adopt A ... (water resource)” projects. Sponsor “Adopt A Stream,” “Adopt A Beach,” and “Adopt A Wetland” workshops in Clallam County to provide training to volunteer groups.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(e) [Policy No. 19] Bring together adversarial groups in partnerships to plan, conduct, and evaluate restoration and enhancement projects on streams, shorelines, and wetlands. Use these group projects to identify common goals and negotiate common benefits in resource protection.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam Conservation District, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(f) [Policy No. 20] Conduct training sessions for County, State, and agency staff, contractors, and equipment operators whose activities may impact or influence water quality.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(g) [Policy No. 21] Conduct a stormwater demonstration project which includes a field workshop for local contractors, developers, and the public. Projects should be designed to accompany stormwater management manuals developed by County, City, and State.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(h) [Policy No. 22] Conduct on-site sewage disposal workshops to educate people about on-site sewage disposal, including standard and alternative technology, costs, and maintenance. Train people to operate, observe, inspect, and maintain their systems.

Clallam County, WSU-Cooperative Extension

(i) [Policy No. 23] Educate the public and decision makers about the benefits of preserving open spaces and natural environments, and opportunities for acquisition and dedication of open spaces.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, North Olympic Land Trust, Clallam Conservation District

(j) [Policy No. 24] Offer recognition and tangible reward to individuals, groups, businesses, and agencies who demonstrate leadership and make a commitment to protecting water quality or quantity. The annual “Citizen of the Year” award should include a separate category for environmental stewardship.

WSU-Cooperative Extension

(k) [Policy No. 25] Actively develop the community celebrations, exercises, and conferences which foster visioning, goal setting, and consensus-building; and which build trust, respect, and cooperation between leaders, staff, citizens, and groups.

WSU-Cooperative Extension

(4) Public Involvement.

(a) [Policy No. 26] Neighborhood groups which represent more than twenty (20) percent of the households in their neighborhood and meet on a regular basis can be officially recognized by the Clallam County Commissioners by making application with the County. These organizations will be notified of comprehensive plan modifications, zone changes, long plats, large lot subdivisions and development projects which could affect their neighborhoods.

(b) [Policy No. 27] Encourage proponents of change or development to work with neighborhood groups to reach mutually acceptable proposals.

(c) [Policy No. 28] Publicize policy actions, meeting dates and times, and contact numbers for public officials, through an easily identified and readable column in the newspapers. Active solicitation of public involvement should be a necessary component of research, planning, and policy making budgets and timelines. At a minimum, public involvement methods should consist of information dissemination, discussion, activities, and evaluation.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(d) [Policy No. 29] Conduct annual “neighborhood meetings” with neighborhood councils, advisory boards, the Board of County Commissioners, City Council, Conservation District Board of Supervisors, and other agency representatives to discuss and respond to watershed and neighborhood-specific issues. Neighborhood meetings can serve as an avenue for mutual education between government officials and the public on issues concerning the regions built environment, neighborhood sites with historic or cultural significance, neighborhood design issues, view protection, control of sprawl and other quality of life issues.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Clallam Conservation District

(e) [Policy No. 30] Clear, proactive communications on issues that concern all peoples and the region are a necessary prerequisite for building a basis for understanding and protecting cultural resources. Clallam County should apply the same process to cultural resources as is now used for archeological and historical resource protection. This process should be supplemented by cooperative agreements and collaboration between jurisdictions, and by including the tribe in the notice of action in permitting processes for areas of tribal interest.

(f) [Policy No. 31] Utilize dispute resolution services to conduct training on goal setting and consensus-building for neighborhood groups, citizens and government staff. Use dispute resolution services and programs to resolve conflicts and mediate solutions before resorting to litigation.

Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe

31.04.200 Agricultural land – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goals. Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries, including productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of productive forest lands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.

Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development.

Encourage the retention of open space and development of recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks.

Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.

Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation having been made. The property rights of landowners shall be protected from arbitrary and discriminatory actions.

(2) Definition. The Growth Management Act defines “agricultural land” as land primarily devoted to the commercial production of horticultural, viticultural, floricultural, dairy, apiary, vegetable, or animal products or of berries, grain, hay, straw, turf, seed, Christmas trees not subject to the excise tax imposed by RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, finfish in upland hatcheries, or livestock and that has long-term commercial significance for agricultural production.

The Growth Management Act defines “long-term commercial significance” to include the growing capacity, productivity, and soil composition of the land for sustained commercial production, in consideration of the land’s proximity to population areas, and the possibility of more intense uses of the land.

(3) Resource Base. The Port Angeles planning area contains no land which qualifies as agricultural resource land of long-term commercial significance. This finding is based on the fact that agricultural lands in this region are primarily utilized as pasture for animal raising and very few of these operations are commercially viable. The region does, however contain several large farms which have significant impact on the rural character and aesthetics of the region. These properties should be targeted for transfer or purchase of development rights programs. The Port Angeles watershed characterization report identified eighty-five (85) farms exceeding twenty (20) acres in size covering nearly 2,000 acres. Policies should encourage the conservation of land put to productive use.

(4) Open Space. Although it is recognized that agricultural lands do play a significant role in our local economy and lifestyle, these lands may play a greater role as open space for the enjoyment of the public, preservation of the remaining rural character of the Port Angeles planning area, and as wildlife habitat.

(5) Public Interest. During the regional planning process, citizens of the Port Angeles region have indicated a strong interest in conserving agricultural lands, open space and the quality of the environment. This issue has and will continue to be a very emotional discussion between property owners and the general public. It is unquestionable that the remaining agricultural lands in the area play a vital component in maintaining rural character. However, the interest of the general public over the interest of the private property owner must be carefully considered. This plan cannot diminish the goal to protect property rights.

(6) Conservation Alternatives. Conservation of agricultural lands could be accomplished through several alternatives:

•	Public acquisition or transfer of development rights; and/or

•	Incentives, such as taxes, flexible zoning techniques, technical assistance.

