Res-2018-177 Distressed Sales and Use Tax Cle Elum

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Open Space The Growth Management Act requires cities to identify open space corridors within and between urban growth areas [RCW 36.70A.160]. These corridors shall include lands that are useful for recreation, wildlife habitat, trails, and the connection of critical areas. Open space corridors provide important linkages of wildlife habitat as well as serving to knit the community tighter through a system of trails. Currently within the city limits infoxmal open space exists as trails throughout residential neighborhoods, such as the Pacific Railroad right-of-way, the ridge to the north of Cle Elum, and the Yakima River plain. Additionally, fonnal open space exists as the Coal Mines Trail that links Cle Elwn and Roslyn, The Progress Path that extends from Ranger Station Road to the Cle Elwn Roslyn Schools, and the Hanson Ponds Trail. Cle Elum plans to provide a designated open space corridor, through the City, that would link the Coal Mines Trail with the John Wayne Trail. The City of Cle Elum would like to see additional open space corridors along the Yakima River and its associated floodplain. Lands presently zoned Industrial (Along the River) would be reroned to a newly created zone, "River Front Park". This land is currently forested land intennixed with residential structures. It is primarily floodway and floodplain and is therefore unsuitable for development as currently zoned -Industrial. As "River Front Park District" the property would be preserved as important wildlife habitat, riparian habitat, anadromous fish habitat and for parks and trail linkages. Above and beyond this new zoning district, Cle Elum will explore the use of conservation easements, further open space acquisition and dedication, and a change of the zoning code to require a minimum of 10-perceot of new developments to be dedic.ated to Open Space. Aquifer Recharge As precipitation reaches the earth it does several thing.,. It becomes part of the snow pack entering into lakes, streams and rivers or wetlands, it seeps into the soil to be taken up by plant roots, or seeps into the ground and becomes groundwater. As groundwater moves through the grolllld it may discharge to surface water features, such as lakes, streams, or rivers, which will in tum recharge the groundwater. The water that remains in the ground will make up the aquifer. Aquifers discharge water naturally through springs and seeps, streams, lakes and wetlands. As aquifers discharge they are in•tum recharged. Recharge occurs primarily as a result of the infiltration ofrainfall and secondly by the movement of water from adjacent aquifers or water bodies. The rate and quantity of water entering the ground depends on several factors. Natural factors include amount of precipitation, soil type and oonditions, vegetation, and topography. Aquifers can also be identified by contamination. City of Cle Elum -Land Use Plan 22