Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 12/01/2014

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Natural Resource Policies Deviation from Natural Resource Policy or Rule Deviation from the strict adherence to policy or rule is encouraged when doing so would clearly result in a better outcome in terms of natural resources protection and management. State and local rule, policy and ordinances designed to protect natural resources are not always written to address all cases and may inadvertently lead to natural resource degradation when strictly enforced (e.g. filling a wetland in order to achieve wetland setback and buffer requirements). Wetland Resources Perform and/or Review Wetland Delineations The Anoka Conservation District will not perform wetland delineations when frozen soils or snow cover make adequate analysis impossible in the professional opinion of the Anoka Conservation District technical staff. Wetland Fill to Create Buildable Lots Wetlands should not be filled in order to enlarge the buildable area to create buildable lots. Where impacts to highly degraded wetlands can be offset by permanent protection of high quality upland habitats, flexibility may be warranted. Issuing Extensions for Compliance with Restoration Orders Extensions for compliance with wetland Restoration Orders may only be recommended when the landowner has made a good faith effort to comply but was unable due to mitigating circumstances. The landowner must provide correspondence summarizing the reason for not complying and a date by which they will comply. Holistic Natural Resource Management All natural resource functions and values should be weighed when making management decisions to strive for the best overall outcome for soil, water, wildlife, recreation, and aesthetics. When reviewing applications and plans that may adversely affect natural resources, the Anoka Conservation District will recommend actions that will result in the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative. The following principles should be applied. • Preserve natural resources that are rare in occurrence or of exceptional quality. • Avoid degradation that is difficult or impractical to fully remediate. • Consider all ecosystems; terrestrial, aquatic and transitional. • Preservation of an in -tact native ecosystem is preferable to restoration of a degraded ecosystem. • Minimize long-term impacts from short-term activities (e.g. dewatering, minor grading or soil storage that allows for the establishment of invasive species). • Identify, and strive to minimize and remediate for long-term impacts (e.g. reduced infiltration that lowers the surficial water table and subsequently shrinks wetlands). • Balance short-term and long -terms impacts and benefits. The following are examples of the application of these principles. page 44 Anoka Conservation District Comprehensive Plan October 2014