(7) Development Rights. There are several ways to acquire the development rights: purchase those rights or transfer the rights to other properties. The purchase of development rights occurs when the public acquires the rights held by the property owner to develop the land while the owner maintains the right to utilize the land for agricultural purposes. Once the public has purchased the development rights of the property, title to those rights no longer remains with the property owner and the agricultural nature of the land is preserved. The public purchase of development rights should provide more assurance that agricultural lands will be conserved forever than the use of traditional regulatory measures.

The Sequim-Dungeness Regional Plan contains policies supporting a program to purchase the development rights of certain agricultural lands. Such a program would require a vote by all residents of the County, as the funds would be obtained through “general obligation” bonds of County government. This program could include some properties in the Port Angeles planning area as this would enhance the probability of being approved by voters in this region.

If a levy of $5,000,000 was proposed and approved, it is estimated the levy would amount to $0.103 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. In this example, the owner of a $100,000 house would pay $10.30 per year to pay off the conservation purchase bond.

Other options available to local governments for conservation of agricultural lands and open space are special property tax laws (conservation futures) or real estate excise tax. Conservation futures authorizes an assessment of $0.0625 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, which would have generated $133,800 in revenue in 1994. This tax does not require voter approval and could be used as the source for issuance of bonds approved by the Board of Clallam County Commissioners. Real estate excise taxes include an option for a voter approved one percent tax on the transfer of property for the purpose of acquiring conservation areas, which would have resulted in $1,200,000 in revenue in 1993.

(8) Finfish Hatcheries. In 1994 the State amended the definition of agricultural land to include finfish in upland hatcheries. This planning area has two (2) finfish hatcheries on the Elwha River. Both hatcheries are susceptible to incompatible adjacent residential land uses which might affect water quality.

31.04.205 Agricultural land conservation – Policies.

(1) Findings. [Policy No. 1] Based solely on growing capacity, productivity, and soil composition of the land within the Port Angeles planning area, there are not any agricultural lands of long-term commercial significance. Agricultural land uses which are found in this region, although not of long-term commercial significance, should be preserved to maintain productive agricultural use of land, to maintain economic benefit to residents of the region, to reduce reliance on food sources which originate outside the County and to maintain the rural character of the planning region.

(2) Conservation Strategy. [Policy No. 2] Maintain, enhance and conserve productive agricultural lands through the following means:

•	Continue to provide tax incentives (open space or current use assessments);

•	Continue to provide technical assistance, such as resource conservation plans prepared by the Clallam Conservation District or Soil Conservation Service;

•	Allow and encourage small-scale agricultural uses within both rural and urban areas;

•	Discourage incompatible uses on adjacent lands, through increased setbacks, limits on utility extensions in agricultural areas, right-to-practice agriculture ordinances, and notification to residential landowners of potential incompatible uses; and

•	Work towards long-term (i.e., permanent) conservation through transfer of development rights or public purchase of development rights.

(3) Farm Land Use Maps. [Policy No. 3] Farm lands to be targeted for protection should be specifically identified and property owners contacted to determine their willingness to participate in protection programs. Such lands should enjoy the full protection of the “right to practice agriculture” ordinance as long as the farm use is to be continued.

(4) Purchase of Development Rights. [Policy No. 4] Develop a program for lasting, long-term conservation of agricultural lands based on public financial support.

(a) Focus the program on purchase of development rights in order to keep lands in private ownership. Once development rights are purchased, future development shall be restricted through such legal instruments as necessary to ensure permanent conservation of lands for the benefit of future generations.

(b) Work with the public and landowners to set priorities for the purchase of development rights. Priorities may be set based on development pressures, open space value, or environmental values.

(c) Development rights to agricultural lands should be acquired through voter approval of a general obligation bond for the purchase of development rights.

(5) Incompatible Development.

(a) [Policy No. 5] Public services and utilities within and adjacent to identified farms shall be designed to prevent negative impacts on agriculture and to maintain total farmland acreage, as follows:

(i) Water lines, sewer lines, and other public facilities should avoid crossing farmland subject to future protection programs;

(ii) Roads should not divide farmlands targeted for protection.

(b) [Policy No. 6] Continue to conserve all agricultural lands, whether designated for long-term commercial significance or not, through property tax reductions (current use assessments).

(6) Finfish Hatcheries. [Policy No. 7] Ensure that land uses adjacent to finfish hatcheries are compatible with the long-term commercial production of those hatcheries. Consideration shall be given to appropriate land use densities, land use practices, and maintenance of water quality standards.

31.04.210 Forest land – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goals. Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries, including productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of productive forest lands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.

Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development.

Encourage the retention of open space and development of recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks.

Protect the environment and enhance the State’s high quality of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water.

Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.

(2) Watershed Goals. Protect beneficial uses of water from nonpoint sources of pollution in the Port Angeles watershed, including the effects of pathogens, chemicals, sediment, and nutrients on both surface and ground water resources.

Protect and enhance watershed resources, and reverse degradation where it has occurred.

Ensure long-term, sustainable, environmental and economic health of the watershed.

Ensure cooperation and coordination in resource management.

(3) A Vision for Forest Resource Lands. We envision the retention of forest resource lands and the maintenance of the forest industry as a major industry in the County. The forested foothills of the region remain in resource land use providing for jobs, clean and abundant water and forested vistas. The State-managed foothills area has successfully combined forest management with recreational trails utilized by thousands of bicyclists and hikers. The steep ravines of the streams in the watershed retain their forested cover providing a filter for runoff and providing cover and movement corridors for wildlife as well as fish.

(4) Definition. The Growth Management Act defines “forest land” as land primarily devoted to growing trees for long-term commercial timber production on land that can be economically and practically managed for such production, including Christmas trees subject to the excise tax imposed under RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, and that has long-term commercial significance. In determining whether forest land is primarily devoted to growing trees for long-term commercial timber production on land that can be economically and practically managed for such production, the following factors shall be considered: (a) the proximity of the land to urban, suburban, and rural settlements; (b) surrounding parcel size and the compatibility and intensity of adjacent and nearby land uses; (c) long-term local economic conditions that affect the ability to manage for timber production; and (d) the availability of public facilities and services conducive to conversion of forest land to other uses.

The Growth Management Act defines “long-term commercial significance” to include the growing capacity, productivity, and soil composition of the land for sustained commercial production, in consideration of the land’s proximity to population areas, and the possibility of more intense uses of the land.

