17.115.060 Allowed activities.
(1) See SMC 17.114.140 for permitted activities in geologically hazardous areas.
(2) In addition to the standards in SMC 17.114.140, trails proposed to be located in landslide or erosion hazard areas shall be constructed in a manner that does not increase the risk of landslide or erosion and in accordance with an approved geotechnical report.
(3) Moderate and Severe Erosion Hazards and Landslide Hazards on Moderate and Steep Slopes. Except as otherwise provided for in this chapter and Chapter 17.114 SMC, only those activities approved and permitted consistent with an approved critical area report in accordance with this chapter shall be allowed in moderate or severe erosion hazard areas or in landslide hazard areas with moderate or steep (severe) slopes.
(4) The following activities are allowed within slight erosion, low landslide, all volcanic, and all seismic hazard areas without a critical areas report:
(a) Construction of new buildings with less than 2,500 square feet of floor area or roof area, whichever is greater, and which are not residential structures or used as places of employment or public assembly;
(b) Single-Family Infill Development. Construction of a single-family unit, additions, and accessory structures that do not impact streams, wetlands, or their buffers; and
(c) Installation of fences.
(5) Frequently Flooded Areas. Properties located in frequently flooded areas are subject to the regulations in Chapter 17.120 SMC.
(6) For single-family permits meeting the criteria of subsection (4) of this section, the city shall require, prior to occupancy, recording of a covenant on the title of the property for which a building permit is issued, stating as follows:
Persons with interest in this property are advised that this property is potentially subject to flooding, geologic (seismic), erosion, and volcanic lahars (mudflow) hazards.
(7) Critical facilities shall not be permitted on seismic faults or tsunami inundation areas. If such a prohibition is unreasonable, an allowance for critical facilities in tsunami areas can be made with the following specific conditions:
(a) Construction of new critical facilities shall be permissible if no feasible alternative site is available.
(b) Critical facilities shall have the lowest floor elevated three feet or more above the level of the base flood elevation (100-year flood).
(c) Floodproofing and sealing measures must be taken to ensure that toxic substances will not be displaced by or released into flood waters.
(d) Access routes elevated to or above the level of the base flood elevation shall be provided to all critical facilities to the extent possible. (Ord. 1164 § 4, 2004).