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• Fifteen of the terms and their associated definitions refer to or are derived from Minn. Stat. § <br />116G.15 (2015) or Executive Order 79-19. These include the definitions for: adjacent; barge <br />fleeting; bluffline; developer; development; discretionary action; essential services; local <br />government; off -premise advertising signs; parcel; public transportation facilities; setback; steep <br />slope; transmission services; and treeline. Because Minn. Stat. § 116G.15 (2015) and Executive <br />Order 79-19 are the guiding documents for this rulemaking, using existing definitions from these <br />documents provides consistency across rules and statutes and continuity over time. <br />• Twenty-one of the terms and their associated definitions were derived from existing terms and <br />definitions in other state statutes or rules, including: agricultural use; conditional use; dock; <br />electric power facilities; feedlot; floodplain; interim use; lot; marina; mooring facility; <br />nonconformity; ordinary high water level; plat; port; public waters; storm water; subdivision; <br />subsurface sewage treatment system; variance; wetlands; and wharf. <br />• The remaining terms and definitions are new. Many of these new terms and definitions are <br />derived from current terms and definitions in other state statutes or rules and have been <br />modified to achieve the purposes of the MRCCA rules. <br />Proposed definitions that are central to the proposed MRCCA rules and that differ from existing <br />definitions in Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota Rules, or Executive Order 79-19 (beyond minor <br />grammatical changes or technical updates) or that require an explanation are described in more detail <br />below. <br />Bluffs and Related Terms <br />Bluff protection was one of the most closely analyzed issues in the rule development process. The <br />proposed rules provide a uniform set of specific bluff and bluff related terms and definitions - including <br />bluff, bluff impact zone, bluffline, toe of bluff and top of bluff - to ensure consistent and equitable <br />treatment of development across the MRCCA. As defined, bluffs and bluff features can be easily <br />mapped by local governments using widely available mapping software, including a bluff mapping tool <br />the DNR has developed for use with ArcMap, a GIS mapping software. <br />The proposed terms, definitions, and associated protection standards for bluffs and bluff features are <br />described in detail in the `Bluff Protection Standards" section of this SONAR. See Supra at 29-31 <br />discussing the need for bluff protection, proposed terms and definitions, and the rationale for specific <br />bluff standards within the MRCCA. <br />Buildable Area <br />This term identifies areas that are available for development on a lot or parcel within the MRCCA as <br />provided in the proposed MRCCA rules. Buildable area does not include the resources and features <br />identified for protection in Minn. Stat. § 116G.15, subd. 4 (2015), and does not include setback areas <br />and other areas specified for protection by the MRCCA rules. This term is used in proposed dimensional <br />standards in 6106.0120, subp. 4.B. to ensure that newly created lots have adequate room for <br />development without needing a variance. Local governments requested that this definition be provided <br />to minimize confusion and disputes over whether certain areas are suitable for development. <br />30 <br />