Laserfiche WebLink
9.26 Wetland Protection <br /> <br />9.26.01 Findings and Intent <br /> <br /> Subd. 1. The City has determined that wetlands are a defining character of its <br />natural heritage worthy of its protection and preservation. Wetlands serve to maintain <br />water quality by filtering water that is discharged into ground water aquifers and by <br />retaining inorganic sediments, toxicants, and nutrients. They also retain and reduce the <br />discharge of phosphorus and transform nutrients from their inorganic to organic forms, <br />thereby, protecting downstream water bodies from eutrophication and contamination.. <br />Wetlands also store runoff and reduce the velocity of and magnitude of peak flood stages. <br />In addition, some wetlands'receive groundwater discharge. These wetlands tend to <br />support more stable biological communities since the/r water temperatures and water <br />levels tend to be more stable. <br /> <br /> Subd. 2. Wetland vegetation .also reduces the energy of waves, currents, and other <br />erosive forces and serves to prevent the erosion of shoreline areas. In addition, aquatic <br />vegetation provides food, shelter, and special habitat for wildlife. All of these wetland <br />characteristics provide valuable education and recreation resources. <br /> <br /> Subd. 3. The City has also found that wetlands vary significantly in the degree <br />that they have been altered. Wetlands within the City exhibit great variations hq their <br />floral diyersity, quality of wildlife and fishery habitat, degree of fluctuation in response to <br />storms, the extent to which their shorelines have been altered or eroded, and their relative · <br />value in protecting water quality. Therefore, the City has determined that it is necessary <br />and beneficial to classify wetlands based upon their functions and values for purposes of <br />establishing relative levels of protection. <br /> <br /> Subd. 4. The City recognizes that a substantial amount of wetland degradation <br />results from sedimentation and nutrient loading related to construction projects. <br />Therefore, the City f'mds it necessary to require extraordinary measures to prevent such <br />construction-related degradfition. <br /> <br /> Sub& 5. In addition to having regulations that affect the physical impacts within <br />wetland areas the City also finds that it is necessary to regulate the use of lands <br />surrounding wetlands. Based on currently available scientific literature, buffer strips are <br />necessary and beneficial to maintaining the health of wetlands. These strips of land <br />surrounding wetlands protect their shorelines from erosion, while serving to filter <br />sediment, chemicals and other nutrients before storm water discharges into the wetland. <br />Buffer strips are also beneficial in providing habitat for wildlife. <br /> <br /> Subd. 6.-This Chapter hereby incorporates by reference the Wetlands <br />Conservation Act of 1991 (WCA) and any future amendments adopted by the legislature.. <br /> <br />Ramsey Wetland Protection Ordinance - April 2005 Draft (showing suggested PC revisions) <br />Page I of 8 <br /> <br />70 <br /> <br /> <br />