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<br />Protection Area all c1evelopment applications
<br />must inclucle a fish and wildlife study prepared
<br />by a qualified biologist. The study must deter-
<br />mine the location of all fish and wildlife habitats,
<br />evaluate the specles present, discuss measures
<br />that must be taken to avoid impact5to habitats,
<br />and identify management practices to protect the
<br />habitats in the future.
<br />Azo06studycommissionedbythecityto
<br />determine the impactofthe zoning designation
<br />onthe North Creek Habitat Area concluded that
<br />the low-density residential developmerrtre-
<br />quiredunderthedesignationhashadabenefi-
<br />cialeffecton streams and associated wildlife.
<br />The zoning designation protects native forest
<br />coverandlimitsimpervioussurfacesonlyindi-
<br />
<br />Tampa, Aorida'sUpland Habitat Overly
<br />District is designed to protect xeric and mesic
<br />plantcom'munities and wildlife habitat associ-
<br />ated with them. According to the ordinance most
<br />of the original upland habltathasbeen replaced
<br />with development, and the ordinance protects
<br />the last remaining communities. Development in
<br />the overlay zone is prohibited until the devel-
<br />operattains approval ofa site-specific upland
<br />habitat plan. Similartothe Benton County exam-
<br />pie, Tampa's ordinance includes requirements
<br />tailoredtothe needs of the natural community.
<br />such as policies to prevent habitatfragmenta-
<br />tion, rules against building new roads, wildlife
<br />crossingsforroads,on-sile 0n some cases, off-
<br />site) preservatiol1 of species and habitat, and
<br />
<br />
<br />rectly, however. The study showed that the zon-
<br />ingdistrictis not large enough to counteract the
<br />effects of impervious surface coverage in the
<br />region'sgreaterwatershed.Therecommenda.
<br />tions ofthe study included similar regulations
<br />and new, low.impact development requirements
<br />throughoutthewatershed.
<br />Species-specific requirements. The regula-
<br />tory nuances of species and habitat protection
<br />mechanisms depend largely an the needs of the
<br />species. For example, Benton County,Oregon's,
<br />Sensitive Fish and Wildlife Habitat OvertayZone
<br />is designed to protect nestlng, roasting, and
<br />watering sites for certain bird species. The over.
<br />layzoneappliestoallareaswherethenorthem
<br />bald eagle nests or roosts, where spotted owls
<br />and osprey nest, to great biue heron rookeries,
<br />and band-tailed pigeon springs. Itaisoapplies
<br />to areas within 600 feetofa great blue heron or
<br />band-tailed pigeon mineral spring, orwithin a
<br />quartermileofa northern bald eagle nest or
<br />roosting site or spotted owl or osprey nesL
<br />Development standards to protect the birds
<br />includeprotectionsagalnsttreeremOllal,sub.
<br />mittalofanimpactreport,anddevelopmentofa
<br />site-specific management plan.
<br />
<br />stricterrequirementsforesselltialuplendhabi-
<br />tatwherf2threatened,endangered,orsensitive
<br />species live.
<br />
<br />IN SUMMARY
<br />Habitat and species protection isnota stan.
<br />dard part of code writIng. Butthatsadreallty
<br />does not negate the urgency surrounding the
<br />issue, nor should it prevent planners and code
<br />writers from considerlngthe following:
<br />. Theworidisloosingbiodiversitymore
<br />quickly than ever in human history and there
<br />is no sign of this process slowing down.
<br />. Human activity has increased the extinction
<br />rate by at least 100 times the natural rate of
<br />extinction. The natural extinction rate during
<br />periods of normal extinction is about an aver-
<br />age of one species every four years.
<br />. Twelve to 52 percent of species within well-
<br />studied higher taxa are threatened with extinc.
<br />tion. However, less than 10 percent of named
<br />species have been assessed in terms of their
<br />conservation status, 50 the actual rates for
<br />extinction are unknown.
<br />o Some of the newest threats to biodiversity
<br />come from global climate change. Recelltstud-
<br />
<br />ies suggest that by the middle of the century
<br />olle quarter of the species 011 the planetwill
<br />be jeopardized by climate change unless cur-
<br />rent trends are reversed.
<br />~ An estimated one plant species in eight
<br />worldwide is threatened with extinction.
<br />. An estimated 30 percent of freshwater fish
<br />species worldwide maybe extinct by zozo.
<br />o Land-use changes that cause habitat loss
<br />are associated first with expansion ofagricul.
<br />ture and secondarily with the expansion of
<br />urban areas and Infrastructure.
<br />The natural world needs manyinnavative
<br />approaches to solve as complex a problemas
<br />biodiversity loss. It continues to need federal
<br />regulations with dedicated funding sources
<br />and viable implementation plans, state laws
<br />for sensitive areas planning requirements alld
<br />statewide biodiversity plans, and local habitat
<br />and species zoning regulations. Planners are
<br />the vital local link in the chain of protection
<br />that can reverse the despairing trend ofbiodi-
<br />versityloss.
<br />
<br />
<br />VOL. ~4. NO.!
<br />ZO~i,1; ?raC!.ic~ is" ;:;cn:o,iy ?ublic.tioll oftn~
<br />Amo,ric.n?ialln;ngAss;;;cia;ic,;\.Subscri",t1ons
<br />2;0, ov;;il<:iJ;e ior SY5 (U.5.) end 5,c,o(foreignJ.
<br />W. Pa,,1 ~a'r.-,;;,., '.~I{~. 2<ecutive Director; William
<br />F..Klein._^,u,Dir=ctorof:::ese",-rch.
<br />
<br />Zoning Pra.;r;c!' (ISSN 15~S-a1.35) is produ~=d
<br />~1_"PA. 11m Schwa,=" '.c', Edi:or; Michael
<br />Devid",:o~. G~es; Editor: )<.IIi;; VeT! Berg=~.
<br />_~ssis:~~; ~jiF"; Lisa ;;Srion. Desig~ ~r,d
<br />jfo-:!cj~tian.
<br />
<br />Copvrigi-,: ':'"C'07 bv ,~.mericsr. Plann;llg
<br />,~,5s.)cia;ion, )22 5. Mici-,;g~n Ave.. Suite )600,
<br />Chicaeo_ :L606:>3. The AmeriC(in Pl(ir,ning
<br />Associsti,:o~ also r."s offices (it 1[76
<br />MS5S.;.,:h\lse;;s ~."e.. N.W.. Washington, D.c.
<br />2,:,o36;,^"Nw.Diannjng.org.
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<br />phowcooying. ,,~cording. or cya;'yi;:Tormation
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<br />;ecy~jad fiber "n'~ :.)~', oc,stconsu;nerwas:s.
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