(5) Resource Base. Commercial forestry in the Port Angeles region is still a viable industry. There are sufficient public (federal and State) and private lands to provide a resource base for timber harvesting. In 1992, the County designated approximately 34,000 acres of lands as forest lands of long-term commercial significance, including approximately 3,500 acres as transitional forest lands. A large percentage of the lands designated are State and federal lands. There are many forest resource support industries in this planning area. Mills and log storage yards are primarily located in the Port Angeles area.

(6) Forest Land Use Issues. Community input through surveys, neighborhood meetings, and letters has indicated a strong interest in conserving our forest lands, open space and the quality of our environment. In 1992, Clallam County designated approximately 34,000 acres as forest lands of long-term commercial significance in the Port Angeles Region, including approximately 3,500 acres of transitional forest lands. Retaining commercial forest resource lands in resource use is the major goal of the resource lands element. Retention of resource lands benefits the taxpayers of the County in that this land use requires few County services while providing substantial income primarily in the form of harvest taxation.

Commercial forestry in the east end of the County is and will continue to be our largest industry. There are sufficient public (federal and State) and private lands to provide the resource base for timber harvesting. Retention of this resource base should limit the loss of forestry related jobs.

Additional benefits of forestland retention derive from the fact that these lands play a major role in protecting both water quality and quantity. Permanent clearing of forestlands associated with housing developments leads to rapid surface runoff as tree and other vegetation are no longer available to allow for slow infiltration of water into soils and aquifers. Construction of roads and housing greatly increases erosion as soils and cut slopes are exposed to rainfall. Roads, roofs and driveways increase impervious surfaces which directly contributes to surface runoff and to a decrease in water added to aquifers.

One of the larger conflicts with commercial forest operations occurs when residences encroach into areas managed for commercial forestry. The foothills area south of Township Line Road, Upper Mount Pleasant Road, Mt. Angeles Road and Upper Black Diamond Road are examples of areas where residential development has increased and encroached upon the commercial forest. Commercial forestry zoning is utilized to limit the number of persons locating in areas of commercial forest operations so that conflict is minimized. Commercial forestry/residential mixed use zoning is utilized in areas currently managed for commercial forestry by smaller landowners in order to retain at least a portion of these lands in commercial forestry. Commercial forestry/residential mixed use zoning allows residential uses but utilizes the forest lands retained in this type of development to buffer and separate residences from commercial forest operations which might endanger residences such as prescribed burning, spraying or harvesting operations. Commercial forestry/residential mixed use zoning is also utilized in areas surrounded by commercial forestry zoning where a residential area of limited size is intermixed with commercial forestlands and where designation as rural land use would tend to create conflicts with commercial forestry or encourage conversion of forest resource lands. Rural very low density designations are utilized in areas not currently managed for commercial forestry to buffer commercial forest areas from more intensive rural density development. Conflicts with traditional forest management techniques will continue to increase but can be minimized by maintaining commercial forest areas in commercial forest uses, utilizing buffers to reduce the risk to residences located near commercial forest lands and providing for low densities at the edge of the commercial forest.

One of the methods that Clallam County adopted to conserve the resource base and ensure compatibility at the forest/rural interface was the use of a commercial-residential mixed use zones (CFM). Most of these zones were in the foothills on the east end of the County. Development within the CFM zones was allowed if developed in a cluster pattern (thirty (30) percent development/seventy (70) percent forest). In exchange for clustering, large density bonuses were possible. This plan responds to critics of these excessive bonuses by removing the bonus provisions of the earlier ordinances. Another legitimate criticism leveled at the CFM zones was the fact that forest reserves were only set aside for twenty (20) years which is not enough time to provide for even one rotation of trees to reach maturity. This plan requires that the forest reserve be set aside permanently for forest use since the development potential of the entire property will have been utilized in the development area.

31.04.215 Forest land conservation – Policies.

(1) Generally.

(a) [Policy No. 1] Lands meeting the definition or criteria for commercial forest lands in the County General Plan should be designated as commercial forest lands of long-term commercial significance. In general, these lands should have a minimum parcel size of eighty (80) acres or contiguous parcels under the same ownership can be grouped into eighty (80) acre sizes, are currently forested, and have a forest land grade which is capable of growing trees at a commercial growth rate. (See criteria in the County-wide Plan.)

(i) Land designated as commercial forest shall remain in this classification throughout the life of this Plan (twenty (20) years) except in those cases where an error was made in the application of the criteria establishing the zone.

(b) [Policy No. 2] Commercial forestry (CF) designation and zoning at eighty (80) acre minimum lot sizes is the preferred form of protection for forest resource lands. Conversion of commercial forest (CF) zoning to zones which provide less protection of the forest resource such as commercial forestry/mixed use residential shall not be permitted during this planning period. Rural and urban lands have sufficient development potential to provide for increased populations.

(c) [Policy No. 3] Lands designated in the comprehensive plan as commercial forest/residential mixed use serve as a buffer between more intensively managed commercial forestlands and rural development patterns. Commercial forestry/residential mixed use designation and zoning are also utilized in areas surrounded by commercial forestry zoning where a residential area of limited size is intermixed with commercial forestlands and where designation as rural land use would tend to create conflicts or conversion pressures for commercial forestry. These areas are currently managed for commercial forestry but they have been impacted by adjacent residential development. They provide for a mix of protected forest reserves and low density residential lots built in a clustered development pattern. The commercial forest/residential mixed use zones have been modified in the following manner so that they may accomplish their intended purpose of protecting commercial forest uses in areas experiencing some growth pressures:

(i) Nonclustered development in all CFM zones is at one home per eighty (80) acre densities, cluster development is at one home per twenty (20) acre densities in CFM20 zones and one home per five (5) acre densities in CFM5 zones.

(ii) Density bonuses will be deleted.

(iii) Forest reserves will be permanently preserved for commercial forestry and will be located to buffer adjacent commercial forestlands.

(d) [Policy No. 4] Areas not presently managed for commercial forestry which are found in close association with large blocks of commercial forest land should be utilized as a buffer between commercial forest lands and rural sized developments. These areas should be designated for very low density residential use at twenty (20) acre densities.

