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The Significant Natural Resources and Cultural (SNR) map shows areas where natural resources are located. The County regulates two types of SNRs: Riparian Wildlife Habitat and Upland Wildlife Habitat. Together, these make up the Significant Habitat.

We strongly encourage you to request a pre-application conference with our Development Review/Current Planning staff to learn more about any regulations related to proposed development and/or tree removal that may impact your property.

Significant Habitat boundaries must be confirmed when proposing development or removing trees within the Significant Habitat boundary. The SNR map “flags” the area, letting us know that further information is needed if new development or tree removal is proposed.

If you create any kind of alarm calls while revoked (bonafide, authorized cancel, audible alarm) - you may be issued a $500 citation for each activation. (Ordinance 8.12.040)

If you create a false alarm while revoked - you may be issued a $1,000 citation for each false alarm response. (Ordinance 8.12.128)

Washington County Ordinance 8.12.030 defines a false alarm as any "alarm signal, capable of eliciting a response by police when a situation requiring the police does not in fact exist." There are many common causes of false alarms, such as pets, system malfunctions, mistakes made by occupants of the premises, etc.

Bonafide alarm examples include when there are signs of actual or attempted forced entry, or when a neighbor reports seeing suspicious activity on the property. Fines are only imposed for false alarms.

Washington County Ordinance 8.12 also provides that alarm activations will not be treated as a false alarm if caused by obvious natural circumstances such as a wind storm or an earthquake. Additionally, if there is notification from the alarm company or the alarm user that the system is faulty or that the user erred, and that notification is received before an officer arrives on the scene, the alarm will not be charged as a false alarm.

Washington County Ordinance 8.12.030 defines an alarm system as "any assembly or equipment, mechanical or electrical, arranged to signal the occurrence of an illegal entry or other activity requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond."

Dust abatement is a fairly low-cost treatment applied by a contractor. You must fill out a Dust Control Agreement annually. Rain and lots of traffic make dust abatement less effective

Statewide Planning Goal 5 (Natural Resources, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Open Spaces) is a broad statewide planning goal covering a number of resources, including significant fish and wildlife habitats. It requires local governments to identify and apply appropriate protections to Significant Natural Resource (SNR) areas. Our Community Development Code Section 422 includes regulations that protect, preserve or mitigate impacts to these resources.

Goal 5 Overview

The County’s Goal 5 program includes a Significant Natural Resource (SNR) inventory, land use policies and regulations intended to protect our significant natural resources such as streams, land along waterways and wildlife habitat. Our program includes work we completed in the 1980s and additionally in the mid 2000s under Metro. Our 1980s SNR inventory identifies locally significant fish and wildlife habitats in unincorporated Washington County. See our urban Community Plan and Rural/Natural Resource Plan maps.

The SNR land use regulations are in our Community Development Code (CDC) Section 422, Significant Natural Resources. They describe the process and limitations on proposed developments in SNR areas.

Tualatin Basin Program

We worked with local cities and special districts like Clean Water Services (CWS), Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD) and Metro in the early 2000s to develop a habitat protection program for the Tualatin Basin. The Tualatin Basin Program includes limitations on new development and other strategies for protecting natural resources, especially water-related resources, in the County. These other strategies include County partnerships for restoration, mitigation and enhancement activities: Culvert replacements, riparian corridor restoration, tree plantings and funding programs to buy land for preservation.

Metro Nature in Neighborhood Bond measures

Voters passed these measures in 2006 and 2019. They support land purchases for open space, trails and water-quality protection in Washington, Clackamas and Multnomah counties. The bonds generated $700 million to purchase land to restore wildlife habitats and to improve and complete community parks and trails.

Our other Goal 5 elements

Our Goal 5 program also includes:

• Educational programs promoting habitat-friendly development
• Flexible development design standards
• Technical assistance program
• Other grants and incentives for identified natural resource areas

Metro defines Upland Wildlife Habitat as, "areas that provide food, cover, roosting and nesting sites for an array of wildlife. Includes forests, woodland, grasslands, wetlands, rocky slopes and uplands, buttes and other features."

We use a hot mix asphalt treatment.

• At 30 days past due, a past due letter and invoice will be mailed to you
• At 60 days past due, a $18 late payment penalty will be added to any unpaid alarm fee or fine
• At 90 days past due, your alarm permit will be revoked and you will be notified in writing. A Revocation Reinstatement Fee of $30 is added to your account at the time of revocation

ORS 166.291 is available at https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_166.291. Scroll through the index and then down to the section you want to review.

See also: ORS Chapter 166

The permit fees and false alarm fines are used to offset the county's administrative costs of the program and time spent by deputies on false alarm calls.

Every alarm user (residential or commercial) operating an alarm system in unincorporated Washington County or in the cities of Banks, Cornelius, Hillsboro or Gaston must obtain an alarm permit from the Sheriff’s Office. A separate permit is required for each alarmed site or building.

Natural resources identified under Statewide Planning Goal 5, including significant fish and wildlife habitats, promote a healthy environment and a natural landscape that contributes to Oregon’s livability. The state requires cities and counties to adopt programs to protect these resources for present and future generations. In Washington County, Goal 5 resources are called Significant Natural Resources (SNRs). SNRs are important because they are habitat for fish and wildlife and have scientific, scenic, ecological and educational value.

We do not have the funds to pave and maintain our more than 250 miles of gravel roads.

Our Transportation Plan prioritizes road maintenance funding. Major roads are the highest priority and local roads are the lowest. Even small improvements to major roads are higher priority than general maintenance of local roads. Our Road Maintenance Program shows our current priorities.

In recent years, we received requests to remove the fire gate to better distribute traffic between Blackhawk Drive and Ridge Road.

The Ridge Road gate was initially a requirement of development. The gate was installed for temporary emergency-access only because sight distance on Ridge Road, looking north on McDaniel Road, was insufficient. Washington County always planned to have Ridge Road connect to McDaniel Road, providing full access.

The sight distance issue was corrected when properties on the north side of the intersection developed. We delayed the gate removal, pending a full evaluation conducted in 2021. County engineering staff determined the intersection has adequate stopping sight distance and can operate safely without the gate. See Q6

Ridge Road was designed to include full access at McDaniel Road. The temporary fire gate created artificial traffic patterns by forcing out-of-direction travel, increasing travel times, and increasing traffic on other roads.

Removal of the gate will more evenly distribute traffic flows, creating more equitable access to this neighborhood, in conformance with the county, state and Metro’s transportation system plans requiring street connectivity. This means some streets may see more traffic while others may see less.