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structures(water oriented accessory structures); and, the maintenance and preservation of <br /> shoreline vegetation for the screening of shoreland area development activities. For river <br /> segments, implementation of a shore impact zone will also protect riparian soils and stream <br /> banks from the natural meandering characteristics of channels, thereby reducing accelerated <br /> erosion, sedimentation and channel shift problems. <br /> Subp. 15b. Steep Slopes: This definition is needed to identify the areas of land where due to <br /> a variety of site specific land and soil conditions, development or agricultural activity is <br /> either not recommended or poorly suited to the area. It is reasonable to reference county soil <br /> surveys or other technical reports since these documents usually are the best sources of <br /> information concerning the capability of soils for agricultural or development activity.When <br /> these documents are not available,it is necessary and reasonable to define steep slopes as lands <br /> that are in excess of 12% slope or more, since county soil surveys and technical reports <br /> generally begin to include cautionary statements about soils capability when these conditions <br /> exist. The requirement that the slope horizontai component be 50 feet or more is based on the <br /> relationship that slope length has to soil erosion potential. Generally, the longer the slope the <br /> greater the potential for erosion.A slope length of 50 feet is necessary to exclude those areas <br /> commonly found in shoreland that may have a 12% slope or greater but only over relatively <br /> short areas with minimal potential for soil erosion. For example,ice ridges and small natural <br /> terraces or benches of land along lake or river shorelines would not be considered as steep <br /> slopes unless they are long enough to meet the above definition. <br /> It is reasonable to allow vegetation clearing outside of the previously mentioned areas if the <br /> activity is consistent with accepted forest management practices and soil erosion control <br /> practices since this is where development will take place according to the structure setback <br /> requirements for the particular shoreland area. It is also reasonable to allow limited clearing of <br /> trees and shrubs within these areas as long as it is the minimum necessary to meet the specific <br /> needs of the landowner to place the facilities or conduct the activities that are allowed in these <br /> areas. As a condition of al l.owinq vegetative alterations in the shore and bluff impact zones <br /> and on steep slopes, it is necessary to specify performance. standards and provisions to ensure <br /> that soil,vegetation,water and aesthetic resources of these areas will be properly managed. <br /> A notable benefit of the proposed rule language and arrangement is that local units of <br /> government are not required to issue written permits for vegetative alteration, thereby reducing <br /> casts to these units. Instead,landowners wishing to conduct vegetative alteration activities need <br /> only comply with the listed performance criteria, which is intended to be published in <br /> •us. .onal brochures and distri• ted local units and handed out to shoreland owners. <br /> As stated in item B it is necessary to require the issuance of local permits for the grading or <br /> filling of the topography in shore and bluff impact zones and on steep slopes that involves ten <br /> or more cubic yards of material since grading or filling of this amount of material generally <br /> has a high potential for causing negative impacts to shoreland area natural resources. Some of <br /> these impacts are sedimentation to receiving water bodies, soil deposition on adjacent <br /> properties or into wetlands, and significant erosion or soil slumping problems on steeper <br /> slopes or on highly erosive soils. The cutoff of ten cubic yards was chosen so that projects <br /> involving less than ten cubic yards would not need permits, since these activities generally <br /> have less potential for causing significant problem:. (Ten cubic yards is roughly equivalent to <br /> a standard dump truck load.) It is reasonable to require use permits for the movement of more <br /> than 50 cubic yards of material anywhere within the areas specified since this type of activity <br /> has the potential to create significant negative impacts to shoreland natural resources.This <br /> � 3 <br />