(i) These transitional forest-residential lands should ensure compatibility with adjacent commercial forest land use through increased structural setbacks and recognition of the right-to-practice forestry ordinance on adjacent lands.

(ii) Flexible zoning developments which avoid the conflict with adjacent commercial forest land use and which retain a minimum of seventy (70) percent of the site in a large remainder lot in order to buffer adjacent commercial forestlands, retain open space lands for wildlife, resource production and/or open space can be encouraged within these zones.

(iii) Landowners within the transitional forest-residential lands should be notified of property tax options for conserving forest lands.

(e) [Policy No. 5] Retention of designated commercial forestlands managed by the State for forest production/harvest is a key element of preserving the viewshed in the Port Angeles region. Many State-managed forestlands are found at elevations that make them highly visible from highways, County roads and from urban areas. These lands should be retained in State ownership and should not be converted out of commercial forest designations. It is an accepted fact that the community expects these lands to be managed for commercial forest purposes using forest “best management practices.”

(f) [Policy No. 6] Retention of all designated commercial forestlands in the Port Angeles planning region is vital to maintenance of the forest industry as the regions leading industry. Given that development potentials of rural and urban lands in the region could accommodate much more than twenty (20) years of population growth, designated commercial forest resource lands should be retained in the original commercial forestland designations and zoning proposed by the 1995 plan throughout the planning period.

(g) [Policy No. 7] Retention of designated commercial forestlands is a key component to protection of water quality and water quantity.

(h) [Policy No. 8] Existing managed public access to public forest lands for recreation should be maintained.

(i) [Policy No. 9] Master planned resorts should not be located on forest resource lands that are within the viewshed of the Port Angeles urban growth area or when more than fifty (50) percent of the proposed site would be covered by critical areas. The viewshed of the Port Angeles urban growth area is defined as lands located at elevations exceeding 1,000 feet in elevation above sea level in the area between Morse Creek and the Elwha River.

(2) Forest Practices and Watershed Management.

(a) [Policy No. 10] General Policies for Forest Management.

(i) Conduct an inventory of forest roads in the watershed to determine forest road maintenance needs, site and age problems, and needs for road repair or formal road abandonment. The inventory should be coordinated with existing information maintained by DNR.

Clallam County, WA Department of Natural Resources

(ii) Educate landowners to evaluate operators for their knowledge of State forestry BMPs and regulations.

WA Department of Natural Resources, Clallam County

(iii) Manage riparian forests for conifer diversity, retaining or replanting with conifers.

WA Department of Natural Resources, Clallam County

(iv) Provide technical assistance to riparian landowners for vegetation enhancement utilizing conifers.

Clallam Conservation District

(b) [Policy No. 11] Policies for Forest Practices Related to Conversion to Another Use.

(i) Clallam County should actively participate in forest practice application review and conditioning to ensure protection of water quality.

Clallam County, WA Department of Natural Resources

(A) Clallam County and the Department of Natural Resources shall annually review procedures for permitting and enforcement of forest practices applications for conversions.

(B) Through a memorandum of agreement with DNR, establish areas likely to convert (ALTCs) in which the County would become lead agency under SEPA when a forest practice approval is required.

(ii) Adequate funding for review of conversion FPAs should be allocated to the County from FPA fees. Currently, the $500 permit fee is deposited in the State’s general fund. Legislative action should be taken to return a portion of this fee to the County for review of these permits.

WA State Legislature, WA Department of Natural Resources, Clallam County

(iii) Management of conversion harvests shall be based upon potential drainage impacts, regardless of acreage. Conversion harvest plans shall be prepared for forest lands harvested for conversion to another land use. Clallam County shall ensure that, at a minimum, the harvest plan includes:

(A) Drainage and erosion control best management practices;

(B) Timely revegetation utilizing native or sterile species;

(C) Protection of fish and wildlife habitat and other critical areas;

(D) Location and design of roads to minimize potential sediment generation and delivery to surface waters.

Clallam County

(c) [Policy No. 12] Policies Related to Timber Management Forest Practices.

(i) DNR’s review of forest practices applications shall, at a minimum, attempt to limit potential water quality impacts from forest practices by:

(A) Evaluating the cumulative effects of all harvests in the watershed;

(B) Reducing the risk of occurrence of landslides and severe erosion by identifying high-erosion-hazard areas (landslide hazard areas) within the harvest unit;

(C) Considering additional contributions from harvesting or roads to any known existing water quality impairments or problems in watersheds of concern;

(D) Timing the activity for the season or moisture conditions when the least impact occurs;

(E) Locating and designing road systems to minimize potential sediment generation and delivery to surface waters;

(F) Locating and designing temporary and permanent stream crossings to prevent failure and control impacts from the road system.

WA Department of Natural Resources

(ii) Evaluation of forest practice applications for timber harvest of nonconverting lands shall emphasize prevention of potential individual and cumulative effects of harvest on water quality and quantity.

WA Department of Natural Resources

(iii) Smaller, unstable ravines (equal to or in excess of forty (40) percent slope, or where the ground surface rises ten (10) feet or more vertically within a horizontal distance of twenty-five (25) feet) should be assessed for sensitivity to forest practices, thus requiring a Class III priority forest practices permit.

WA Department of Natural Resources

(iv) Plan, operate, and manage normal, ongoing forestry activities (including harvesting, road design and construction, site preparation and regeneration, and chemical management) to adequately protect the functions of forested wetlands.

WA Department of Natural Resources

(v) When chemicals are necessary for forest management, buffers for surface waters shall be established and clearly identified. Surface waters shall be protected from the application of toxic materials, including petroleum products, and from spills.

WA Department of Natural Resources

31.04.220 Rural land – Inventory and analysis.

(1) GMA Goals. Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development.

Encourage the retention of open space and development of recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks.

Protect the environment and enhance the State’s high quality of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water.

Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries, including productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of productive forest lands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.

Identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites, and structures, that have historical or archaeological significance.

Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.

(2) Watershed Goals. Protect beneficial uses of water from nonpoint sources of pollution in the Port Angeles watershed, including the effects of pathogens, chemicals, sediment, and nutrients on both surface and ground water resources.

