Ordinance 1838-91 - Laserfiche WebLink

of the upper bank or, if that cannot be determined, from .the ordinary high water mark as surveyed in the field. In braided channels and alluvial fans, the top of the bank or ordinary high water mark shall be determined so as to include the entire stream feature. Except for Category IV streams, if the designated buffer contains significant vegetation with driplines extending beyond the edge of the buffer, the buffer shall be extended to five (5) feet beyond the outside edge of the dripline. For purposes of this Section, "significant vegetation" means a healthy evergreen tree, 10 inches in diameter or greater, measured 4.5 feet above existing grade. Except as otherwise provided by Section 5 of this Ordinance, the following minimum buffers of native vegetation shall apply to streams based upon category: 1 . Category i Streams. Category I streams shall have a minimum buffer of 100 feet on each side of the stream, except that properties under the jurisdiction of the Shoreline Master Program which abut Category I streams may have a minimum buffer of less than 100 feet when shoreline public access improvements may otherwise be permitted or required during the shoreline permit review process; or when a water dependent or water related use which requires a lesser buffer standard is approved during the shoreline permit review process. 2 . Category II Streams. Category II streams shall have a minimum buffer of 50 feet on each side of the stream. 3 . Category III Streams. Category III streams shall have a minimum buffer of 25 feet. 4. Category IV Streams. Category IV streams shall have a minimum buffer of 10 feet. B. Standard Buffer Width Increase. The City shall require increased buffer widths as necessary to protect streams when the stream is particularly sensitive to disturbance, or the development poses unusual impacts and the increased buffer width is necessary to protect the environmentally sensitive areas described in this paragraph. Circumstances which may require buffers beyond minimum requirements include, but are not limited to: 1. The stream reach affected by the development proposal serves as critical fish habitat for spawning or rearing as determined by the City using information from resource agencies including, but not limited to, the Washington State Departments of Fisheries or Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and native tribes; or 2. The stream or adjacent riparian corridor is used by species listed by the federal government or the State of Washington as endangered, threatened, rare, sensitive, or monitored, or provides critical or outstanding actual or potential habitat for those species or has unusual nesting or resting sites such as heron rookeries or raptor nesting or lookout trees; or 22