14.28.020 Purpose.
A. It is the policy of the city of Lacey to require site planning to avoid or minimize damage to wetlands wherever possible; to require that activities not dependent upon a wetland location be located at upland sites; and to achieve no net loss of wetlands by requiring restoration or enhancement of degraded wetlands or creation of new wetlands to offset losses that are unavoidable.
B. In addition, it is the intent of the city of Lacey that activities in or affecting wetlands not threaten public safety, cause nuisances, or destroy or degrade natural wetland functions and values by:
1. Impeding flood flows, reducing flood storage capacity, or impairing natural flood control functions, thereby resulting in increased flood heights, frequencies, or velocities on other lands;
2. Increasing water pollution through location of domestic waste disposal systems or stormwater systems in wetlands; unauthorized application of pesticides and herbicides; disposal of solid waste at inappropriate sites; creation of unstable fills; or the destruction of wetland soils and vegetation;
3. Increasing erosion;
4. Decreasing breeding, nesting, and feeding areas for many species of waterfowl and shorebirds, including those rare and endangered;
5. Interfering with the exchange of nutrients needed by fish and other forms of wildlife;
6. Decreasing habitat for fish and other forms of wildlife;
7. Adversely altering the recharge or discharge functions of wetlands, thereby impacting ground water or surface water supplies;
8. Significantly altering wetland hydrology and thereby causing either short- or long-term changes in vegetational composition, soils characteristics, nutrient cycling, or water chemistry;
9. Destroying sites needed for education and scientific research, such as outdoor biophysical laboratories, living classrooms, and training areas;
10. Interfering with public rights in navigable waters and the recreation opportunities provided by wetlands for fishing, boating, hiking, bird watching, photography and other passive uses; or
11. Destroying or damaging aesthetic and property values, including significant public view sheds.
C. The purposes of this chapter are to protect the public health, safety and welfare by preventing the adverse environmental impacts of development enumerated in LMC 14.28.010, and by:
1. Preserving, protecting and restoring wetlands functions and values by regulating development within wetlands and wetland buffers;
2. Protecting the public against losses from:
a. Unnecessary maintenance and replacement of public facilities, including the dredging of ports and navigation channels;
b. Publicly funded mitigation of avoidable impacts;
c. Cost for public emergency rescue and relief operations; and
d. Potential litigation from improper construction practices authorized for wetland areas;
3. Alerting appraisers, assessors, owners, and potential buyers or lessees to the development limitations of wetlands;
4. Providing city of Lacey officials with information to evaluate, approve, condition, or deny public or private development proposals;
5. Implementing the policies of the Growth Management Act, the State Environmental Policy Act, Chapter 43.21C RCW, Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan, Washington State Executive Order 90-04, the Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan, the City Comprehensive Plan for Outdoor Recreation, the City Zoning Code (LMC Title 16), the City Environmental Policy Ordinance (Chapter 14.24 LMC), Shoreline Master Program (Chapter 14.26 LMC), Tree Protection and Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 14.32 LMC), and all other present and future city of Lacey functional, environmental and community plans and programs. (Ord. 1505 §1, 2017; Ord. 912 §1 Sec. 1.2, 1991).