BOCC Ordinance - Amend and Adopt CAO

Home Browse Search

38 3. Habitat boundary survey. If the Director determines that a fish and wildlife habitat conservation area may be present within the project vicinity, he/she may require the habitat area to be delineated and/or mapped by a qualified professional who is knowledgeable about fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas within Kittitas County, or confirmed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The existing maps showing the locations of fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas are coarse-scaled, and for planning purposes only. A survey performed by a qualified biologist may be necessary to determine the precise boundary of a habitat area. Unless otherwise defined in this Chapter, the boundary of aquatic habitats shall be the ordinary high water mark of the waterbody. The management recommendations for Washington’s priority habitats and species or federal equivalent should be used as a tool for identifying and delineating fish and wildlife habitat boundaries. The County may waive this requirement if there is adequate information available on the area proposed for development to determine the impacts of the proposed development and appropriate mitigating measures. 4. Waters of the state classification. For purposes of this Chapter, Kittitas County hereby adopts the water typing system specified in WAC 222-16-030, as described below: a. Type S: all waters, within their ordinary high water mark, meeting the criteria as “shorelines of the state” and “shorelines of statewide significance” under RCW Chapter 90.58. The current list of Shoreline waters, along with their specific shorelines environments, is provided in the Kittitas County Shoreline Master Program (KCC Title 17B). Type S streams and lakes are protected by the Shoreline Master Program, rather than through this Title. b. Type F: segments of natural waters other than Type S Waters, which are within the bankfull widths of defined channels and periodically inundated area of their associated wetlands, or within lakes, ponds, or impoundments having a surface area of 0.5 acre or greater at seasonal low water and which in any case contain fish habitat. c. Type Np: all segments of natural waters within the bankfull width of defined channels that are perennial non-fish habitat stream. Perennial stream waters do not go dry any time of a year of normal rainfall. However, for the purpose of water typing, Type Np Waters include the intermittent dry portions of the perennial channel below the uppermost point of perennial flow. d. Type Ns: All segments of natural waters within the bankfull width of the defined channels that are not Type S, F, or Np waters. These are seasonal, non-fish habitat streams in which surface flow is not present for at least some portion of a year of normal rainfall and are not located downstream from any stream reach that is a Type Np, F or S Water. Ns Waters must be upstream from and physically connected by an above-ground channel system to Type S, F, or Np Waters. [WAC 222-16-030] 17A.04.030 Riparian Management Zones and Buffers. 1. Purpose. Riparian Management Zones (RMZs) and Buffers shall be established and maintained to protect fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas. RMZs refer to areas established and maintained to protect streams. Buffers refer to areas established and maintained to protect nonaquatic fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas. 2. Measurement. RMZs for streams shall be measured in all directions from the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) as identified in the field. Building setbacks (17A.01090.5) are in addition to RMZs and buffers and are measured outward from the edge of the RMZ or buffer boundary. (See 17A.04.030(8) for information regarding nonaquatic fish and wildlife habitat conservation area buffers.) 3. RMZ and Buffer Condition. RMZs and buffers shall be maintained in a predominantly well- vegetated and undisturbed condition to ensure that they perform their intended function of