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Kittitas County,WA <br /> § 17A.07.030 CRITICAL AREAS § 17A.07.030 <br /> 9. Increased buffers. The Director shall increase the wetland buffers widths where the standard buffer is <br /> inadequate to prevent significant adverse environmental impacts or address hazards associated with <br /> the site or the proposed development. The Director may increase the buffer up to a maximum of two <br /> times the standard width. When determining how much to increase the standard buffer, the Director <br /> shall consider the following conditions: <br /> a. The adjacent land has minimal vegetative cover, or <br /> a-.b_Whether the wetland provides habitat for state priority species, including species of local <br /> importance, or federally listed endangered, threatened, or sensitive species for which a habitat <br /> management plan indicates a larger buffer is necessary to protect habitat values for such species; <br /> or <br /> 1}c_Whether the land adjacent to the wetland has slopes greater than 30 percent, is susceptible to <br /> severe erosion, and erosion control best management practices will not effectively prevent <br /> adverse wetland impacts. <br /> 10. (Reserved) <br /> 11. Buffer averaging.The Director may allow averaging of the standard buffer widths in accordance with <br /> an approved critical areas report on a case-by-case basis. With buffer averaging, the buffer width is <br /> reduced in one location and increased in another location to maintain the same overall buffer area. In <br /> such cases, the minimum width of the buffer at any given point shall be at least seventy-five percent <br /> (75%) of the standard width, or twenty-five (25) feet, whichever is greater. Proposals for buffer <br /> averaging shall meet all the following: <br /> a. The wetland buffer has not been averaged or reduced by any prior actions; <br /> b. No feasible site design could be accomplished without buffer averaging; <br /> C. The wetland contains variations in sensitivity due to existing physical characteristics or the <br /> character of the buffer varies in slope, soils, or vegetation, and the wetland would benefit from <br /> a wider buffer in places and would not be adversely impacted by a narrower buffer in other <br /> places; <br /> d. The averaging will not have a significant adverse impact on wetland functions and values; and <br /> e. The area that is added to the buffer to offset the reduction will be well-vegetated. The Director <br /> may require vegetation enhancement if needed to ensure this criterion is met. <br /> 12. Mitigation for buffer averaging.Prior to approving a request for wetland buffer averaging,the Director <br /> shall ensure the development is designed to separate and screen the wetland from impacts such as <br /> noise, glare,vegetation trampling, intrusion, etc to the degree feasible. The site design shall consider <br /> the varying degrees of impacts of different land uses. For example,parking lots, store entrances, and <br /> roads generally have higher noise and glare impacts than the rear of a store. Site screening should take <br /> advantage of natural topography or existing vegetation, wherever possible. Where natural screening <br /> is not available,berms,landscaping,and structural screens should be implemented as may be required <br /> by the Director(e.g.,orient buildings to screen parking lots and store entrances from critical areas). <br /> 13. Allowed buffer uses. The Director may allow the following alterations and development within a <br /> wetland buffer provided that they are conducted in a manner so as to minimize impacts to the buffer <br /> and adjacent wetland, including wetland functions and values: <br /> a. Conservation or restoration activities aimed at protecting or enhancing the soil, water, <br /> vegetation, or wildlife. <br /> Downloaded from https:Hecode360.com/KI6857 on 2025-05-15 <br />