Ensure long-term, sustainable, environmental and economic health of the watershed.

Ensure cooperation and coordination in resource management.

(3) A Vision for Rural Lands in Clallam County. We envision the rural lands in the Port Angeles planning area as a scenic patchwork of large open fields and woodlots interspersed with rural homesteads and serviced by neighborhood or tourist commercial clusters. Neighborhood/tourist commercial clusters are located at their present positions along the highway and have blended into the rural environment through the application of landscaping standards and rural design guidelines which emphasize the preservation of rural views. Recreational uses which promote open space values such as golf courses, driving ranges and horse stables are encouraged to locate along major highways to improve scenic vistas and buffer residential uses. Overly rigid development patterns which saw large areas of land divided up into uniform lot sizes with no provisions for intervening larger lot sizes or open space have been replaced by a more natural rural character conservation development pattern in rural lands. This Comprehensive Plan designation encourages land owners to create a variety of residential lot sizes ranging from one-half acre residential lots to forty (40) acre open spaces. Allowing for a variety of lot sizes without increasing existing densities allows farmsteads, woodlots and affordable housing options to coexist in the same general area providing much more choice, affordability and variety than that which existed under uniform development patterns. The County’s strategy for preserving rural character has focused on maintaining open spaces, retaining a diversity of lot sizes, allowing rural growth to occur on smaller lots without increasing current densities and concentrating rural commercial enterprises at existing locations along highways.

A clear boundary exists between rural and urban areas. Average density in the rural areas is less than one home per five (5) acres. Rural character conservation designations have been established in the rural areas which has allowed rural character to be preserved far into the future rather than allowing it to gradually degrade as unplanned development took place, as was occurring prior to the adoption of the new comprehensive plan in 1995. Several pre-existing urban density developments are found within the rural area in the vicinity of the Bluffs Subdivision, on Place Road and at Lake Sutherland. Infill development within these suburban pockets is encouraged. Many critical areas, important agricultural lands and forest lands have been permanently protected through purchase of development rights, rural character conservation open space agreements and conservation easements. Forest resource lands, farms and important open space resource lands first identified in 1992 and 1993 remain in resource use.

Critical areas in the rural portion of the County are protected and environmental enhancement projects have restored many acres of wetlands and miles of streams to salmon runs. Both the Comprehensive Plan and its implementing ordinances recognize the need to allow natural systems to be the key determinant of planning and land use activity. Incentive-based programs and ordinances seek to link, protect and enhance natural systems through appropriate zoning, conservation easements, covenants or other innovative means. Structures, roads and utility systems are placed in such a way as to minimize the alteration of the landscape and to preserve the operation of the natural systems and wildlife corridors. Water is clean and abundant due to conservation efforts. Careful stewardship has ensured the conservation of our land, air, water and energy resources for future generations and has enhanced present day property values and public safety.

(4) Defining Rural Character. The Growth Management Act defines rural lands by identifying them as the areas which are not urban growth areas and are not identified for long term commercial production of agricultural, forest, and mineral resources. The intent of the Growth Management Act is that “rural lands” and what constitutes “rural character” are to be defined at the local level. Sprawling, estate type lots, which are too small for productive woodlots or small scale agricultural uses are to be discouraged in rural areas.

The Clallam County County-wide Planning Policies provide guidance to the densities which are not rural in character. These policies identify a density of one unit per acre as urban/suburban indicating that one acre per home densities without offsetting provision of open space would not be considered as “rural” in character. Several locally conducted visual preference surveys, questionnaires and comments at various public meetings indicate that many local residents think of rural lands as areas exhibiting low residential densities (one home per ten (10) acres or less) that provide a mixture of rural land uses. Local residents indicate that rural land uses include farms, woodlots, and natural open spaces which are clearly distinguished from urban/suburban areas that are characterized by uniform lot sizes, lack of open areas and higher densities. The County-wide Planning Policies also indicate that maximum densities should be set for areas outside of urban growth areas, provide that the County’s Comprehensive Plan shall permit only those land uses that are compatible with the rural character of such lands and that the rural element provide for a variety of rural densities and development patterns, including the use of cluster housing concepts to encourage conservation of open space and resource lands. Lastly, the County-wide Planning Policies suggest that rural areas abutting urban areas should provide for reduced densities or cluster development options in order to allow for future expansion of urban areas.

The regions current “rural character” is characterized by large open spaces and pockets of concentrated residential development along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Residential communities are separated by a highly mixed rural development pattern of diverse lot sizes and land uses.

The draft vision statement for rural lands in the Port Angeles region establishes the twenty (20) year vision for retaining rural character. Drawing from the vision statement, “rural character” is defined as a scenic patchwork of large open fields and woodlots interspersed with rural homesteads and serviced by neighborhood/tourist commercial clusters at existing locations. Density is less than one home per five (5) acres and uniform lot sizes developed over large areas are not encouraged. Rural character conservation designations would be established to ensure that rural lot sizes exceeding ten (10) acres in size will be interspersed throughout the rural area and that rural character could be maintained far into the future.

(5) Rural Growth Issues and Current Trends. Achieving the goals of this plan to maintain a high quality of life for those County residents that live in rural portions of the Port Angeles planning area will require positive changes to current County policies and regulations. Current policies, regulations and market structure encourage people to locate in rural areas while at the same time allowing development to occur at densities and in patterns which diminish the very rural character that caused people to move there in the first place. A simple study of parcel maps in the County document the trend of recent development practices to divide the landscape into uniform residential lots at densities in between urban and rural densities leading to land use patterns that can only be defined as sprawl. Rural areas in Clallam County and this planning region are rapidly being divided into one acre, 2.4 acre and five (5) acre lot sizes. Land use studies show that there are already 2,500 vacant parcels in these size ranges which could meet all of the land use demand for this type of lot over the next twenty (20) years. These individual lots contain some private open area but make no provision for productive uses of the land for raising livestock, growing timber or just leaving some open areas for wildlife habitat.

