Snohomish County Rejects Plan Prohibiting Developments Near Landslide Zones

In the wake of the Oso, WA mudslide disaster, the Snohomish County Council was considering enacting a ban on new home construction within a half-mile radius of areas known to be mudslide hazards.

However, according to the Everett Daily Herald, the county has "backed away" from the idea. Council officials say such a ban would have made most of the unincorporated areas of  Snohomish County off-limits.

Officials say they are going to wait at least two weeks before deciding if they will make emergency land-use changes in light of the Oso disaster.

Following the landslide that killed several dozen people,  it was found the mudslide area had experienced previous geological issues, and was considered potentially dangerous.