A. The Desert Lands Conservation Overlay (DLCO) establishes a special overlay zoning district, which applies to specific resources and environmental conditions north of Pinnacle Peak Road. In order to accomplish the purpose of this district, the City of Peoria shall apply these provisions to these lands that contain any of the following special conservation features and resources:
B. Conservation Features:
1. Cultural Resource. Prehistoric and historic sites identified according to standards established by the State Historic Preservation Office. Includes artifacts such as rock walls, etc.
2. Isolated Peak. The prominent peaks which jut out of a typically flatland area. These are landmark features whose rugged vertical form contrasts sharply with the horizontal ground plain.
3. Mountainous Area. Areas such as the Hieroglyphic Mountain Range which include numerous peaks, rugged topography, steep slopes and small v-bottomed washes flowing out of the area. The limits of a mountainous area is established when more than 60% of the area has slopes of 25% or greater.
4. Plateau. An extensive land area characterized by slopes leading to a relatively level surface and situated at a uniformly higher elevation than adjacent land on at least one side.
5. Primary Peak. Prominent peaks that are visual landmarks from various points of view and rise at least 400 feet above the surrounding base elevation.
6. Riparian Vegetation. Native vegetation that grows where there is a concentration of sustainable drainage water resulting in larger plants, greater species diversity and greater density. Generally lines washes, rivers, tanks and springs.
7. Riverine Area. Environmentally diverse riparian areas associated with the New River and Aqua Fria Rivers and Major Washes.
8. Rock/Boulder Formation. Formations including escarpments, cliffs or pinnacles which consist of exposed rock faces with limited vegetative cover.
9. Significant Vegetation Area. A stand of Sonoran Desert vegetation that is thirty percent more concentrated than the general aspect of the immediate context area and difficult to salvage due to slope, rocky soil conditions or exposed roots due to an adjacent wash. Generally located adjacent to a wash or other source of water and maintains the character of the site best when protected in place.
10. Significant Vegetation Specimen. A native tree with an 8" or greater caliper trunk and multi-trunk in good health, a saguaro over 20 feet in height and/or multiple arms or crest or other unusual configuration in good health, or other mature protected species, such as Ocotillo.
11. Skyline Ridge. Ridge lines and ridge line complexes which are visible from existing and/or planned collector and arterial roads, have an elevation difference of a maximum of three hundred (300) vertical feet from the property line of the subject parcel, have a vertical height increase of more than three hundred (300) feet as measured from the point of the ten percent (10%) slope line of the ridge or ridge complex, are composed primarily of a cliff face with a total height of at least 50 feet measured from the base of the cliff, or are determined by Staff to be significant during the site analysis process.
12. Spring. A permanent small stream or source of water coming out of the ground.
13. Talus Slope. A slope strewn with a layer of loose rock debris, usually over unconsolidated soils.
14. Unstable Slope. A slope that exhibits one or more of the following conditions. boulder collapse, boulder rolling, rock falls, slope collapse and talus slopes.
15. Wash, Major. Washes that by their size are more riverine in character than washes. They are characterized by extraordinary depth and width, strewn rock and vegetative rubble, diversity, density and sizes of vegetation and volumes of water that they can accommodate. Major washes include Morgan City Wash, Big Spring Wash and Twin Buttes Wash. Maximum flow capacity exceeds 500 cubic feet per second.
16. Wash, Primary. Wide, sand bottom washes that carry drainage from a relatively broad watershed and are fed by a number of smaller tributary washes. These washes generally have dense thickets of tree and shrub vegetation along their edges and are easily identified from aerial photographs. Maximum flow capacities are between 20 and 500 cubic feet per second.
17. Wash, Secondary. Tributaries to the significant washes and the rivers. The majority of these washes are the finger washes, which occur between slopes in the rugged areas. They have narrow sand bottoms or are V-shaped. There is increased vegetation density along these washes but the vegetation is more in the large shrub category. Maximum flow capacities are up to 20 cubic feet per second.
18. Wildlife Corridor. Pathways or habitat linkages that connect discrete areas of natural open space otherwise separated or fragmented by topography, changes in vegetation, and other natural factors in combination with urbanization, and which 1) permit animals to move between remaining habitats allowing depleted populations to be replenished and promoting genetic exchange; 2) provide escape routes from fire, predators, and human disturbances, thus reducing the risk that catastrophic events, such as fire or disease, will result in population or species extinction; 3) serve as travel paths for individual animals as they wander throughout their home ranges in search of food, water, mates, and other needs, or for dispersing juveniles in search of new home ranges.
19. Wildlife Habitat. Locations where native wildlife has a tendency to congregate due to provision of food, shelter and/or water.
(Ord. No. 2017-33, § 155, 6-13-17)