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<br />ORDINANCE Exhibit B - Page 1 of 66 <br />EXHIBIT B <br /> <br />CHAPTER 19.37 CRITICAL AREAS <br />INTRODUCTION <br />19.37.010 USER GUIDE <br />Many areas of Everett have been or may become designated, identified, inventoried, classified or rated <br />as critical areas by the city or other public agencies. This chapter establishes regulations for <br />development within or near all critical areas. If you are interested in developing property identified as <br />containing or adjacent to steep slopes, lakes, streams, marine waters, wetlands, springs, erosion hazard <br />areas, landslide hazard areas, seismic hazard areas, or other unstable soil conditions, you should read <br />this chapter. This chapter contains more stringent requirements than other provisions within this title <br />for affected properties. These regulations supersede any less restrictive requirements contained <br />elsewhere in this title. No action may be undertaken by any person which results in any alteration of a <br />critical area or its buffer unless such alteration complies with the requirements of this chapter. <br />Alteration includes the terms “use” and “development” as defined in this title, and includes any <br />modification of the natural environment of critical areas or their buffer including any clearing, grading, <br />filling and/or excavation. Certain exceptions to the requirements of this chapter are listed in EMC <br />19.37.050. <br />19.37.020 PURPOSE AND GOALS <br />It is the short-term goal of this chapter that there be no net loss of the functions and values of all critical <br />areas regulated by this chapter. An additional goal is no net loss of wetland acreage. The long-term goal <br />is a net gain in functions and values. <br />The purpose of this chapter is to designate, classify and protect the critical areas in and the functions <br />and values of critical areas the Everett community by establishing standards for development and use of <br />properties which contain or adjoin critical areas and thus protect the public health, safety, and welfare <br />by: <br />A. Preserving, protecting, and restoring critical areas and their ecological functions and values by <br />regulating development within such areas and their buffers; <br />B. Mitigating unavoidable adverse impacts to critical areas by regulating alterations in and adjacent to <br />critical areas; <br />C. Protecting the public from personal injury, loss of life, or property damage due to flooding, erosion, <br />landslides, seismic events, or soil subsidence; <br />D. Avoiding publicly financed expenditures to correct misuses of critical areas, which may cause: <br />1. Unnecessary maintenance and replacement of public facilities, <br />2. Publicly funded mitigation of avoidable impacts,