Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/02/2017

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of local "weed" ordinances in areas where natural vegetation is desirable for achieving the purposes of these rules. Subparts 4 and 5. Permit process and conditions. The vegetation management permit is a new concept in the MRCCA. The permit concept was adopted to more closely manage vegetation and vegetation removal across the MRCCA, to assure the process of removal does not further damage sensitive resources, and to provide flexibility to local governments to design and permit vegetation removal on a site specific basis. Local governments have the option of adopting and managing the permit program themselves or of delegating the management of the permit program to an existing process or to a resource agency or other qualified agent. To assure non -degradation across the MRCCA, intensive vegetation clearing is only allowed by permit and is only allowed under limited specified conditions. Performance standards or best management practices for vegetation management permits are set out in subpart 5. These standards include erosion and sediment control practices. These standards are required to be included as conditions in the permit. Other performance standards include measures to: • Minimize disturbance to or removal of natural vegetation. • Assure that an engineer or resource agency determines that site conditions are suitable for the proposed clearing activity. This is particularly important for work in bluff areas and areas near water or with a high water table. • Minimize the visual impact of clearing by blending clearing with surrounding terrain. • Given the limited number of remaining native plant communities in the corridor, assure that any native plant communities removed are replaced with vegetation of equivalent quality and establish priority locations for restoration of native plant communities. • Require replacement of other removed vegetation with natural vegetation to the greatest extent practicable, particularly on bluffs, steep slopes, areas requiring soil stabilization, shorelines, and where natural vegetation provides some ecological services and enhances the scenic character of the corridor. Subpart 6. Vegetation restoration plan requirements. Because of the importance of vegetation to the preservation of the MRCCA and its ecological and natural systems and to public health, vegetation restoration is required in all instances where vegetation has been removed without a permit where one is required, or upon failure to comply with an existing permit condition. Restoration is required to be conducted according to an approved restoration plan designed by a qualified individual. The plan must include vegetation that provides suitable habitat and effective soil stability, runoff retention and infiltration; and includes a maintenance plan. This provision, along with the permit program, provides local governments with a mechanism to require and enforce restoration activities. 57