Thursday, October 1, 2026
The City of Olympia has initiated a preliminary review of its Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO), the regulatory framework that guides staff in balancing new development with the protection of sensitive environmental areas.
Community Planning and Development Principal Planner Nicole Floyd briefed the Olympia Planning Commission on the CAO and outlined the plan to review and identify gaps or outdated sections in the policy. She made her remarks at a meeting on Monday, Dec. 1.
Floyd, who has worked on environmental policy and critical areas for two decades, said the review would focus on applying “best available science,” identifying gaps and improving the clarity of existing regulations.
Olympia was among the first cities in Washington to adopt a critical area ordinance following the state’s 1990 Growth Management Act. The city’s first CAO was adopted in 1992, followed by updates in 2005, 2009 and 2016.
Since 2005, updates have been structured around “best available science.” Floyd said this helped reduce political disputes by creating a more consistent scientific standard across jurisdictions.
“There’s a format, there’s a framework, and you have to update it every 10 years,” said Floyd, adding Olympia has historically updated its rules more frequently than required.
The proposed update addresses five key environmental zones: aquifer recharge areas, frequently flooded areas, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas/streams, wetlands and geologically hazardous areas.
Floyd showed a map that illustrated how water moves through various soil layers, emphasizing the need for regulatory protections based on the proximity of water movement.
The primary goal of these regulations is to prevent contamination of drinking water sources, with stricter rules applied to areas closer to wellheads to block potential pollutants like those from gas stations or dry cleaners.
She also discussed the 2016 designation of blue herons as a species of local importance, with protections extending to breeding colonies and even including noise restrictions during sensitive periods.
Floyd said streams and habitat conservation areas often intersect, with buffer requirements ranging from 150 to 250 feet and potential for scientific reductions.
Stream buffers from 50 to 300 feet, with a possible 25% reduction if a biologist can demonstrate equal or better habitat protection. Floyd said reductions are not automatic and require verification.
The city’s regulatory approach to wetlands involves carefully calibrated buffer zones ranging from 50 to 300 feet, with provisions for scientific reductions up to 25% when a biologist can prove equal or better habitat protection.
The regulations focus on protecting the 100-year floodplain, groundwater and stream migration zones, officially named “flood damage prevention” in Olympia’s regulatory framework.
While the rules are not part of the CAO, they are incorporated in the city’s building code review process, helping planners identify areas that may look developable but vulnerable to flooding.
She said development is possible in these hazardous areas with proper engineering, but 50-foot buffers above and below slopes help mitigate risks. Floyd noted these zones often overlap with wetlands, streams and seeps.
Planning Commissioner Raphael Garcia asked how the city balances environmental protection with its long-term housing targets, noting large buffers and hazard setbacks sometimes leave little buildable area.
Floyd admitted the city faces increasing pressure to develop parcels in critical areas due to the housing crisis and shrinking land supply. She said many of these sites have overlapping constraints, like steep slopes, streams and wetlands, and limited infrastructure like sewer or water.
To balance environmental protections with long-term housing goals, Floyd said the city uses strategies like clustering, reduced lot sizes and occasionally taller buildings to achieve the same number of units, while keeping buffers and hazard setbacks intact.
Floyd outlined a timeline for the CAO update, with a draft revision expected in January or February 2026.
The Land Use and Environment Committee is going to review the draft before a public hearing in March 2026, followed by possible city council adoption in May or June 2026.
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The_Armed_Gardener
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Jungle a protected area: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzqE9NHnFrvvEhw46
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 Report this
The_Armed_Gardener
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Jungle a protected area: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzqE9NHnFrvvEhw46
Nobody could build there 10 years ago because the wetland protected it. Can someone explain the protections that are currently sanctioned by the city council under these new protections that secure all the liquid and semi-solid waste material of undigested food, bacteria, and mucus that are eliminated from the bodies of residents sanctioned there?
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 Report this
JW
It's fun trying to find out the hierarchy of causes with leftists. Wetlands, streams, environmental buffers etc. are really important....but not as important as transient issues. Transients can defecate and despoil the wetlands freely.
It's like rock-paper-scissors in the leftist mind. Transient beats wetland apparently. Because I for sure know that wetland beats taxpaying property owner.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Report this
Patriot
You are right Armed Gardener. Until they clean up the environmental disaster they have created on Martin Way talking about more rules for taxpayers is out the window. Most of the problems in Olympia are self created by not enforcing our laws. It has been going on for decades. They tie the hands of law enforcement and sit back and complain about the mess Olympia is in. Terrible leadership.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Report this
ddttwo2
They can review all they want but they shouldn't be able to pass one new law regarding Environmental issues until they clean up the jungle.
They wouldn't let Winco put in their store Because of the wetlands but they'll let all of the human defecation And drugs going on in the jungle without anyone doing anything about it...
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Report this
CobraCommander
The_Armed_Gardener, JW, and Patriot all share the same IP address LOL
It's almost like you don't understand that there are separate people working on both problems.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Report this
Wesley
Can the draft be amended to punish those vagrants who cause environmental damage (which is virtually all of them)? Every heard of anarcho-tyranny? We live under it. Low-lifes of some "protected" class, like vagrants, get away with virtually everything. Meanwhile, mainstream, law-abiding, normie citizens with jobs and who pay their taxes are prosecuted for virtually everything. That's anarcho-tyranny.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Report this