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f the land Lo/pcally.
<br />sessrnent tj^ainsi the
<br />snjentv reficct market
<br />follow local zoning
<br />•nsideralion to these
<br />»cess of easements or
<br />require public access,
<br />community with a
<br />einent to run with the
<br />m he adjusted for the
<br />I addition, the land-
<br />eiit for an income ta,\
<br />provisions into their
<br />the advantage of
<br />mers and also places
<br />ccepting any of these
<br />xation accordingly.
<br />)viding a landowner
<br />1 is to remove his
<br />a defray the cost of
<br />I as sanitar>' sewers.
<br />These assessments
<br />>f revenue than the
<br />provide a break for
<br />iessments are not a
<br />rable discretion in
<br />•ement is that they
<br />>enefits derived, but
<br />!onsc(juently, most
<br />I within a wetland
<br />[jo.se a.'-sessnients.
<br />K assessment, rather
<br />these areas, since it
<br />r development. This
<br />er taking advantage
<br />in tryin;; to develop
<br />fjsed. Anotht?r check
<br />in the same manner
<br />r the easement route
<br />e included in the
<br />ity Adjacent to the
<br />E*ntal sense to place
<br />d ignore activities
<br />ind district. Hence,
<br />'e whose c.^sential
<br />tlopment adjacent
<br />i tciiii to exhibit
<br />vatercourses. steep
<br />dlen near wetland
<br />1 is not sensitive in
<br />calls for special
<br />rovide.
<br />w two basic ap-
<br />i.xed area from the
<br />might range from
<br />iinporta ’ice of the
<br />mm’
<br />n.
<br />i
<br />al
<br />I) t
<br />• s
<br />t\elhiiu1 ami. Sinond, the buffer might take a minimum
<br />lixet! area, coupled with the flexibility to incorporate
<br />sen.sitive land an>as Iwyond the fixed area. The Ceniial
<br />.\ew York Regional Planning Commission has
<br />mxminu-mlod that the wetlands regulation include a
<br />|,(MH) foot buffer with a limitation of five per cent
<br />im|M*rvious surface within this area. In Washington, the
<br />Shoreline Management Act establishcti a buffer zone
<br />running 200 feet in all directions from the mean high water
<br />line u) all wetlands above a minimum size. Within this
<br />fixwl area, the objective is to establish stringent environ-
<br />mental controls over a larger list of |iermitted or special
<br />uses. Key among the controls would be protection against
<br />the by-products of increased use, such as liquid wastes,
<br />runoff, erosion, and sedimentation. The control could be
<br />exercised through limitations on impervious surface,
<br />through extensive performance requirements for control of
<br />erosion and runoff, or in the case of liquid w'astc, through
<br />strin^nt reflation of private sewer systems. If com
<br />mercial and industrial uses were allowed in this zone, it
<br />would also be necessary to give careful attention to the
<br />|M>ssibility of waste disposal resulting from internal
<br />commercial processes. In most cases, the objective should
<br />l>e to limit commercial and industrial uses to those with no
<br />significant liquid waste products.
<br />The floating buffer would be directed toward essentially
<br />the same purposes. The use list might be expanded, but
<br />more stringent controls would be placed on the
<br />by-products of the various uses. With the floating buffer,
<br />the local community might establish a minimum buffer,
<br />coupled with the potential to expand, depending upon the
<br />prese...^e of related sensitive land areas. The dimensions of
<br />the buffer could easily be taken from maps indicating soil
<br />type, slojie, drainage patterns, and so on. The buffer
<br />boundary would vary with the presence or absence of
<br />adjacent sensitive land areas. For any specific dcvclo|>-
<br />ment within this area, the proponent would be required to
<br />show the relation between the proposed use and related
<br />sensitive land areas. In this way, the buffer could float
<br />and account for the sensitivity of land.
<br />The principal disadvantage of the floating buffer is
<br />simply the availability of the requisite information. In
<br />tho.se .''reas with a paucity of environmental information,
<br />the fixed buffer would be more attractive. In those areas
<br />with extensive topographical information, the floating
<br />buffer would make more sense. In both cases, the
<br />objective of the buffer is to allow for an expanded range of
<br />usc.s while placing .strict controls over the by-products of
<br />these u.scs. The use of the buffer zone complements the
<br />basic wetlands control by minimizing negative develop
<br />mental consequences in lands adjoining the wetland area.
<br />Controlling the Attendant Watershed
<br />The final difficulty with the sole reliance u|)on wetlands
<br />districts is simply that the wetland is, in large measure, a
<br />reflection of the larger watershed. What happens in tJi*?
<br />watershed will eventually have conse(|uences for the
<br />wetland. So, the effectiveness of wetlands regulations is
<br />closely tied to the control of development in the watershed.
<br />In the watershed, two key natural processess are
<br />directly related to the health of the well. nd. These are the
<br />processes of runoff and erosion. Under natural watershed
<br />condition.s. the wetland is generally able to control and
<br />maintain its important functions. However, as the
<br />watershed becomes progre.ssively more developed, the
<br />capacity of the wetland to deal with erosion and runoff is
<br />overwhelmed. To maintain the wetland, the p.o»cesM,s of
<br />runoff and ero.sion must be controlled throughout the
<br />watershed. With no c^mlrol, pre.sence or ahsence of
<br />wetland districts would make little-difference. This control
<br />is a preconditi»»n to wetland regulation.
