Natural Resources & Community Planning
Natural Resources
Grays Harbor County Marine Resources Committee (2009)
Should Grays Harbor County form a Marine Resources Committee? Creative Community worked an exploratory committee of 30+members to prepare a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners.
We started the process by developing the MRC Informational Workbook, which included an analysis of the legislation and an overview of the work of the Northwest Straits Commission and its members. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife distributed this report to other counties on the Washington Coast to evaluate their options for creating a MRC.
The project then moved into a strategic planning stage to set goals, strategies, and implementation projects. After we prepared a white paper on the committee’s work, the Board of County Commissioners accepted the committee’s recommendation to form the state’s first MRC under RCW 36.125. ▲
Thurston County Asphalt Advisory Task Force (2008)
Facilitated a
community task force comprised of community, environmental, gravel
mining, and asphalt industry stakeholders to develop siting criteria for
asphalt plants in Thurston County. ▲
Skokomish River Chinook Salmon Recovery Plan (2007)
Invited by the Skokomish Indian Tribe and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, our work involved designing, facilitating, and writing, and editing a recovery plan for Skokomish River Chinook. ▲
The Chehalis Basin Salmon Habitat Restoration and Preservation Work Plan for WRIA 22 and 23 (2001 through 2010)
Our firm has been assisting the Habitat Workgroup in Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA) 22 and 23 in planning and facilitating a salmon restoration and protection plans for salmonids (salmon and trout) since 2001. We first assisted this client by providing facilitation services during the development of the initial Limiting Factors Analysis and eventually facilitated and wrote the first and subsequent updates of the WRIA 22-23 Strategy. ▲
Chehalis Basin Partnership Watershed Detailed Implementation Plan (2006-2009)
The Chehalis Basin Partnership contracted with us to help them produce the implementation component to Chehalis Watershed Management Plan. We have had several opportunities to help the Partnership revise the plan, including a 2009 expansion that focused on education and outreach.
This recent effort facilitated education and outreach professionals from a three-county area in identifying shared interests and projects. ▲
Nisqually Chinook Recovery Plan for the South Puget Sound Nearshore (2005)
Working with a broad coalition of co-managers, state agencies, and local jurisdictions, CCS facilitated , wrote, and edited the nearshore chapter of the Nisqually Chinook Recovery Plan. Our firm also served as the contact point between the group and Shared Strategy for Puget Sound. After co-authoring the plan, our work continued by facilitating an interdisciplinary team of biologists in designing a GIS/Database shoreline assessment tool. ▲
Community Planning
City of Hoquiam Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Critical Areas Ordinance (2008)
CCS assisted the City of Hoquiam in preparing a Comprehensive Land Use Plan that balanced a unique set of needs within the community for flexible land use policies while maintaining community character. The Governor’s Office awarded the plan with a 2009 Smart Vision Award for Comprehensive Planning.
Our follow up work included preparing a Critical Areas Ordinance incorporating the Best Available Science provisions required under state statute.
Previous work by CCS for the City of Hoquiam included permit review and the preparation of subdivision and zoning codes. ▲
Inventory of Enforcement Programs and Enforcement Staff Perceptions in Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason Counties (2007)
This report for the Hood Canal Coordinating Council analyzed enforcement codes and practices in three counties and examined their importance in protecting chum salmon habitat by ensuring a take does not take place due to land use practices. The report relied on key informant interviews and analysis of county enforcement and development codes. ▲
Inventory of Land Use Permitting and Permit Tracking Systems for Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason Counties (2005)
This project for the Hood Canal Coordinating Council inventoried permit procedures and tracking systems in a three-county area that were most likely to affect chum salmon recovery planning efforts. Information in the report came from key informant interviews and analysis of county development codes. ▲
Other Community Plans and Development Regulations
City of Elma
City of McCleary
City of Mossyrock
City of Toledo
Projects
Facilitation & Citizen Participation
Strategic Planning
Grant Writing & Management