Ord-2021-006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Kittitas County Shoreline Master Program trails, building of logging roads, and utility corridor or right-of-way shared by several utilities and including access/maintenance roads. Low intensity use and developments include: forestry (cutting of trees only), low intensity open space (hiking, bird-watching, and like uses), unpaved trails, and utility corridor without a maintenance road and little or no vegetation management. 2. Wetland buffer condition: Wetland buffer areas shall be retained in a natural condition or may be improved to enhance buffer functions and values. Where buffer disturbance is allowed pursuant to this Program, re-vegetation with native vegetation shall be required. The Kittitas County noxious weed ordinance shall be adhered to. Alterations of the buffer that are not associated with an allowed shoreline use or development shall be prohibited. 3. Multiple buffers: ln the event that buffers for any shorelines and/or critical areas are contiguous or overlapping, the landward-most edge of all such buffers shall apply. 4. lnterrupted buffer: When a wetland buffer contains an existing legally established public or private road, the Administrator may allow development on the landward side of the road provided that the development will not have a detrimental impact to the wetland. The applicant may be required to provide a wetland critical areas report to describe the potential impacts. ln determining whether a critical areas report is necessary, the County shall consider the hydrologic, geologic, and/or biological habitat connection potential and the extent and permanence of the buffer interruption. 5. Buffers of restored wetlands: The buffer for a wetland created, restored, or enhanced as compensation for approved wetland alterations shall be the same as the buffer required for the category of the created, restored, or enhanced wetland. 6. Buffer averaging: The Administrator may allow averaging of the standard wetland buffer widths in Table 5.2-1 when necessary to accommodate a single-family residence or residential subdivision of four (4) or fewer lots. With buffer averaging, the buffer width is reduced in one location and increased in another location to maintain the same overall buffer area. Proposals for buffer averaging shall not require a shoreline variance or compensatory mitigation if the following conditions are met: a. The buffer has not been averaged or reduced by any prior actions administered by Kittitas County; b. No feasible site design could be accomplished without buffer averaging; c, The wetland contains variations in sensitivity due to existing physical characteristics or the character of the buffer varies in slope, soils, or vegetation, and that wetland would benefit from a wider buffer in places and would not be adversely impacted by a narrower buffer in other places; d. A critical area report demonstrates that the averaging will not adversely impact wetland function and values; e. The minimum width of the buffer at any given point is at least seventy-five percent (7SYo) of the standard width per Table 5.2-1, or twenty-five (25) feet, whichever is greater; and Chapter 5 March 7,2016 66