Natural Environment
Summary
The Redmond Comprehensive Plan’s Natural Environment Element includes policies related to sustainability and environmental stewardship, green infrastructure, critical areas, tree preservation and landscape enhancement, climate change, air quality, noise, and light pollution.
The Comprehensive Plan critical areas policies address geologically hazardous areas, Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas (CARAs), frequently flooded areas, wetlands, water quality and basin planning, and Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas (FWHCAs).
Staff will work with the community to review and update its Natural Environment polices to support the City's goals and the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan.
Environmentally Critical Areas Policies and the Shoreline Master Program
The Environmentally Critical Areas policies (Section B.) in the Natural Environment Element will be reviewed with the Critical Areas Regulations Update.
Documents for review
For Critical Areas Regulations updates - staff contacts are Cathy Beam (cbeam@redmond.gov) and Lauren Anderson (landerson@redmond.gov).
The Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is not being reviewed as part of the Redmond 2050 update.
Policy Considerations
- policy support for the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan
- policies related to geological hazards
- climate change
- future GMA requirements
First Draft of Updated Policies available for Review (June 2023)
The first draft of updated Natural Environment Element policies of the Comprehensive Plan is available for review.
Natural Environment Element - Draft 1 | with policy guide to note changes
What's new in the update?
- Climate change policies moving to new Climate Change and Resiliency element
- Minor updates to focus on Redmond 2050 goals
- Consolidation of Tree Canopy policies and better alignment with Tree Canopy Strategic Plan
Next Steps
Draft is available for review and comments this summer. Feedback received will be incorporated into a second draft to be tentatively published fall 2023.