A. Areas: Vegetation buffer management areas include all lands within forty feet (40') from shorelines.
B. Delineated On Final Plat: Shoreline vegetation buffer management areas shall be delineated on the final plat of any subdivision. Applicants for shore land subdivisions may be required to plant vegetation as provided in appendix B of this title in shoreline vegetation buffer management areas prior to final plat approval. Exceptions may be made for areas that contain no cultivatable soil, such as pebble beach areas or rock outcroppings.
C. Water Quality Standards: To maintain water quality, reduce the potential for nutrients entering the waterways and to protect fish and wildlife habitat and drinking water standards, within shoreline vegetation buffer management areas, one of the following standards shall be met:
1. Preferred option: Noninvasive vegetation shall be left intact in existing natural condition within the shoreline vegetative buffer. The vegetative buffer may be enhanced with the planting of additional native and nonnative beneficial forbs, reeds, sedges, grasses, vines, shrubs, trees, ferns, perennials or ground cover listed in appendix B of this title.
2. Alternative option: Noninvasive vegetation shall be established and maintained within the shoreline vegetative buffer. The vegetative buffer strip shall consist of any combination of native and nonnative beneficial forbs, reeds, sedges, grasses, vines, shrubs, trees, ferns, perennials or ground cover listed in appendix B of this title. The planting shall be sufficiently dense to provide close growing vegetation designed to receive overland flow and hold and stabilize soils.
D. Trees: In addition, in vegetative buffers adjacent to perennial streams, trees shall be retained in accord with the following:
1. Standing trees, including conifers, hardwoods and snags, shall be left within forty feet (40') of the ordinary high water mark on each side of all perennial streams, in the following minimum numbers of standing trees per one thousand feet (1,000') of stream on each side:
TREE RETENTION STANDARDS FOR STREAM CORRIDORS
Tree Diameter Breast Height (dbh) (Measured At 4.5' Above Mean Ground Level On Standing Trees) | Perennial Stream Width | ||
Over 20' | 10' - 20' | Under 10' | |
3" - 7.9" | 200 | 200 | 200 |
8" - 11.9" | 42 | 42 | 42 |
12" - 19.9" | 21 | 21 | - |
20"+ | 4 | - | - |
a. Snags will be counted as standing trees in each diameter class if snag height exceeds one and one-half (11/2) times the distance between the snag and the stream's ordinary high water mark. Not more than fifty percent (50%) of any class may consist of snags.
b. Trees should only be pruned up to one-third (1/3) of their height in order to maintain optimum tree health. If defensible space is a high priority, up to one-half (1/2) of the tree height may be pruned. (Ord. 501, 11-18-2008)
E. Exceptions: The shoreline vegetation standards shall not apply to the following:
1. Placement of trams, rails, uncovered steps, stairs, walkways four feet (4') or less in width to provide access to the shoreline. These structures shall not be constructed in a manner that is parallel to the shoreline that would create a boardwalk along the waterfront, except where steep slopes require switchback designs.
2. Replacement of lawn areas with native vegetation.
3. Removal of trees infected by a pathogen or attacked by insects that threaten the surrounding trees.
4. Removal of trees that are potentially hazardous to public health or safety due to the risk of falling, and structural instability cannot be remedied due to nonmanmade, natural caused injury, such as weather or animal related damage.
5. Shoreline property owners are encouraged to plant native vegetation where none exists, in areas that contain cultivatable soils.
6. Exceptions may be made for areas that contain no cultivatable soil, such as pebble beach areas or rock outcroppings. (Ord. 512, 1-6-2010)