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<br /> <br />59 <br /> <br />Table 17A.07.030: Standard Buffer Widths <br />Category of Wetland Land Use with <br />Low Impact1 <br />Land Use with <br />Moderate Impact2 <br />Land Use with <br />High Impact3 <br />I 125 ft 190 ft 250 ft <br />II 100 ft 150 ft 200 ft <br />III 75 ft 110 ft 150 ft <br />IV 25 ft 40 ft 50 ft <br /> <br />1 Low impact use and developments include: forestry (cutting of trees only), low intensity <br />open space (hiking, bird-watching, and like uses), unpaved trails, and utility corridor without a <br />maintenance road and little or no vegetation management. <br />2 Moderate impact use and developments include: residential (1 unit/acre or less), moderate <br />intensity open space (parks with biking, jogging, and like uses), conversion from non- <br />agricultural lands to moderate intensity agriculture (orchard, hay fields, and like uses), paved <br />trails, building of logging roads, and utility corridor or right-of-way shared by several utilities <br />and including access/maintenance roads. <br />3 High impact use and developments include: commercial, urban, industrial, institutional, <br />retail sales, residential (more than 1 unit/acre), conversion from non-agricultural lands to high <br />intensity agriculture (dairies, animal feed lots, nurseries and green houses, and like uses), <br />high intensity recreation (golf courses, ball fields, and like uses). <br /> <br />5. Wetland buffer condition. Wetland buffer areas shall be retained in a natural condition or <br />may be improved to enhance buffer functions and values. Where buffer disturbance is <br />allowed pursuant to this Title, re-vegetation with native vegetation shall be required. The <br />Kittitas County noxious weed ordinance shall be adhered to. Alterations of the buffer that are <br />inconsistent with this Title shall be prohibited. <br />6. Multiple buffers. In the event that buffers for any shorelines and/or critical areas are <br />contiguous or overlapping, the landward-most edge of all such buffers shall apply. <br />7. Interrupted buffer. When a wetland buffer contains an existing legally established public or <br />private road and/or a legally established development which creates a significant interruption <br />of buffer function, the Administrator may allow development on the landward side of the road <br />or development provided that the actions will not have a detrimental impact to the wetland. <br />The applicant may be required to provide a wetland critical areas report to describe the <br />potential impacts. In determining whether a critical areas report is necessary, the County <br />shall consider the hydrologic, geologic, and/or biological habitat connection potential and the <br />extent and permanence of the buffer interruption. <br />8. Buffers of restored wetlands. The buffer for a wetland created, restored, or enhanced as <br />compensation for approved wetland alterations shall be the same as the buffer required for <br />the category of the created, restored, or enhanced wetland. <br /> <br />9. Increased Buffers. The Director shall increase the wetland buffers widths where the <br />standard buffer is inadequate to prevent significant adverse environmental impacts or <br />address hazards associated with the site or the proposed development. The Director may <br />increase the buffer up to a maximum of two times the standard width. When determining <br />how much to increase the standard buffer, the Director shall consider the following <br />conditions: <br />a. Whether the wetland provides habitat for state priority or federally listed <br />endangered, threatened, or sensitive species for which a habitat management <br />plan indicates a larger buffer is necessary to protect habitat values for such <br />species; or