3400 RIVERFRONT BLVD BASE FILE 2020-07-15

10. The City's Shoreline Public Access Plan identifies trail corridors that are located throughout the redevelopment site. These new trails will extend to existing and future trail connections that are beyond the site. While the plan does not identify specific access corridors through the landfill site, an ultimate trail plan will be developed with the full development of the site. The instant Shoreline Permit is for temporary site preparation and will not generate demand for public access. The site preparation is a temporary use of the subject property. (exhibit 1, staff report; Jimerson testimony) 20. The City of Everett, the lead agency for SEPA review, reviewed the requirements for Shoreline Permits, the conditions of the subject property, wetlands on-site, and habitat management requirements. Pursuant to this review, the City ordered a biological assessment, wetland evaluation, and a habitat management mitigation plan to be prepared as part of the Redevelopment Project's EIS. (exhibit 1, staff report; exhibit 10, EIS summary; exhibit 14, EIS) 21 . Upon review, the City of Everett Planning Department determined that the preload proposal of the instant Shoreline Permit does not impact any wetlands. It would encroach into the buffers of the wetland identified as Wetland W, a Category III wetland. Wetland W is a ditched channel that was created with the development of the abutting railroad grade. The buffer for Wetland W will be 65 feet or 15 feet more than the required 50-foot buffer standard. (exhibit 1, staff report; Jimerson testimony) 22. In the habitat management plan for the proposed project the existing buffer conditions are a five-foot disturbed buffer with invasive species and a 60-foot zone with little or no vegetation. Because the functions of the Wetland W were determined to be very low or non-existent because of the railroad grades, tracks, and lack of native vegetation, the buffer provides little, if any, protection to the wetland. The standard buffer for a Category III wetland in this shoreline jurisdiction is a 50-foot wide enhancement buffer. After the site is brought to final grade, a 65-foot wide buffer will be restored and preserved with native vegetation. The vegetation will be low growing with shallow roots to avoid any conflict with potentially contaminated soils. This restoration will be done by the developer pursuant to Shoreline Permits that will be obtained for future projects on-site. (exhibit 1, staff report; exhibit 13, page 8, power point; Jimerson testimony) 23. Other wetlands on-site are east of Wetland W and are identified as Wetlands T, U, and V. These are Category III wetlands that will not be impacted by the proposed project. (exhibit 1, staff report) 24. Projects within a shoreline jurisdiction must be developed in a manner that mitigates impacts to water quality by using the best available science. In order to meet this requirement, the Applicant must comply with City of Everett's (67//