Ordinance 2213-97 - Laserfiche WebLink

available from the Planning and Community Development Department. The City may require that environmentally sensitive areas be placed in separate tracts and designated as sensitive habitat with listed restrictions on the approval/final plans. (Chapter 37 of the Zoning Code and SEPA Water, Plant and Animal, and Land and Shoreline Use Policies) 7. Prior to initiation of construction, a biologist or wetland/stream expert must inspect construction fencing along environmentally sensitive areas buffers/construction limits to ensure that fencing is located properly. The biologist/expert should inspect the site occasionally during construction, and shall have authority to impose a stop work order immediately if the biologist/expert determines that work activities violate buffer and setback requirements. (SEPA Plant and Animal, Water, and Land and Shoreline Use Policies) 4.3.2 Mitigating Impacts of Development on Vegetation and Wildlife 1. Wildlife Corridors Because the area is generally built out, few opportunities exist to establish east-west wildlife corridors between basins in the residential areas to the north of the Subarea. Thus the remaining corridors are important for wildlife movement. Several wildlife corridors were required on the Boeing property. In addition, the City owns a parcel between Narbeck Creek and Merrill and Ring Creek that will function as a wildlife corridor. The City shall designate the buffers between industrial developments and the residential areas and buffers separating residential areas (see Figure 3.4-40 in the EIS) as wildlife corridors as well as buffers. Additional plantings shall be required in these corridors/buffers in conjunction with issuance of permits on these sites when the Planning Director determines that the corridor can be enhanced. An enhancement plan must be reviewed and approved by the Planning Department prior to the issuance of any permits. The City encourages enhancement in all corridors. Enhancement should provide additional cover and food sources for wildlife, as well as coniferous vegetation. (SEPA Plant and Animal and Land and Shoreline Use Policies) 2. No removal of vegetation is permitted in environmentally sensitive areas and their buffers, including wildlife corridors, except as approved by the Planning Director to eliminate hazardous trees, allow construction and maintenance of utilities, and/or provide access to properties. Any cleared areas shall be replanted with native vegetation. In wildlife corridors, the intent of plantings shall be to establish coniferous forest where feasible, except that utility corridors shall be established with native shrubs and groundcover. (SEPA Plant and Animal and Land and Shoreline Use Policies) 3. Where development occurs adjacent to environmentally sensitive areas, an analysis of hazardous trees in the environmentally sensitive area must be completed by a professional arborist. Any trees that are hazardous (i.e., are diseased, damaged or leaning and are likely to fall on development) must be removed prior to issuance of occupancy permits, and preferably, prior to construction of structures on the site. Where they would not create a hazard, the trunks of these trees must be left for snags. For each tree cut, three coniferous trees must be planted unless the Planning Director determines that sufficient natural coniferous revegetation is occurring in the area. However, for s Defined as"continuous vegetative corridors linking watersheds" in the City's Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance. 20