Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION MEASURES3.10 Cultural ResourcesThe analysis of impacts to cultural resources for the proposed project was completed at a programmatic level forthe anticipated impacts of growth and civic investment throughout the Study Area. The analysis included extensivebackground research and tribal consultation; no fieldwork or project specific inventory and evaluation of culturalresources was conducted.The term cultural resource in this document refers to archaeological sites, TCPs and historic built environmentstructures, regardless of eligibility for listing in the Washington Heritage Register (WHR) or the National Register ofHistoric Places (NRHP). The term significant cultural resource refers to archaeological sites, TCPs, and structuresthat are eligible for listing in the WHR or NRHP.Regulatory ContextThe following regulatory context applies to both the Watershed and Gorst UGA.Washington SEPASEPA requires that all major actions sponsored, funded, permitted, or approved by state and/or local agencies beplanned so that environmental considerations—such as impacts on cultural resources—are considered when stateagency-enabledprojects affect properties of historical, archaeological, scientific, or cultural importance WAC 197-11-960). These regulations closely resemble NEPA.Under SEPA, DAHP is the specified agency with the technical expertise to consider the effects of a proposed actionon cultural resources and to provide formal recommendations to local governments and other state agencies forappropriate treatments or actions.Minor construction currently exempt from SEPA review includes the following, except when undertaken wholly orpartly on lands covered by water (WAC 197-11-800(1))(b):(i) The construction or location of four detached single family residential units.(ii) The construction or location of four multifamily residential units.(iii) The construction of a barn, loafing shed, farm equipment storage building, produce storage or packingstructure, or similar agricultural structure, covering 10,000 square feet, and to be used only by the propertyowner or his or her agent in the conduct of farming the property. This exemption shall not apply to feed lots.(iv) The construction of an office, school, commercial, recreational, service or storage building with 4,000square feet of gross floor area, and with associated parking facilities designed for twenty automobiles. Thisexemption includes stand-alone parking lots.(v) Any landfill or excavation of 100 cubic yards throughout the total lifetime of the fill or excavation notassociated with an exempt project in subsection (b)(i), (ii), (iii), or (iv); and any fill or excavation classified as aClass I, II, or III forest practice under RCW 76.09.050 or regulations thereunder.Cities and counties may increase the exemption for minor new construction. Currently, the City of Bremerton usesstandard exemptions, except these do not apply on lands wholly or partially covered by water or in the case ofcritical areas (wetlands, critical aquifer recharge areas, flood hazard areas, geologic hazards, and fish and wildlifeconservation areas). However, in the case of critical areas, SEPA review is limited to determining impacts on criticalareas not otherwise covered by CAOs. The City is considering increasing its exemption levels consistent with newSEPA rules.Kitsap County has adopted similar SEPA rules as the City of Bremerton; it applies flexile exemption levels in UGAsincluding Gorst, as follows:Draft | June 2013 3-129