Over the past ten (10) years, the unincorporated or rural areas of the Port Angeles planning area have experienced over sixty-five (65) percent of the decades growth, with the remainder of the growth occurring in the planning area’s one incorporated place, the City of Port Angeles. It appears that many people moving to this County are looking for a rural lifestyle and do not see much advantage to choosing to live in urban areas. These rural growth trends do not satisfy growth management objectives of encouraging development in urban areas where adequate public facilities and services can be provided in an efficient manner. Without change, rural areas will continue to experience intense development pressures and a rapid decrease in rural quality of life. If sprawl is to be controlled, then urban growth at urban densities should be encouraged in urban areas and should not be encouraged in rural areas.

The City of Port Angeles is the only urban growth area within the Port Angeles planning area. The unincorporated portion of the urban growth area covers more than 3,000 acres. Moderate to high density development will be encouraged within the urban growth area. The availability of high density and cost efficient services within the urban growth area should make it more cost effective to develop within the urban growth area than outside of it. This “cost of development” advantage should help to reverse the trend toward rural development and ease the development pressure currently experienced in these areas. It should be noted that all of the planned population for the entire planning area could be accommodated within this urban growth area.

(6) Defining Sprawl. It has been maintained by land use researchers in Washington that, “A new rural sprawl is consuming large amounts of land, splitting wide open spaces into fragments that are useless for agriculture, wildlife habitat, or other rural open space purposes.” Sprawl development has the following characteristics:

•	Sprawl development lacks the density needed to provide efficient urban services but is too dense to be considered rural;

•	Sprawl is the ever outward extension of commercial development along main highways or arterials also known as “strip commercial development;”

•	Sprawl blurs the distinction between urban and rural environments;

•	Sprawl is a density of rural development which creates conflicts between agriculture, forest resource or mining operations and residential uses;

•	Sprawl will occur from conventional zoning requiring uniform lot sizes of one home per one to five (5) acres over large areas. Lots larger than ten (10) acres must be retained throughout the rural area to retain rural character.

(7) Why Keep Rural Areas Rural? There are many reasons for maintaining rural character in rural areas. Preservation of rural character has been a strong concern for residents of the Port Angeles watershed as evidenced by area-wide survey results. Economic reasons also provide a strong justification for retaining productive land uses. Some additional rationale are provided below:

(a) The designation of urban and rural areas allows efficient provision of public services and facilities when most growth is directed to compact urban centers. Studies have shown that the average annual cost to maintain services for developed land was thousands of dollars per acre more than maintaining services to productive forest lands, agricultural lands and open space.

(b) Rural areas have traditionally offered a retreat from the bustle of urban life and offer additional choices of living environments for residents.

(c) The presence of rural lands is attractive to residents and visitors. If rural character is diminished, new residents and visitors could choose to locate or spend their time and money in areas that have retained their scenic rural areas.

(d) Rural areas bordering cities provide for the logical, planned future expansion of urban areas.

(e) Rural areas adjacent to urban centers are susceptible to sprawl which can quickly overwhelm community character, County budgets and way of life.

(f) Urban and resource areas are dependent upon each other, but tend to be uneasy neighbors. Rural areas can buffer urban and resource or natural areas from each other, so that each area can function without interference from the other.

(g) Rural areas, although not designated for long-term commercially significant timber and agricultural resource use, are also appropriate areas for resource operations.

(h) Small scale farms can thrive in rural areas near urban centers. Intensive farming can be workable on acreage as small as ten (10) to twenty (20) acres.

(8) What Happens to Rural Character under Conventional Development? Further application of current development patterns allowed in rural areas will not result in retention of “rural character” or a high quality of rural living. The typical one acre to five (5) acre lot in a conventional zoning district will seem “rural” only so long as it borders pasture lands or woodlots of neighboring properties. However this is “borrowed” open space, temporary in nature. When those abutting properties are also developed for home sites, the surroundings will be suburban in character and the feeling of “living in the County” will be lost. After viewing fully developed areas of one acre, 2.4 acre and even five (5) acre zoning, Clallam County residents participating in visual preference surveys indicated that these areas did not look rural. The majority of land in these suburban density subdivisions will be devoted to large yards and a high percentage of the area utilized merely to provide road access to each lot. Similarly, allowing intensive urban type developments such as Sunland or Diamond Point does not retain rural character as revealed in the fact that both developments have now been designated as urban growth areas where a full suite of urban level services must be provided. The large urban growth areas adopted by Clallam County provide ample vacant land for future urban type developments.

(9) Rural Character Conservation. With these facts in mind, the Plan for the Port Angeles region calls for widespread utilization of a rural character conserving development pattern. The purpose of the rural character conservation approach is to increase the variety of lot sizes available in rural areas and to permit a reasonable amount of residential development while retaining the large lots, open spaces, sensitive natural areas, and rural community character that would be lost under conventional development at these same densities. Under the rural character conservation approach, residential lot sizes could be reduced to as small as one-half acre with the typical lot size in the one-acre size range. By reducing the area required for most of the rural home sites to that which is actually needed for residential use, the remaining acreage normally contained in individual lots would be utilized to create a large remainder residential lot within each development which will range in size from eight (8) acres to more than 100 acres depending on the size of the development proposal. Retention of larger residential lots in rural areas works to conserve the rural character of rural areas. The large remainder lot can provide for open spaces between residences, reduces the perceived density of development, provides privacy and neighborhood identity and retains natural features, woodlots and pasture land. This open space can be owned in several ways. It could be owned as one large residential lot by the property owner or it could be owned and managed by a homeowners’ association. Since all the development rights will have been utilized, it will not be further subdivided but will remain in productive rural residential use as a large lot contributing to the rural character of the area. Should the property owner decide that the rural character conservation approach will not work for him, he may still divide the property down to a rural lot size of ten (10) acres or larger. The rural character conservation development approach allows for lot size flexibility in developments larger than nineteen (19) acres by utilizing a sliding scale to determine the size of the remainder residential or open space lot. Lots between 19.1 and sixty (60) acres in size would allow development of up to thirty (30) percent of the site in small lots with seventy (70) percent in the large remainder lot. Lots between 60.1 acres and 100 acres would allow development of forty (40) percent of the site in smaller lots with sixty (60) percent in the large remainder lot. Lots larger than 100 acres would allow development of up to forty-five (45) percent of the site with fifty-five (55) percent in the large remainder lot or open space.

