14.28.010 Findings of fact | Lacey Municipal Code

14.28.010 Findings of fact.

The city council of the city of Lacey hereby finds that:

A. Wetlands and their buffer areas are valuable and fragile natural resources with significant development constraints due to flooding, erosion, soil liquefaction potential, and septic disposal limitations.

B. In their natural state, wetlands provide many valuable social and ecological services, including:

1. Controlling flooding and stormwater runoff by storing or regulating natural flows;

2. Protecting water resources by filtering out water pollutants, processing biological and chemical oxygen demand, recycling and storing nutrients, and serving as settling basins for naturally occurring sedimentation;

3. Providing areas for ground water recharge;

4. Preventing shoreline erosion by stabilizing the substrate;

5. Providing habitat areas for many species of fish, wildlife, and vegetation, many of which are dependent on wetlands for their survival, and many of which are on Washington State and Federal Endangered Species lists;

6. Providing open space and visual relief from intense development in urbanized area;

7. Providing recreation opportunities; and

8. Serving as areas for scientific study and natural resource education.

C. Development in wetlands results in:

1. Increased soil erosion and sedimentation of downstream water bodies, including navigable channels;

2. Increased shoreline erosion;

3. Degraded water quality due to increased turbidity and loss of pollutant removal processes;

4. Elimination or degradation of wildlife and fisheries habitat;

5. Loss of fishery resources from water quality degradation, increased peak flow rates, decreased summer low flows, and changes in the stream flow regimen;

6. Loss of stormwater retention capacity and slow release detention resulting in flooding, degraded water quality, and changes in the stream flow regimen of watersheds;

7. Loss of ground water recharge areas;

8. Loss or degradation of open space and natural aesthetics of wetland areas;

9. Loss or degradation of natural recreation opportunities provided by wetland areas;

10. Loss of opportunities for scientific study of wetland areas.

D. Buffer areas surrounding wetlands are essential to maintenance and protection of wetland functions and values. Buffer areas protect wetlands from degradation by:

1. Stabilizing soil and preventing erosion;

2. Filtering suspended solids, nutrients and harmful or toxic substances;

3. Moderating impacts of stormwater runoff;

4. Moderating system microclimate;

5. Protecting wetland wildlife habitat from adverse impacts;

6. Maintaining and enhancing habitat diversity and/or integrity;

7. Supporting and protecting wetlands plant and animal species and biotic communities; and

8. Reducing disturbances to wetland resources caused by intrusion of humans and domestic animals.

E. The loss of the social and ecological services provided by wetlands results in a detriment to public safety and welfare; replacement of such services, if possible at all, can require considerable public expenditure.

F. A considerable acreage of these important natural resources has been lost or degraded by draining, dredging, filling, excavating, building, polluting, and other acts inconsistent with the natural uses of such areas. Remaining wetlands are in jeopardy of being lost, despoiled, or impaired by such acts.

G. It is therefore necessary for the city of Lacey to ensure maximum protection for wetland areas by discouraging development activities in wetlands and those activities at adjacent sites that may adversely affect wetland functions and values, to encourage restoration and enhancement of already degraded wetland systems, and to encourage creation of new wetland areas. (Ord. 912 §1 Sec. 1.1, 1991).