30.62A.520 Single family residential development exceptions in buffers.
New single family residential development, expansions of existing single family residences and ordinary residential improvements on lots existing prior to October 1, 2007 are allowed in buffers only as follows:
(1) The development cannot comply with the standard requirements contained in PART 300 of this chapter;
(2) The development shall not disturb more than 4,000 square feet of the buffer;
(3) There is not 4,000 square feet of area available for the development outside of the standard buffer;
(4) To the extent feasible, total effective new impervious areas shall be limited to 10 percent within 300 feet of all waters containing salmonids and bogs;
(5) Expansion of an existing single family residence or accessory structure may be allowed within a buffer provided the footprint of the expansion does not exceed 50 percent of the existing structure or 2,000 square feet, whichever is less, and the expansion is set back from the critical area a distance which is greater than or equal to the setback of the original structure;
(6) For new single family development, there must be no alternate location for the development outside of the buffer;
(7) Development in the buffer shall be located to avoid impacts to critical species;
(8) The buffer shall not be reduced to less than one half of the standard buffer as provided at SCC 30.62A.320(1)(a) or 25 feet, whichever is greater, provided that access road crossing may encroach further into the buffer when there are no feasible alternatives;
(9) To the maximum extent feasible, the development shall be designed to avoid the removal of existing native vegetation with emphasis on preservation of conifers greater than or equal to 24 inches diameter at breast height (dbh), and hardwoods greater than or equal to 20 inches dbh;
(10) Utility service lines servicing a single family residence may be allowed in areas of the buffer containing native vegetation provided that the removal of any vegetation within the buffer shall be the minimum necessary to install the lines;
(11) A permanent fence or other equivalent visual and physical barrier shall be installed along the edge of the reduced buffer, provided that the barrier may be installed at the edge of the naturally or restored vegetated part of the buffer;
(12) Mitigation for any encroachment into the buffer shall include, where beneficial, enhancement of existing buffers on the site based on the following criteria:
(a) The enhanced buffer should be located between the residential structures and improvements and the aquatic critical area; and
(b) The ratio of the area of buffer enhanced to the area of the buffer encroached upon should be 2 to1. (Added by Amended Ord. 06-061, Aug. 1, 2007, Eff date Oct. 1, 2007; Amended by Amended Ord. 15-034, Sept. 2, 2015, Eff date Nov. 1, 2015).