Ordinance No. 20208 - Laserfiche WebLink

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vegetation and (4) wildlife values. (1) Scenic quality: The scenic quality of this site is primarily based on three factors: its location, the open expanse of undeveloped land and the natural vegetation growing there. This site is immediately north of the Willow Creek Natural Area (WCNA), which is managed by The Nature Conservancy for its environmental values. The site is also next to the Willow Creek Channel, which is a trapezoidal ditch in this reach, and is next to protected wetland to the east. As a continuation of prairie habitat from the WCNA to the south, the site has scenic value as a natural open space. Designating a 900 foot wide corridor in the southeast corner of the site for Restoration will help protect this scenic value by maintaining natural open space in a primary viewshed from the main entry point of the WCNA. (2) Surface and groundwater quality: This site drains into Willow Creek and Amazon Creek. The wetlands on the site provide some storage of stormwater, and provide some water quality benefits through vegetative filtration of stormwater draining from the site into Willow Creek and Amazon Creek. Neither of these functions has been quantified or specifically studied on this site, so this characterization is general in nature. Maintaining open space with natural vegetation within the designated Protection/Restoration corridor would help maintain the existing water quality benefits provided by the wetlands on the site, and would therefore be consistent with Policy 18. (3) Vegetation: Designation of the Speedway vicinity for Protection, and a 900 foot wide corridor for Restoration would ultimately provide for increasing the diversity and quality of native wet prairie habitat on this site. Within the context of the West Eugene Wetlands Plan, the wet prairie plant community is a highly valued plant community. Protection and Restoration of a large portion of this habitat on this site is consistent with Policy 18. (4) Wildlife: The wildlife habitat value of this site depends upon its size, its proximity to Willow Creek and the Willow Creek Natural Area (WCNA) and protected wetlands to the east, and the presence of a large expanse of prairie habitat. Together with protected wetlands and upland habitat in the Willow Creek Natural Area and on the Hyundai site, the Speedway site contributes to a large block of habitat, especially for those species that depend on prairie habitat. These species include prairie nesting bird species such as western meadowlark and species that hunt or forage in grasslands (e.g., raptors, deer). This site is connected to the surrounding forested ridges through connective corridors on the WCNA and on Site HG. Although relatively homogeneous itself, the site contributes to the diversity of the larger habitat system, since large blocks of native prairie are extremely scarce in the Willamette Valley. The designated Protection and Restoration corridor on this site would contribute significantly to maintaining these habitat values, and therefore is consistent with Policy 18. Policy 19, page III-C-9: "Local governments shall develop policies and local Speedway Site Ordinance, Exhibit C (Refinement Plan Amendment Findings) Page 18