(A) The authority for requiring permits and regulating activities within wetlands is derived from § 30308 of Part 303 of Michigan Public Act 451 of 1994, as amended, which is also known as the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, or NREPA.
(B) The Williamstown Township Board finds that wetlands are indispensable and fragile natural resources that provide many public benefits, including maintenance of water quality through nutrient cycling and sediment trapping, and by serving as biological and chemical oxidation basins; flood and storm water runoff control through temporary water storage; groundwater recharge; and by providing open space, passive outdoor recreation opportunities, and fish and wildlife habitat.
(C) Preservation of the remaining township wetlands in a natural condition is necessary to maintain hydrological, economic, recreational, and aesthetic natural resource values for existing and future residents of Williamstown Township.
(D) Pursuant to Article 4, § 52 of the Constitution of the State of Michigan, the conservation and development of natural resources of the state is a matter of paramount public concern in the interest of the health, safety, and general welfare of the people. Therefore, with authority provided by Part 303 of Act 451, the Township Board finds that this chapter is essential to the long term health, safety, economic, and general welfare of the people of Williamstown Township, and, to the furtherance of the policies set forth in Act 451.
(Ord. passed 3-5-2002; Ord., § 1.2, passed 9-7-2010)