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9.26 <br /> <br />Wetland Protection <br /> <br />9.26.01 <br /> <br />Findings and Intent <br /> <br /> Subd. 1. The City has determined that wetlands are a defining character of <br />its 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 their water temperatures and water <br />levels tend to be more stable. <br /> <br /> Subd. 2. Wetland vegetation also reduces the energy of waves, currents, <br />and other erosive forces and serves to prevent the erosion of shoreline areas. In addition, <br />aquatic vegetation provides food, shelter, and special habitat for wildlife. All of these <br />wetland characteristics provide valuable education and recreation resources. <br /> <br /> Subd. 3. The City has also found that wetlands vary significantly in the <br />degree that they have been altered. Wetlands within the City exhibit great variations in <br />their floral diversity, quality of wildlife and fishery' habitat, degree of fluctuation in <br />response to storms, the extent to which their shorelines have been altered or eroded, and <br />their relative value in protecting water quality. Therefore, the City has determined that it <br />is necessary and beneficial to classify wetlands based upon their functions and values for <br />purposes of establishing relative levels of protection. <br /> <br /> Subd. 4. The City recognizes that a substantial amount of wetland <br />degradation results from sedimentation and nutrient loading related to construction <br />projects. Therefore, the City finds it necessary to require .extraordinary measures to <br />prevent such construction-related degradation. <br /> <br /> Subd. 5. In addition to having, regulations that affect the physical impacts <br />within 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 Section hereby incorporates by reference the Wetlands <br />Conservation Act of 1991 (WCA) and any future amendments adopted by the legislature. <br />Any activities exempted from the provisions of the WCA are also exempted from the <br />requirements of this Section, insofar as they relate to the WCA 'Minn. Rules 8420.0122). <br />Ramsey Wetland Protection Ordinance - June 30.05 EPB revisions <br /> Page 1 .,., <br /> <br />70 <br /> <br /> <br />