Non-contiguous wetlands that are one-half acre or greater but less than two acres in size shall be unregulated unless the Township Board finds that the wetland is essential to the preservation of the natural resources of the township, pursuant to § 30309 of Part 303 of Michigan Public Act 451 of 1994, as amended. In making this determination, the Township Board must find that one or more of the following conditions exist at the site:
(A) The site supports state or federal endangered or threatened plants, fish, or wildlife appearing on a list specified in § 36505 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
(B) The site represents what is identified as a locally rare or unique ecosystem.
(C) The site supports plants or animals of an identified local importance.
(D) The site provides groundwater recharge documented by a public agency.
(E) The site provides flood and storm control by the hydrologic absorption and storage capacity of the wetland.
(F) The site provides wildlife habitat by providing breeding, nesting, or feeding grounds or cover for forms of wildlife, waterfowl, including migratory waterfowl and rare, threatened, or endangered wildlife species.
(G) The site provides protection of subsurface water resources and provision of valuable watersheds and recharging groundwater supplies.
(H) The site provides pollution treatment by serving as a biological and chemical oxidation basin.
(I) The site provides erosion control by serving as a sedimentation area and filtering basin, absorbing silt and organic matter.
(J) The site provides sources of nutrients in water food cycles and nursery grounds and sanctuaries for fish.
(Ord., § 4.6, passed 9-7-2010)