Sensitive Areas Mitigation
Fund Summary
The Fund
In 2005, the City adopted sensitive area regulations that include performance-based standards and the opportunity for applicants to pay a fee in lieu for wetland and creek impacts upstream. The City allows off-site projects from private development which provide mitigation plantings at identified areas throughout the City. There are projects in the lower Thayer Creek Corridor / Snoqualmie Valley floor adjacent to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail where sensitive area plantings will benefit the environment. In 2021, the Planning Department begin the implementation of the program or work with the City attorney to purchase mitigation credits to unfortunately close out the account and fund.
2021 & 2022 Accomplishments
- Discussed the best strategy to implement a program that does not have dedicated staff, sufficient resources for a project, and lacks internal expertise in wetland mitigation.
- Worked with legal team to facilitate the closing of this fund. While it was a nice idea, implementation and management is not something the City can commit to.
2023 & 2024 Goals and Objectives
- Purchase wetland credits from the Snohomish Mitigation Bank (ACOE and DOE certified).
- Close the City of Duvall off-site mitigation program.
Revenues
The City will use the remaining fund balance of $31,200 to pay for expenditures that were owed by the program, which will be closed after the wetland credits are purchased.