Design guidelines in a rural character conservation development would ensure that most properties fronted on open space for enjoyment of rural vistas and that individual housing clusters were limited in size to avoid the appearance of an urban housing development. Housing would be encouraged to locate in or near the timbered portion of the property and away from existing residences to reduce its visual impact on adjacent properties and the exterior roads. The rural character conservation approach ensures that large lot sizes (ten (10) acres or greater) and open spaces vital to the retention of rural character will be retained in rural areas. It allows most rural property owners to use their current development rights. Smaller lots still under one ownership or joint ownership could be recombined to ensure that this option is available to many property owners. Existing lots or ownerships smaller than eleven (11) acres in size (contiguous ownership at the time of interim zoning adoption will be utilized to determine the eleven (11) acre threshold) located within a rural character conservation designation will be allowed to subdivide to the underlying density of the zoning district in a large lot/small lot pattern.

The rural character conservation approach has many positive features. Since the amount of land utilized in residential home sites is reduced to the actual amount needed for residential use, a significant percentage of each development could remain in open space tax classification and uses. This feature limits the tax penalties incurred by the developing property owner while allowing him the possibility of producing the same income from his property if he does a well designed development. Case studies of existing open space developments in the Port Angeles area support the claim that buyers will pay as much or more for a lot in a well designed open space development as they will for a five (5) acre lot. This development approach would minimize public expenses involved in maintaining roads since less roads would be needed to service compact, open space developments. Woodlots and farms retained under this approach would not only provide for productive use of the land and enjoyment for the residents of the developments but could be utilized in combination to protect critical areas, connect wildlife corridors, provide space for livestock keeping, and otherwise minimize the impacts of development on the natural systems in the watershed. Problems with cluster ordinances would be avoided by providing only minor increases in density for utilizing this approach and through careful application of design guidelines to ensure the maintenance of rural character within such development areas.

(10) Flexible Zoning. A second approach will also be utilized in rural areas outside of areas designated for rural character conservation to allow for an increased diversity of rural lot sizes. Flexible zoning would allow the transfer of density within the ownership boundaries subject to a proposed land division, with no new lot being created less than one acre in area, and total number of lots determined based on the underlying zoning density. For example, a twenty (20) acre parcel is designated as rural low (one home per 4.8 acres). This allows the owner four (4) dwelling units. The owner decides to divide the property into two (2) 2.5 acre lots, one five (5) acre lot, and one ten (10) acre lot. This flexible zoning technique may achieve some affordable housing goals and preserve the rural character by having a variety of housing lot sizes scattered throughout rural areas. While this approach encourages creativity it does not ensure that the property owner retain any larger, rural sized lots which would retain rural character. The property owner is still free to develop a gridlike pattern of development which will not retain rural character at densities greater than one home per ten (10) acres. For this reason this particular technique will not be utilized in rural character conservation designations where current large land ownership patterns allow for rural character to be fully retained.

(11) Urban Density Development Allowed in Rural Areas by the GMA. The Growth Management Act does provide for limited urban density growth outside urban growth areas in master planned resorts. Master planned resorts (240 acres minimum acreage) are self-contained and fully integrated planned unit developments, in a setting of significant natural amenities, with a primary focus on destination resort facilities with developed on-site indoor and outdoor recreation facilities. The County can develop policies to guide the development of these type of facilities.

(12) Controlling Sprawl by Limiting Nonresidential Uses in Rural Areas. There are three (3) types of nonresidential uses found in the rural areas which need to be carefully controlled in order to preserve rural character. Shadow Mountain Store and RV at Lake Sutherland, Laird’s Corner and Granny’s on Highway 101 are examples of tourist or neighborhood commercial developments. While this type of development provides needed services to tourists and rural residents alike, it should be maintained within a set size limit or length along the highway and should occur no closer than at three (3) mile intervals to promote compact rural commercial service centers.

The Growth Management Act would indicate that some of the commercial and industrial uses found just east of the O’Brien Road intersection and west of Dry Creek Road have exceeded those which should be found in rural area. This second type of commercial and industrial development should be limited to these locations and further growth outside of a defined area at these locations should not be permitted. The visual impact of these uses should be reduced through the use of high quality landscaping and design guidelines.

Lastly, several industrially zoned but unutilized-utilized log yards are found outside the urban growth area. The Corey and Sons site east of Dry Creek Road is recommended for change to a rural neighborhood commercial designation in this plan to allow for appropriate use on the site while limiting further water pollution to Dry Creek which had been common under its prior use. Remote industrial sites west of the Elwha River have been recommended for designation as commercial forestry or rural land uses depending on surrounding land uses.

(13) Controlling Sprawl by Limiting Public Services Provided in Rural Areas. Public facilities and services to be provided in rural areas must be defined. Many rural areas in the Port Angeles planning area are within the service area of a public water system. Where densities greater than one home per twenty (20) acres have been applied in the past, the only workable approach to retaining rural character at these densities is to encourage development which combines smaller residential lots with permanently retained larger rural lot sizes. Where this rural character conserving pattern is encouraged, public water systems are needed to serve compact development. Without public water, lot sizes should be five (5) acres or larger to allow development of individual wells which do not adversely impact aquifers. Rural densities should not require extension of sewer. While police, fire and transportation systems will be provided in rural areas, expected levels of service will be much less than that found in UGA’s.

(14) Implementing the Twenty (20) Year Rural Vision. Realizing the twenty (20) year vision for the rural lands of the Port Angeles planning region will require development of rural goals, policies, and implementing actions that both encourage and ensure preservation of rural character. The types of housing developments considered appropriate for the rural areas varies within the Port Angeles planning area. Some areas have developed at one home per 2.4 to five (5) acre densities and designations which recognize these densities have been used in these areas. Larger lots characterize the Olympic foothills and the areas more than one-third mile from County roads. Many of these areas have been included in the rural character conservation designation which recognizes their pre-existing densities but ensures retention of rural character.

The proposed rural land use categories offer a range of rural residential densities (from one dwelling per 2.4 acres to one dwelling per twenty (20) acres) and a variety of nonresidential rural land use categories. Densities exceeding one home per 2.4 acres are not considered rural and will be found only in the Rural Suburban Community land use designation which recognize areas which have extensively developed at this density. Rural suburban communities will not be expanded in size but can be infilled with suburban sized lots.

