Ord-2021-006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Kittitas County Shoreline Master Program 3. Multiple buffers: ln the event that buffers for any aquatic habitat conservation areas or other critical areas are contiguous or overlapping, the landward-most edge of all such buffers shall apply. 4. lnterrupted buffers: When an aquatic habitat conservation area buffer contains an existing legally established public or private road the Administrator may allow a use and/or development on the landward side of the road provided that the use and/or development will not have a detrimental impact to the habitat area. The applicant may be required to provide a critical areas report to describe the 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. lncreased buffers: The Administrator shall increase the aquatic habitat conservation area buffer shown in Table 5.2-3 width up to a maximum of two times the standard width where the standard buffer is inadequate to prevent significant adverse environmental impacts or address hazards associated with the site or the proposed development activity. To assess whether a buffer increase is needed to project aquatic habitat conservation area functions and values, the Administrator shall consider: a. The historical and current susceptibility to severe erosion, channel instability, or aggrading; b. The presence of multiple channels or islands; c. The land adjacent to the ordinary high water mark and extending throughout the standard habitat buffer is steeply sloped (greater than forty percent (40o/o) slope) and there are no designated landslide hazards within the area of shoreline jurisdiction, such that an increased buffer may be required to protect ecological functions; and d. The adequacy of the standard width to prevent habitat degradation and protect the structure and functions of the habitat area. 6. Buffer for aquatic habitat conservation area mitigation sites: Any aquatic habitat conservation area that is created, restored, or enhanced as compensation for approved alterations shall be the same as the buffer required for the category of the created, restored, or enhanced aquatic habitat conservation area. 7. Buffer averaging: The Administrator may allow averaging of the aquatic habitat buffer widths in Table 5.2-3 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; Chapter 5 March 7, 2016 73