The San Juan County Community Development and Planning Department announced that it has begun posting portions of the second draft of the San Juan County Best Available Science (BAS) Synthesis  on the County’s Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) project website at: http://www.sanjuanco.com/cao/documents.aspx.

In order to give the public as much review time as possible, the county is releasing the chapters individually, as they become available. Notices will posted and sent to the public every time an additional chapter is available for review on the website. There are nine chapters, in all, titled as follows:

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Chapter 2 – Wetlands

Chapter 3 – Marine Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas (FWHCAs)

Chapter 4 – Upland Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas (FWHCAs)

Chapter 5 – Frequently Flooded Areas

Chapter 6 – Geologically Hazardous Areas

Chapter 7 – Stormwater Management Alternatives

Chapter 8 – Maps

Chapter 9 – Responses to Comments from Scientific Experts and Agencies

Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 are currently available on the project website.

Public comment will be accepted on the second draft of the BAS Synthesis at the County Council workshop on Monday, May 16, 2011.

The County Council will hold a workshop to discuss this draft on May 16, 2011. During this workshop, the council will discuss each chapter (via telephone) with the scientists who authored the majority of the document and will give staff and the consultants final direction on any necessary changes. If the subsequent changes are found to be acceptable, the council will adopt the BAS Synthesis by resolution on May 24, 2011.

This meeting will also be available to watch remotely via live video-streaming by accessing the County Council website at http://www.sanjuanco.com/council/default.aspx. Select the “Video of Council Meetings” banner item, then the “Live!” tab to view the video.