Ordinance 3202-10 - Laserfiche WebLink

consideration agricultural land preservation, within the context of the national and state issue of accelerated farmland loss due to development. Note: I consolidated the city's response to these three similar comments. City of Everett's Response: The DEIS addresses the loss of agricultural land and related City and County policies on pages 74-76,78, 80-83, 133-140, 145-147,and 166-174. The FEIS addresses the loss of agricultural lands on pages 8-9, 14-15, 53-55, 77,and 99-102. We believe we have adequately addressed the tradeoffs between agricultural lands and habitat restoration. While designated as Agricultural,the properties are also identified as potential restoration areas in adopted plans that required considerable coordination among State and federal agencies,Tribes, and many local jurisdictions in Snohomish County. The City recognizes the trade-offs in loss of agricultural lands and the restoration of habitat for listed salmonoid species, as well as other wildlife.If the restoration actions proposed in the Marshland Subarea Plan are determined to be feasible, and resources are obtained to implement the projects,there will be a reduction in agricultural use in the area,and an increase in habitat for listed salmonoid species and other wildlife, as well as increased trails and areas for passive recreation. Prior to conversion to farmland,this area provided large areas of habitat for salmon and other species. One report states: The conversion of the Marshland marsh for agricultural uses in the 1880s was the largest single loss of off-channel rearing habitat in the entire Snohomish River basin. Even under conservative estimates of summer and winter rearing capacity, the historic marsh at Marshland would have provided more rearing capacity for Coho and Chinook than the total rearing capacity of all remaining off-channel habitat within the Snohomish River floodplain between the head of Ebey Slough and the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers. (Haas, 2001) The Subarea Plan covers only a portion of the larger Marshland area. The Subarea Plan includes a variety of actions that will result in ensuring the remaining farm land is productive including ensuring that access is maintained for farm equipment to agricultural areas adjacent to restoration areas, and ensuring that property owners outside of restoration areas have the same or better level of flood protection and drainage after restoration proposals as they presently have. The Snohomish River Basin Salmon Conservation Plan description of Marshland restoration opportunities states that,"Members of the Coordinated Diking Council have major concerns about proposed restoration projects along this stretch of river,and do not currently support moving this idea forward. Further work with the farming community would be needed to build project support." City staff and consultants did meet early on with representatives of the farming community,including Neil Wheeler of the Coordinated Diking Council,(see Meeting notes in Tab S of the Notebook provided to Ecology); and City staff presented the project to the Snohomish County Agricultural Advisory Board.A representative of the Marshland Flood Control District,as well as farmers/dairy owners were included in the Stakeholder Committee. Neil Wheeler received all public notices for the project. To further address this issue,Policy 9 in Section 4.1.3.1 of the Subarea Plan requires the City to"Ensure structural flood protection measures are consistent with the Snohomish River Comprehensive Flood Control Management 3