— from Barbara Bentley —
The landslide along the Stillaguamish River in Snohomish County is a stark reminder of why we need an effective Critical Areas Ordinance.
As the introduction to San Juan County’s CAO states, “Protection and management of these [critical] areas is important to the preservation of ecological functions and values of our natural environment, as well as the protection of the public health, safety and welfare of our island communities.”
Yet the residents of the community inundated by the slide have complained that no one ever warned them that the home they bought was in a geologically unstable area. “Nobody told any of us. This is criminal, as far as I’m concerned.”
So, who’s committed the crime? The Snohomish County CAO has clear guidelines for construction in Geologically Hazardous Areas, and requires a geotechnical analysis of a site as part of the permit process. The county (and the state) have maps of slopes with potential landslide risks. There are geological reports in the best available science documents that are very specific about these risks. Yes, a geotechnical analysis does cost $250 – but this sure is a lot cheaper than the funeral costs for those killed by the landslide.
San Juan’s CAO also describes Geologically Hazardous Areas — areas that are “not suited to the siting of commercial, residential, or industrial development consistent with public health and safety concerns.” You can find the document on the County web page (Section 1 SJCC 18.30.120). This portion of the County Code was updated and approved by the County Council in December 2012, as ordinance 27-2012, so the information has been publically available for more than a year. In addition, the County web page has links to numerous maps that identify potentially risky locations. You can do a search by your address so you can see exactly what threats might be associated with your parcel.
If you have not looked up this information, do so now, especially if your property is located on a bluff or a slope greater than 50%, (or adjacent to a frequently flooded area, or along a shoreline vulnerable to tsunami surges, or located in a seismically active area, or within 2 feet elevation of the mean high water line).
Remember, the San Juan County CAO has been written to protect YOU and YOUR PROPERTY. It is your responsibility to be aware of the risks and respond accordingly. The CAO is not only the law — it is plain common sense.
“Yes, a geotechnical analysis does cost $250 – but this sure is a lot cheaper than the funeral costs for those killed by the landslide.”
Not only is this a cheap, insensitive comment to make (as they are still pulling bodies out of the rubble) but it’s also complete BS in it’s implication that those that died in the Oso slide could have just spent $250 and been saved. I sincerely hope that no one that lost family at Oso reads this.
Are you seriously suggesting that there were reports readily available to people (if they had only bothered to look) that predicted a slide of this magnitude (over a square mile) and that our recently passed CAOs could prevent a similar disaster? Yeah, right. Keep that tin hat firmly in place.
I’m assuming your last sentence is meant as an April Fools joke, right?
The Snohomish County CAO did not map the Oso area as a geologically hazardous area even though it was an obvious geologically hazardous area. It was a CAO failure, not a triumph — and it shows how far the CAO has been hijacked by the distractions of special interests. In fact, the BAS for Snohomish County even expresses a concern about the the effect of landslides on habitat. On habitat.
Barbara, you have completely missed the point.
San Juan County is no different. The maps are not accurate. The ordinance is poorly written, and we have local groups who would prefer to see the geohazards play out for the sake of habitat rather than protect homes, structures, and people.
Yes, I am stating that this information was available. Check out https://wa-snohomishcounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9012 for a brochure published by Snohomish County in 2010, and https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/geology/?Theme=natural_hazards for a map of landslides along route 530. You can zoom in and locate Steelhead Dr (look for the cluster of dark green polygons— indicating landslides in exactly the place where the landslide occurred).
But both of you missed MY point. Let’s use the events in Snohomish county to make sure that WE look up similar information about our property before tragedy strikes. It’s only common sense.
I am missing your point. Guilty. Still am. The Snohomish County brochure is not specific to Oso and says only to avoid slopes prone to landslides, rather than avoid living beneath a landslide, as occurred at Oso. Snohomish County NEVER identified the Oso area as a geologically hazardous area. DNR did, as your link shows. DNR knew about the hazards in the area. There were reports and maps stating the danger — none of which made it into BAS or the CAO itself. Yes, some people think that’s criminal. Your links and other citations refer to non-CAO information sources which suggests that even you have some inkling that the last place anyone should look for real world information is the CAO, especially our CAO.
I don’t think I’ll ever understand the point of this line, “Yes, a geotechnical analysis does cost $250 – but this sure is a lot cheaper than the funeral costs for those killed by the landslide.”
Any citizen of San Juan County (or any citizen in the world for that matter) can find information about any parcel in the County on the County GIS web page, SJCGIS.org.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with using GIS, google https://sjcgis.org/PolarisJS/. Enter the address of the parcel of interest, then click “search”. A map of the county will appear on the right. On the left is a list of options. Click on “map contents”, then on “critical areas” then on “geologically hazardous” As you do this, you will see a colored map that identifies various geological traits of the land area in question.
Of course ground truthing is the final step. So, once you see the information on the map, go outside and check to see if there is a bluff or slope or whatever on the ground.
If the information on the map does not match the characteristics on the ground, please let the GIS folks in the County know. They are open to all credible sources to provide updated information.
If, in fact the GIS map indicates the potential for a geological hazard, you should take the appropriate action. This action is your responsibility.
And this is my point: seek information and act on it accordingly. It is only common sense.