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For immediate release 
Nov. 7, 2008 
Contact: Joyce Goedeke
City of Bothell Public Information Officer
425.489.4871
425.471.3483 cell/media line
joyce.goedeke@ci.bothell.wa.us

City of Bothell Low Impact Development Regulations Upheld by Growth
Management Hearings Board

Bothell, Wash. - The Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings
Board (the Board) has upheld the Low Impact Development (LID)
regulations adopted in March by the Bothell City Council, dismissing an
appeal claiming that it violated Washington's Growth Management Act
and State Environmental Policy Act. The Board's decision specifically
rejected the appeal's claim that the new regulations allowed for less
protection of environmentally critical areas and wildlife corridors and
would foster greater density than should be permitted. In doing so, the
Board took special care to praise what it described as "the City of
Bothell's commitment" to environmental preservation, compact urban
development, and protection of property rights in adopting "the first
detailed Low Impact Development regulations in Central Puget Sound."

"City of Bothell has taken a leadership role in enacting the most
advanced Low Impact Development regulations in the State of
Washington," said City of Bothell Mayor Mark Lamb. "These laws
protect and honor both our natural environment and property rights for
our citizens. I am heartened that the Central Puget Sound Growth
Management Hearings Board unanimously upheld every part of this new law
in its decision. It is unfortunate that significant resources needed to
be expended to uphold important environmental laws, which protect both
North Creek and our citizens who live near it." 

Last March, Bothell City Council adopted an ordinance enacting  Low
Impact Development (LID) regulations within the Fitzgerald/35th Avenue
SE Subarea (located in northeast Bothell), a significant accomplishment
that places high-level environmental protection in this part of Bothell.
This action was consistent with the City's goal of protecting
important resource areas. Following a 17-month process and nine public
hearing opportunities, City Council and staff worked with the community
and environmental consultants to create regulations that governs this
approximately 210 acre area to provide the following long-term benefits
such as, but not limited to: 
* Preservation of critical fish and wildlife habitat
* Retention or creation of large expanses of forest area
* Limitation on effective impervious surface area coverage
* Limitation of surface water runoff and maximization of local
groundwater infiltration from new development to avoid stream erosion
and destabilization.
The City's defense before the Board was provided by Peter Eglick and
Jane Kiker of EglickKikerWhited, as outside counsel, under the
supervision of the City of Bothell City Attorney's Office. 

Best regards,

Joyce Goedeke  |  Public Information Officer
City of Bothell
www.ci.bothell.wa.us  |  BCTV Channel 21

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