|
<br />area. The Willow Creek Natural Area is owned by the Nature Conservancy and is
<br />also managed as a protected natural area.
<br />
<br />The proposed amendments will not change the fact that both Bertelsen Slough and
<br />Willow Creek are being actively managed by their respective owners for
<br />protection of natural resqurces. Therefore, the amendments are consistent with
<br />this policy.
<br />
<br />Policy 2, page III-E-3: "Natural vegetation, natural water features, and
<br />drainageways shall be protected and retained to the maximum extent
<br />practicable, considering the economic, social, environmental and energy
<br />consequences in th~ design and construction of urban development and
<br />landscaping shall be utilized to enhance those natural features."
<br />
<br />Twenty proposed amendments (numbered 1, 5,6 (portion), 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 25,
<br />27a, 37, 38, 41, 42 (portion), 49, 51, 55 and 56) involve designating additional
<br />wetlands for Protection and Restoration, which will prevent those valuable
<br />wetland areas from being developed, and consequently will protect water features
<br />and natural vegetation on those sites. These areas include a total of 111.5 acres,
<br />which result in a net increase in protected wetlands of 88.5 acres. By protecting
<br />wildlife habitat, water quality and vegetation on these sites, these proposed
<br />amendments are consistent with the above policy. This analysis does not include
<br />the Hyundai site (site HG) or the Speedway site (portion ofH2), since these sites
<br />are addressed in separate ordinances, which have not been adopted.
<br />
<br />Thirty-three proposed amendments (numbers 6 (portion), 9 (portion), 10, 11,24,
<br />26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33 (portion), 34, 35, 36, 38, 39,40, 42 (portion), 42a, 43,
<br />44,45, 47a, 48, 49 (portion), 50 (portion), 51, 53, 54, 57, 58 and 59) involve
<br />designating wetlands for Development. These areas include a total of 91.5 acres.
<br />These sites are lower quality wetlands than those being recommended for
<br />Protection, due to small size, disturbance, or isolation from other habitat areas.
<br />When analyzed according to the adopted criteria wetland designation, the
<br />development value of these sites outweighs the value of the sites as natural
<br />resource areas. Other sites are recommended to be changed to Planned
<br />Transportation Corridor, which includes a policy calling for minimizing impacts
<br />to wetland functions and values and rare species. .
<br />
<br />The overall impact of these amendments to the West Eugene Wetlands Plan,
<br />would be to protect the majority of wetlands in the Plan area (1,058.5 acres out of
<br />1,411 acres). This includes protecting natural vegetation on these sites and
<br />restoration of native habitat on several hundred acres. Based upon the high level
<br />of protection of these features, the amendments are consistent with this policy.
<br />This analysis does not include the Hyundai site (site HG) or the Speedway site
<br />(portion ofH2), since these sites are addressed in separate ordinances, which have
<br />
<br />Multiple Site Ordinance, Exhibit C (Refinement Plan Amendment Findings)
<br />
<br />Page 10
<br />
|