A. The board of supervisors shall by resolution adopt three critical and sensitive biological communities maps. They are:
1. Critical and Sensitive Biological Communities Map—Northeast Sector;
2. Critical and Sensitive Biological Communities Map—Southeast Sector;
3. Critical and Sensitive Biological Communities Map—Western Sector.
B. The maps may be amended by resolution of the board of supervisors after review by the planning and zoning commission.
C. Procedure for an amendment of a critical and sensitive biological communities map requested by an applicant for rezoning or specific plan:
1. If a site analysis is not required, the applicant shall submit a report containing, at a minimum, responses to all vegetation and wildlife sections in the site analysis guidelines.
2. The site analysis or report shall establish that the natural conditions of the site differ from that depicted on the map.
D. Class I habitat: Areas identified on the critical and sensitive biological communities maps as Class I habitat include:
1. Deciduous riparian woodlands: Vegetative communities associated with perennial stream flows and generally composed of cottonwood, willow, ash, walnut, sycamore, and mesquite species;
2. Mesquite bosques. Nearly continuous forest canopies of mesquite trees growing in association with water tables near the surface of annual or perennial streams: Blue palo verde and catclaw acacia also commonly occur in mesquite bosques;
3. Lakes, ponds, and wetlands with adjacent plant cover;
4. Important wildlife movement corridors: Desert or riparian habitats providing uninterrupted vegetative cover extending from a public preserve; and
5. Major extensions of riparian habitat from public preserves: Riparian habitats are typically composed of mesquite, catclaw acacia, desert broom, whitehorn acacia and blue palo verde.
E. Class II habitat: Areas identified on the critical and sensitive biological communities maps as Class II habitat include:
1. Major segments of riparian habitat not extending from a public preserve, containing a high density and diversity of plant and animal species;
2. Palo verde-saguaro vegetation community: The upland habitat which is the dominant plant association in most of the foothills regions of the Tucson basin; and
3. Ironwood plant community: A community in which ironwoods are the dominant species in association with saguaros and palo verde trees:
(Ord: 1998-51 § 3, 1998; Ord: 1998-38 § 1 (part), 1998; Ord: 1988-116 § 1 (part), 1988)