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<br />Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners Shoreline Master Program Adopting Ordinance <br />Kittitas County Shoreline Master Program Exhibit D | March 2016 | Page 285 of 339 <br /> <br /> <br />17B.05.050-1. Standard Shoreline Buffers (Type S Waters) <br />Shoreline Environment <br />Designation <br />Type S Standard Shoreline <br />Buffer Width (feet) <br />Urban Conservancy 100 <br />Shoreline Residential 100 <br />Rural Conservancy 100 <br />Natural 150 <br /> <br />2. Buffer condition: Shoreline buffers shall be maintained in a well-vegetated condition. For <br />purposes of this Program, a well vegetated buffer is one that supports a predominance of <br />native plant species at densities that would occur in similar relatively undisturbed settings. <br />Vegetation conservation standards do not apply retroactively to existing legally established <br />uses and developments. Vegetation associated with existing structures, uses and <br />developments may be maintained within shoreline jurisdiction. A letter of exemption <br />pursuant to KCC 17B.07.030 is not required for this normal maintenance. <br />3. Interrupted buffer: When a shoreline buffer contains an existing legally established public or <br />private road, the Administrator may allow development on the landward side of the road <br />provided that the development will not have a detrimental impact to the shoreline. The <br />applicant may be required to provide a critical areas report to describe the impacts. In <br />determining whether a critical areas report is necessary, the County shall consider the <br />hydrologic, geologic, and/or biological habitat connection potential and the extent and <br />permanence of the buffer interruption. <br />4. Allowed shoreline buffer alterations: Alteration or disturbance of the standard shoreline <br />buffers shown in the Table at 17B.05.050-1 shall not be allowed except in those limited <br />instances when the Administrator finds that the alteration is necessary to accommodate one <br />of the following uses/developments. In all cases, the buffer alteration shall be the minimum <br />necessary to accommodate the proposed use/development. The Administrator may require <br />vegetation enhancement outside of the disturbed area as compensation for the buffer <br />alteration: <br />a. Shoreline view corridors: The Administrator may allow limited and selective tree removal, <br />pruning, and/or limbing within the shoreline buffer to create one view corridor on a lot, <br />when otherwise consistent with this Program and if the following conditions are met: <br />i. The view corridor shall be limited to twenty-five (25) feet in width or twenty-five <br />percent (25%) of the width of the lot frontage, whichever distance is less; <br />ii. The removal of vegetation shall not require any ground-disturbing equipment and <br />shall not materially alter soils or topography; <br />iii. A view clearance plan may be requested by the Administrator when determined <br />that a substantial amount of vegetation is proposed for modification. The plan shall <br />be prepared by a qualified ecologist, forester, arborist, or landscape architect prior <br />to approving the view corridor and will include: <br />(a) Identification and description of the location and extent of the proposed tree <br />removal, pruning, and limbing, and the view corridor; and <br />(b) A critical areas report prepared by a qualified ecologist demonstrating the <br />proposed removal of vegetation will not result in a net loss of shoreline <br />ecological function. <br />iv. Proposed view clearance within a designated landslide or erosion hazard area <br />shall require review of the proposed clearance by an engineering geologist or <br />geotechnical engineer to ensure that the proposed removal of vegetation will not <br />cause or exacerbate hazards.