31.04.225 Rural and resource land use designations, purpose and designation criteria.

The land use designations for rural and resource lands are listed and described in the charts on the following pages. The location and extent of the various rural and resource land designations within the Port Angeles Planning Region are shown on the adopted Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map, as amended, that is part of this chapter and title. The rural, rural neighborhood commercial, and rural limited commercial classifications are designated as limited areas of more intensive rural development, or LAMIRDs, pursuant to CCC 31.02.263 of this title. The designations are followed with a discussion of issues that need to be addressed to meet the 20 year vision. These charts should be utilized by the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners, in combination with appropriate goals and policies, to evaluate proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan and implementing ordinances. The land use designations mapped in this plan are tied to actual parcel lines and recognizable physical features. Proposals for changes in zoning which are not consistent with the mapped land use designations in this plan will require changes to the comprehensive plan.

Land Use Classification	Minimum Lot Size	Maximum Densities and Allowed Land Use
Commercial Forest	80 acres	One dwelling per 80 acres
Commercial Forest/Residential Mixed Use (20)	1/2 acre	One dwelling per 80 acres without clustering homes, or one dwelling per 20 acres when clustering homes
Commercial Forest/Residential Mixed Use (5)	1/2 acre	One dwelling per 80 acres without clustering homes, or one dwelling per 5 acres when clustering homes
Rural	1 acre	One unit per acre as infill within existing subdivisions; zone cannot be expanded in size
Rural-Moderate	1 acre	One dwelling per 2.4 acres
Rural-Low	1 acre	One dwelling per 4.8 acres
Rural Character Conservation	1/2 acre	One dwelling unit per 10 acres without clustering; or densities of either one dwelling per 4.8 acres, or one dwelling per 2.4 acres, if large lots are retained
Rural Very Low	2.4 acres	One dwelling per 20 acres
Rural Neighborhood Commercial	None	One dwelling per 1/2 acre. Allows limited commercial services serving neighborhood needs, where uses of such type, scale, size, or intensity already existed as of July 1, 1990
Rural Limited Commercial	None	Allows established commercial and industrial uses to continue where uses of such type, scale, size, or intensity already existed as of July 1, 1990
Public	None	Caretaker dwelling allowed
Open Space Overlay	None	Identifies areas where development rights can be transferred to protect critical areas
UGA	See Port Angeles UGA Section

 

Rural Land Use Designations 

Land Use Designation	Residential Densities/Acres in Designation/Build-Out Populations	Quality of Life to Be Expected and Allowed Uses
Rural Moderate (RM)	1 dwelling/2.4 acres 4,940 acres in designation 4,734 people at build-out	Rural “estate” designation provides large suburban lots in a rural setting and few rural type uses at full development.
Rural Low (RL)	1 dwelling/5 acres 5,347 acres in designation 2,460 people at build-out	Many features of rural character such as low density, animal keeping, low traffic volumes, outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, and clean water are preserved at this density. When allowed to develop over large areas, the appearance can resemble that of a large lot subdivision.
Rural Character Conservation (RCC3 and RCC5)	1 dwelling/10 acres without utilizing an open space development pattern. A 2.4 or 5-acre density allowed when homesites are configured to provide a mix of small residential lots intermixed with 10 acre+ woodlots, pasture or large residential lots. 16,331 acres in designation. 3,756 – 12,250 people.	Allows for a mixture of moderate sized lots (as small as 1/2 acre) mixed with permanently protected large lots (10 acres and larger) to allow rural character and uses to be retained even when fully developed. Affordability will increase with the availability of smaller lots but rural quality of life will be maintained with some lots remaining in larger lot sizes. Productive use of the land for woodlots and pasture land is maintained and critical areas can be avoided by reducing homesites to the actual size needed for residential use.
Rural Very Low (RVL)	1 dwelling per 20 acres 1,169 acres in designation 134 people at build-out	Rural density which allows retention of all rural characteristics such as animal keeping, agriculture, forestry, and open spaces. Serves as a buffer providing separation of commercial forestry and higher density rural development.
Rural	1 dwelling per 1 acre, limited to a defined, non-expandable area 802 acres 1,845 – 2,500 people at build-out	Urban density development allowed in rural areas largely where pre-existing subdivisions have established this density.
Rural Neighborhood Commercial (RNC)	Maximum allowed density is 1 dwelling per acre	Tourist commercial uses, local convenience stores, small-scale local service providers, and RV and manufactured home parks blended into the rural environment with landscaping, where uses of such type, scale, size, or intensity already existed as of July 1, 1990.
Rural Limited Commercial	None	Commercial and light industrial land use, where uses of such type, scale, size, or intensity already existed as of July 1, 1990, limited to defined, non-expandable area.
Public Land (P)	None	Parks, schools, and other public facility locations.
Total population which can be accommodated in rural areas at build-out densities	12,929 – 22,078 people at build-out in rural areas. 5,052 people in PA region rural areas in 1990 Census.	Proposed designations would allow for rural growth of 7,877 to 17,026 people. This growth is in the range of 2 to 4 times a high estimate of projected population growth for the region.

 

Land Use Designation	Purpose of the Designation	Land Capability/ Natural Limitations	Natural Resources/ Land Character-Lot Size	Public Services	Existing Land Uses
Rural Moderate Density	The purpose of this land use designation is to provide for moderately high density “rural estate” type lots. Large suburban type lots with few rural type land uses at full development. Rural moderate density provides a buffer between urban areas and areas with lower densities.	The land should be capable of supporting moderately high rural type density with few natural constraints. Land should be relatively level (0 to 10 percent slopes), have well drained to moderately well drained soils capable of supporting individual septic systems, have only a minor component of wetlands and be relatively free of flood, landslide, seismic or erosion hazards.	The area has low resource management potential. Development of the area will have little impact on resource lands. This designation should not be placed adjacent to resource lands since the safety of homes is imperiled by fire and forest practices. Current parcel sizes are less than 5 acres in size.	Uses do not require the extension of urban services. The area may be served by community water systems if local water is not of good quality. Rural type County road standards would apply.