17.10.055 Wetland and buffer mitigation plan.
A mitigation plan shall be approved by the city prior to the issuance of any permits for development activity occurring on a lot upon which wetland and/or buffer alteration, reduction, averaging, restoration, creation or enhancement is allowed. The mitigation plan shall:
A. Be prepared by a qualified wetland professional using best available science and the following Washington Department of Ecology accepted guidance: Wetland Mitigation in Washington State – Part 2: Developing Mitigation Plans (Ecology, 2006); and Selecting Wetland Mitigation Sites Using a Watershed Approach (Ecology, 2009) as amended; and
B. Include a baseline study that quantifies the existing functional values and the relationship to the watershed and existing hydrologically connected water bodies; and
C. Include baseline information of surface and subsurface hydrologic conditions, and include an analysis of future hydrologic regime changes from proposed development and proposed hydrologic regime for enhanced, created, or restored wetland mitigation areas; and
D. Specify how functional values will be replaced and when mitigation will occur relative to project construction; and
E. Include provisions for adequate monitoring to ensure success of the mitigation plan. The monitoring plan shall outline the approach for monitoring construction of the mitigation project, and for assessment of the completed project, and shall include a monitoring schedule. A monitoring report shall be submitted annually for a period up to five years to the department unless a more frequent time period is required as a condition of the permit, or a longer period is required by an outside agency. The monitoring report shall document successes, problems and contingency actions of the mitigation project. Monitoring activities may include, but are not limited to:
1. Establishing vegetation monitoring plots to track changes in plant species composition and density over time; and
2. Measuring base flow rates and stormwater runoff to model and evaluate hydrologic predictions; and
3. Sampling fish and wildlife populations to determine habitat utilization, species abundance and diversity; and
4. Sampling surface and subsurface waters to determine pollutant loading, and changes from the natural variability of background conditions; and
F. Include a contingency plan specifying what corrective actions will be taken should the mitigation not be successful; and
G. Include provisions for an assurance device, which may include a bond, to assure that work is completed in accordance with the mitigation plan, and to assure that restoration or rehabilitation is performed in accordance with the contingency plan if mitigation fails within five years of implementation. (Ord. 3193 § 2, 2016)