<br />A more.* complete discussion of the necessity for and the
<br />methods of control over the.se natural processes is
<br />contained in ChaptcT M of this rc|>ort. The design of
<br />wc^lland rc-gulations should ewcur only in the conte.xt of
<br />these largc-r control.s. If tb»-se watershed controls e.xist,
<br />then the wetland distr:ct receives critical environmental
<br />support. If not. the long-term effectiveness of wetlands
<br />regulation would be in scriou.s (|uestion.
<br />Wetland regulation surmounts many of the difficulties
<br />assocuitc*d with .sole reliance ujjon acquisition. The regula
<br />tions cover broader areas, may be quickly designed and
<br />implemented, unci allow for widcT public participation.
<br />However, to preserve the ini|)ortant functions of the
<br />wetland they should be complementc-d by the use of buffer
<br />zones for adjacent ari*as and by controls over runoff and
<br />erosion in the watershed. In facing the probleiu of
<br />re.strifted use lists, wetland and buffer zone regulations
<br />should allow for special u.ses. The basic principle in the
<br />evaluation of tht; spcxrial uses would simply be that the*
<br />uses would be compatible with the maintenance of the
<br />important fcinctions of the wetland. Local contmunities
<br />might also consider the use of density transfers or perhaps
<br />transferable* development rights to preserve tl.cjse
<br />functions, while allowing for additional uses in less
<br />sensitive areas.
<br />In aceountiiig for the* nc*gH(ive influence of development
<br />4it the wetland site, in adjacent land areas, and throughout
<br />the attendant watershc*d, local communitie.s should move*
<br />closcsr to the real goal of wetland regulation. The goal is to
<br />preserve the important functions of the wetland, such as
<br />inoderatiTig waU*r flow, filtering water for adjacent lakes
<br />and rivers, and providing sjjecics diversity for an arc*a. In
<br />this more inclusive regulatory framework the goal is more
<br />likely to be acbievcul.
<br />DATA NEKDS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
<br />Since wetlands types range from wet prairie to deep
<br />cattail marsh and are characterized by different vegetation
<br />and water levc'ls, identification of wetland areas is
<br />somewhat difficult. The cyclical and fluctuating nature of
<br />wetland water IcrvcI.s adds another element of confusion to
<br />mapping them. If you ncsid basic iuformatrun on where
<br />your community s wetlands are locutc'd or whether or not
<br />any exist in your hrea, the States Geological Survey has
<br />topographic quadrangle maps that indicate the locations
<br />of wetlands. The? maps are available for almost all areas of
<br />the country in a degrc'e .scale?, and for some areas at
<br />the more detailc ’d 7' / degree scale, at many public and
<br />unr.orsity libraries and selected bookstores and from the
<br />USCiS Distribution Hraiiches in Arlington, Virgini.-i. and
<br />Denver. (Alaska maps available from the USGS brarch in
<br />Fairbanks.) An index map for each state indicates which
<br />topographic map covens your area.
<br />4'J
<br />■L
<br />Tv
<br />Er
<br />. *
<br />s.-Jij *•
<br />wetlaiu! area. S<>c‘ond
<br />Jixcal aiva, ccniplt'd
<br />sensitive land an*as I
<br />.\ew York Region
<br />rtrommeiided that t
<br />l.tMKt-fool buffer wit
<br />impervious surface wi
<br />Shoreline Managemci
<br />running 200 feet in all c
<br />line to all wetlands a
<br />fixixl area, the objectic
<br />mental controls over c
<br />usc?s. Key among the c
<br />the by-products of inc
<br />runoff, erosion, and sc
<br />exercised through Hr
<br />through extensive pcrfi
<br />erosion and runoff, or i
<br />stringent regulation o
<br />mercial and industrial
<br />would also be necessai
<br />|)ossibility of waste
<br />commercial processes. 1
<br />Ije to limit commercial «
<br />significant Iic]uid waste
<br />The floating buffer w
<br />the same purposes. Th(
<br />more stringent conti
<br />by-products of the varic
<br />the local community m
<br />coupled with the potent
<br />presence of related sensi
<br />the buffer could easily h
<br />type, sIo|je, drainage |
<br />boundary would vary ■
<br />adjacent sensitive land
<br />meiit within this area, tl
<br />show the relation betwe
<br />sensitive land areas. In
<br />and account for the sem
<br />1'he principal disadv.
<br />simply the availability
<br />tho.se -vreas with a pauc
<br />the fixed buffer would b
<br />with extensive topograj
<br />buffer would make me
<br />objective of the buffer is
<br />u.scs while placing .strict
<br />these uses. The use of t
<br />basic wetlands control b
<br />mental consequences in li
<br />Controlling the Atten<
<br />The final difficulty \
<br />districts is simply that
<br />reflection of the larger
<br />watershed will eventi
<br />wetland. So, the effcci
<br />closely tied to therontn
<br />In the watershed,
<br />directly related to the b
<br />processes of runoff and
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