The following standards shall apply to all subdivisions in the wildlife overlay district and for which a completed conservation plan has been required. The applicant has the burden of demonstrating compliance with this chapter, including each of the following design review standards of evaluation. Before approving or conditionally approving this application, the board shall find that the proposed development meets the following standards:
A. Wildlife And Wildlife Habitat: All development shall be designed so it does not have a significant adverse impact on wildlife or wildlife habitat or that such significant adverse impacts have been avoided or mitigated to the maximum extent practicable. In determining if a new development will or may have a significant adverse impact on wildlife or wildlife habitats or that such adverse impacts have been avoided or mitigated to the maximum extent practicable, the administrator, commission, or board as relevant shall consider the following criteria:
1. Wildlife Species: Impacts on wildlife species, including, but not limited to, human related activities (including impacts from domestic pets) that disrupt necessary life cycle functions of wildlife, displace wildlife from suitable habitat or decrease the capacity of an area to support wildlife. Assessment of significant impacts will be based on the following:
a. Activities in previously undisturbed areas involving any combination of humans, pets, and machines or equipment that disturb or harass an individual animal, group of animals or wildlife species;
b. Site development or activities that disrupt necessary life cycle functions, resulting in stress to the extent that physiological damage is done to an individual animal, group of animals or wildlife species. Examples include, but are not limited to, introduction of nonnative vegetation; excessive use of fertilizers and other chemicals; placement of structures in close proximity to nesting and feeding areas; and excessive exterior lighting;
c. Species reliance on specific, unique habitat features, such as riparian areas, that may be affected;
d. Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to, controls on domestic animals and household pets; approval of an outdoor lighting plan as required by chapter 29A of this title; seasonal restrictions of recreational travel (motorized and nonmotorized) and activities, clustering of development to avoid intrusion into or fragmentation of habitat; and creation of buffers around critical areas.
2. Wildlife Habitat: Impact on wildlife habitat, including, but not limited to, the loss, degradation or fragmentation of wildlife habitat to the extent that the capacity of an area to support wildlife is diminished and the diversity of wildlife species occurring in the county is reduced. Assessment of significant impacts will be based on the following:
a. The amount of vegetation/habitat removal or alteration within the development site;
b. The amount of habitat of similar type and quality within the development site that remains contiguous;
c. The existing and proposed amount of lot coverage;
d. The existence of contiguous habitat of similar type and quality on adjoining land; and
e. Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to, clustering of development to avoid intrusion into or fragmentation of habitat; creation of buffers around critical areas; limits on the amount of disturbance on a site; restrictions on vegetation removal; and enhancement or restoration of equivalent habitat on or adjacent to the site.
3. Wildlife Movement Patterns: Impact on wildlife movement patterns, wildlife displacement and habitat use, including, but not limited to, disruption of necessary migration or movement patterns that prevent wildlife from using current or traditional habitats; displacement of wildlife species into areas that cannot support or sustain the species over the long term; or decrease the capacity of an area to support wildlife. Assessment of significant impacts will be based on the following:
a. Preventing wildlife from using current or traditional habitats, such as blocking migration corridors from summer to winter range;
b. Causing wildlife to find new routes that expose them to significantly increased predation, interaction with motor vehicles, intense human activity or more severe topography and climatic conditions;
c. The size of the affected habitat and availability of similarly sized and quality habitat within the surrounding area;
d. The human activity and development that would result in the inability of a single or multiple species to adapt to the new conditions;
e. Inability of affected species to adapt to significant alteration of their current habitats or to find a new habitat that is sufficient to sustain the species over the long term; and
f. Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to, clustering or location of development to avoid intrusion into migration or movement areas; creation of buffers around critical areas; limits on fencing that might interfere with migration and movement patterns; and enhancement or restoration of equivalent habitat on or adjacent to the site.
4. Uniqueness Of Habitat And Species: Uniqueness of habitat and species to Blaine County, including, but not limited to, loss, degradation, or fragmentation of important wildlife habitat that is identified as unique to Blaine County in that it supports wildlife species that do not commonly occur outside the county to the extent that the health and viability of a species is threatened in the county and impacts on wildlife species that do not commonly occur outside Blaine County to the extent that a species is threatened in the county. Assessment of significant adverse impacts will be based on the following:
a. The extent that habitat similar to that affected by the proposed development exists in Blaine County;
b. Whether the species does not commonly occur outside Blaine County, as determined by listing by state or federal agencies as threatened or endangered or as determined by Blaine County in conjunction with the Idaho department of fish and game;
c. Whether the habitat does not commonly occur outside of Blaine County as determined by the county in conjunction with the Idaho department of fish and game;
d. The extent of the threat to the viability of the species;
e. The extent of the reduction of the diversity of wildlife species in the county; and
f. Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to, clustering of development to avoid intrusion into or fragmentation of habitat; creation of buffers around critical areas; limits on the amount of disturbance on a site; and enhancement or restoration of equivalent habitat on the site or elsewhere in the county.
5. Cumulative Impacts Assessment: An assessment of cumulative impacts including the effects of past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions within and beyond the boundaries of the proposed site. Assessment of significant adverse impacts will be based on the following:
a. The area, including land outside the project site, in which effects of the proposed project will occur and the impacts of the proposed project that are expected to occur in that area; and
b. A cumulative assessment of the incremental impacts on wildlife populations and habitat of the proposed development in conjunction with the past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future impacts of other activities and developments.
6. Vegetation Removal And Revegetation:
a. Removal of natural vegetation shall be minimized and restricted to the smallest area necessary to construct permitted uses and associated structures, septic systems, and driveways within an activity envelope.
b. All disturbed areas shall be revegetated with native vegetation as soon as possible and no later than one growing season after construction of the primary structure(s) is completed.
c. Planting nonnative ornamental plants on sites near or adjacent to designated big game winter habitat is prohibited and strongly discouraged on all other sites. In areas immediately surrounding residential dwelling units, planting of nonpalatable vegetation is strongly encouraged to reduce potential human/wildlife conflicts. (Ord. 2010-06, 5-25-2010; Ord. 2006-19, 11-14-2006)
Notes
| 1 | 1. See also subsection 10-5-3R of this code. |