Environmentally Critical Areas | Environment & Sustainability
ii. Wetland Buffer Replacement Ratio. Altered wetland buffer area shall be replaced at a minimum ratio of one-to-one; provided, that the replacement ratio may be increased at the director’s discretion to replace lost functions and values. iii. Increased Mitigation Ratio. The director may increase the ratios under the following circumstances: a) Uncertainty exists as to the probable success of the proposed restoration or creation; or b) A significant period of time will elapse between impact and replication of wetland functions; or c) Proposed mitigation will result in a lower category wetland or reduced functions relative to the wetland being impacted; or
actions will provide functions and values that are significantly greater than the wetland being impacted; or c) The proposed mitigation actions are conducted in advance of the impact and have been shown to be successful over the course of at least one full year. v. Minimum Mitigation Ratio. In all cases of permanent wetland impacts, a minimum acreage replacement ratio of one to one shall be required. g. Wetland Enhancement as Mitigation. Impacts to wetlands may be mitigated by enhancement of existing significantly degraded wetlands only after a one-to- one minimum acreage replacement ratio has been satisfied. Applicants proposing to enhance wetlands must produce a critical areas study that identifies how enhancement will increase the functions of the degraded wetland and how this increase will adequately mitigate for the loss of wetland function at the impact site. h. Restoration Required. Restoration shall be required when a wetland or its buffer is altered in violation of law or without any specific permission or approval by the City in accordance with the following provisions: i. A mitigation plan for restoration conforming to the requirements of this chapter and section shall be provided. ii. On sites where nonnative vegetation was cleared, restoration shall include installation of native
d) The impact was an unauthorized impact.
iv. Decreased Mitigation Ratio. The director may decrease these ratios under the following circumstances:
a) Documentation by a qualified professional demonstrates that the proposed mitigation actions have a very high likelihood of success. This documentation should specifically identify how the proposed mitigation actions are similar to other known mitigation projects with similar site-specific conditions and circumstances that have been shown to be successful; b) Documentation by a qualified professional demonstrates that the proposed mitigation
Effective | January 1, 2022
Title 21: Sammamish Development Code | 103
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator