(A) Findings.
(1) The Council finds that wetlands within the city, as part of the ecosystem, are critical to the present and future health, safety and general welfare of the land, animals and people within the city, as well as within the Rice Creek Watershed District, that existing and potential development within the city and Rice Creek Watershed possess increasing ecological and economic problems and demands, having the effect of potentially despoiling, polluting, accelerating the aging, eliminating or negatively and irretrievably altering both the wetlands and their functions (and the processes associated therewith) which, if managed, will constitute important physical, educational, ecological, aesthetic, recreational and economic assets for existing and future residents of the community and the Rice Creek Watershed District. The City Council has in mind its statutory obligation to comply with state law, the regulations of Rice Creek Watershed District, regulations of the Department of Natural Resources, including provisions for protected waters, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, being 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq., open space policies of the Metropolitan Council and its guidelines encouraging protection and enhancement of marshes, wetlands in the floodplain area and the public interest in preventing irreparable destruction or deterioration of valuable natural resources.
(2) The public interest necessitates sound land use development, as land is a limited and irreplaceable resource, and the land within the municipality is a resource to be developed in a manner which will result in minimum damage to the quality of life, property, threat to health and reduction of private/public economic loss caused by drainage problems.
(B) Purposes. Therefore, recognizing the obligation to protect these assets and natural resource gifts from destruction or deterioration and pollution of all kinds, the purposes of this chapter are:
(1) To preserve wetlands in as natural a state as possible;
(2) To serve as natural retention and detention areas for surface waters;
(3) To regulate the use of areas adjacent to the wetlands in order to protect and enhance the natural function of the wetlands;
(4) To provide for the protection, preservation, proper maintenance, use and enhancement of wetland zoning districts;
(5) To minimize the disturbance to them and to prevent or minimize damage from excessive sedimentation, eutrophication or pollution;
(6) To prevent loss of aquatic organisms, wildlife and vegetation or the habitats of the same;
(7) To provide for the protection of surface and ground water supplies from the danger of drought, overdraft, pollution or mismanagement;
(8) To secure safety from floods;
(9) To reduce the financial burdens imposed upon the community through rescue and relief efforts occasioned by the occupancy or use of areas subject to periodic flooding;
(10) To prevent loss of life, property damage and the losses and risks associated with flood conditions;
(11) To reduce erosion problems;
(12) To enhance and preserve quality; and
(13) To enhance and preserve the natural drainageways.
(Prior Code, § 1010.02) (Ord. 505, passed 04-27-1992; Ord. 957, passed 05-28-2019)