(a) Purpose. It is hereby determined that the natural environment within the City of Wooster contributes to the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of Wooster, and therefore, should be protected. These regulations are enacted in order to:
(1) Protect and preserve designated wetlands, riparian corridors, and steep slopes; and
(2) Protect residents of Wooster from property loss and damage due to flooding.
(b) Compliance with Regulations. No approvals required by this code or zoning certificates shall be issued by the City to any applicant whose lot falls within the jurisdiction of these regulations without full compliance with the terms of these provisions.
(c) Wetland Regulations. Wetlands that are required to be retained by the Army Corps of Engineers or the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) shall be protected by the following:
(1) A buffer area shall be established having a minimum width of 20 feet measured from the edge of the designated wetland. The area within this buffer shall not be disturbed and shall be retained in its natural state. During construction, this buffer shall be fenced off to prevent disturbance of this required buffer area.
(2) All buildings and pavement shall be set back a minimum of 35 feet from the edge of the designated wetland.
(d) Steep Slopes.
(1) No roadway or driveways shall be constructed on land having a slope greater than 25 percent.
(2) No buildings or parking areas shall be constructed on land having a slope greater than 20 percent.
(3) The Zoning Administrator shall have the authority to waive the application of these requirements when grading, special construction practices, or the use of a retaining wall will address any safety issues and where the character of the surrounding neighborhood will not be substantially altered because of changes in building design or the natural grade.
(4) Slopes shall be determined by dividing the vertical rise in elevation by the horizontal run of the same slope and converting the result into a percentage value.
(e) Flood Hazard Areas.
(1) No residential dwelling or part thereof, except for approved campgrounds, shall be erected within the 100-year floodplain as designated on the most recently adopted Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
(2) In the event a recreational dwelling is built within the floodplain, then the dwelling shall be built above the base flood elevation, or if the recreational dwelling is stilted, then the main structure of the dwelling shall be built above the base flood elevation.
(3) Any residential dwelling or part thereof within the 100-year floodplain at the time of enactment of this code may be altered or expanded if:
A. The alteration or expansion conforms with all applicable regulations of this code; and
B. There is not an increase in the number of dwelling units in the building.
(4) Any nonresidential building, or part thereof, which is constructed within the 100-year floodplain is encouraged to be flood proofed.
(f) Riparian Corridor Setback. All development subject to review under this code shall comply with the riparian corridor setbacks established by the Wooster Engineering Division in the Site Development and Improvement Manual.
(Ord. 2018-009. Passed 5-7-18.)