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Native
Vegetation Preservation
INDIGENOUS OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENT
Per LDC
Section 10-415(b)(1),
large developments, with existing indigenous native vegetation, must provide 50
percent of their open space percentage requirement through the onsite
preservation of existing indigenous native vegetation.
Per LDC
Section 10-415(b)(2),
as an incentive to preserve indigenous native upland plant communities in large
tracts, a scaled open space credit for single preserve areas will be granted as
follows:
|
INDIGENOUS
VEGETATION CREDIT |
| Credit
provided |
Minimum
size |
Minimum
width |
| 110% |
1/2
acre |
50
feet |
| 125% |
1
acre |
75
feet |
| 150% |
3
acres |
150
feet |
An additional, maximum ten percent credit will be granted if any of
the following indigenous vegetation areas are included:
- Rare and unique uplands as defined by the Lee Plan.
- Connection to offsite public or private environmental conservation or preserve areas.
- Upland buffers to natural waterbodies.
DEVIATIONS INDIGENOUS OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENT
Per LDC Section
10-415(b)(3), consistent with the provisions of
section 10-104, the director may permit administrative deviations to reduce the
minimum 50 percent indigenous native vegetation requirement within this
subsection to a lower percentage. Existing, approved indigenous preserve areas
within planned developments are not eligible for administrative deviations. The
administrative deviation request must include the unique conditions or
circumstances that make the property unusable and unreasonably burdensome. The
applicant must provide details of other actions that will be taken to offset the
reduction (mitigation). Mitigation must, at a minimum, meet a one to one (1:1)
ratio of reduction of indigenous area to mitigated area. Mitigation that will be
considered includes, but is not limited to:
- Onsite ecological creation/restoration, with long-term management.
- Offsite land acquisition with perpetual conservation protection.
- Offsite ecological restoration on public lands or protected
private lands.
- Purchase of appropriate credits from a permitted mitigation bank.
Per LDC Section 10-415(c)(3) Indigenous open
space areas must have a minimum average width of 20 feet and minimum area of 400
square feet.
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