Ordinance 3129-09 - Laserfiche WebLink

WHEREAS,the Marshland study area is approximately 1,065 acres adjacent to the Snohomish River, south of Lowell, and east of Larimer Road; and WHEREAS,the study area includes approximately 247 acres between the Snohomish River and the City limits in Snohomish County jurisdiction; and WHEREAS,the current Parks Strategic Plan identifies access to natural areas and development of trails as high priorities for future investment; and WHEREAS,the Marshland area has been identified as having significant restoration potential in the Snohomish River Basin Salmon Conservation Plan(Snohomish County and SBRSF 2005), Ecosystem Restoration Opportunities in the Snohomish River Valley(Tulalip Tribes 2001), and Salmon Overlay to the Snohomish Estuary Wetland Integration Plan(SEWIP) (Pentec Environmental 2001), and is one of the few remaining areas with potential for restoration of salmon habitat in the tidally influenced area along the main stem of the Snohomish River; and WHEREAS,the City and County Comprehensive Plans and regulations support preservation of agriculture; and WHEREAS,the Marshland Subarea Plan addresses issues and potential projects associated with, for example, wetland preservation, fish and wildlife habitat protection and restoration, and recreation; and WHEREAS,there are a number of private owners who have expressed an interest in seeing their properties utilized for habitat restoration; and WHEREAS,the Subarea Plan provides for tidal restoration on City-owned properties as well as on private lands where property owners are willing to see restoration on their properties, providing habitat to support the largest number of salmon of the alternatives evaluated; and WHEREAS,the Subarea Plan provides for the connection of Wood Creek to discharge into the southern restoration area, rather than the Marshland Canal; and WHEREAS,the Subarea Plan provides the ability to develop passive recreation that helps address the community needs identified in the Parks Strategic Plan while also supporting fish and wildlife habitat restoration, thereby achieving two major regional objectives; and WHEREAS,the potential conversion of farmland in Snohomish County jurisdiction represents a small fraction of the Riverway Commercial Farmland designation County-wide(a fraction of one percent based on the approximately 58,770 acres in this County designation); and WHEREAS,the Subarea Plan ensures that adjacent agricultural lands are not adversely impacted by hydrologic changes and provides for maintaining access for farm equipment to adjacent agricultural fields; and 3