Ordinance 3774-20 - Laserfiche WebLink

"Buffer" means an area which provides the margin of safety through protection of slope stability,attenuation of surface water flows and erosion controls necessary to minimize risk to the public from loss of life or well-being or property damage resulting from natural disasters,or an area which is an integral part of the natural system and which provides shading,input of organic debris and coarse sediments, room for variation in stream or wetland boundaries,habitat for wildlife and protection from harmful intrusion necessary to protect the public from losses suffered when the functions and values of important aquatic resources are degraded. "Buffer management" means an activity proposed by a public agency,public utility, or private entity,and approved by the planning director,within a buffer required by this title,that is proposed to: 1. Reduce or eliminate a verified public safety hazard; 2. Maintain or enhance wildlife habitat diversity;or 3. Maintain or enhance the fishery or other functions of stream,wetland, or terrestrial ecosystems. "Buildable area"means the lot area minus undevelopable areas. "Channel gradient" refers to a measurement over a representative section of at least five hundred linear feet, where available,with at least ten evenly spaced measurement points along the normal stream channel, but excluding unusually wide areas of negligible gradient such as marshy or swampy areas, beaver ponds,and impoundments.Channel gradient may be determined utilizing stream profiles plotted from United States Geological Survey topographic maps(see Washington Forest Practices Board Manual,Section 23)or a more detailed survey specific to the project site and/or area. "Compensation" means the replacement,enhancement,or creation of an undevelopable critical area equivalent in functions,values and size to those being altered or lost to development. "Compensation,in-kind"means the replacement of wetlands with substitute wetlands whose characteristics closely approximate those destroyed or degraded by a regulated activity. "Compensation,off-site"means the replacement of wetlands away from the lot on which a regulated wetland has been impacted. "Compensation,on-site" means the replacement of wetlands on or adjacent to the lot on which a wetland has been impacted by a regulated activity. "Compensation,out-of-kind"means the replacement of wetlands with substitute wetlands whose characteristics do not closely approximate those destroyed or degraded by a regulated activity. "Critical area" means geologically hazardous areas,wetlands, lakes,ponds,streams,frequently flooded (flood hazard)areas,and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas,as defined in Chapter 36.70A RCW and this chapter. "Critical area protective covenant" means a covenant granted for the protection of a critical area and its buffer through the maintenance of the natural environment.The covenant prohibits alteration of the area and must be duly recorded on appropriate documents of title and filed with the Snohomish County auditor. "Critical area tract" means a legally created, nonbuilding lot containing a critical area which is subject to a critical area protective covenant and which shall be duly recorded on the appropriate documents of title and filed with the Snohomish County auditor. "Culvert"means a short section of pipe placed in a stream and filled over in order to provide a stream crossing. "Development"means all structures, uses or other alterations or modifications of the natural landscape occurring above or below ground or water on a particular lot.Within the riparian habitat zone or the special flood hazard area,the definition of"development"shall also include removal of substantial native vegetation,or alteration of natural site characteristics. Ch.19.04 Definitions 23 City Council Action(11/04/2020)