The watershed overlay districts are established to impose higher development standards around or upstream from drinking water supplies than generally imposed on land uses in the planning area. The intent is to maintain current development patterns in order to prevent the risks of pollution from more intense land uses (urbanization). The classifications of watersheds are based on current or expected land development patterns: a WS-III will have a low-to-moderate intensity pattern; and a WS-IV will have a moderate to high land-use intensity pattern. Because the risk of pollution is directly related to the proximity to the water supply, development standards are higher in the critical area than in the balance of the watershed.
(1996 Code, § 151.03) (Ord. passed 12-20-1993; Ord. passed 10-21-1997)