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ORDINANCE NO. 20476 A SPECIAL ORDINANCE GRANTING AN EXEMPTION TO THE APPLICATION OF SECTION 6.200 OF THE EUGENE CODE, 1971. The City Council of the City of Eugene finds as follows: A. Section 5.200 of the Eugene Code, 1971, (EC), proscribes the practice of open burning within the City of Eugene with specified exceptions to this ban. This ordinance is a component of local measures designed to assure compliance with federal ambient air quality standards. B. Maintenance and enhancement of air quality is critical to the health and welfare of metropolitan area residents, the area's ability to attract new businesses, and the avoidance of sanctions for noncompliance. C. The Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan (the Metro Plan) adopted and acknowledged in 1982, identifies the Vilest Eugene Industrial Area as a major growth area for the City. D. The Vilest Eugene wetlands Plan (the Plan) was adopted by the City Council on May 20, 1992, by Ordinance No. 19853 as a refinement to the Metro Plan. The Plan was amended by the City Council by Ordinance Nos. 19867, 20002, 20119, 20128, 20147, 20171, 20200, 20201, 20208, and 20259 during the years 1992 to 2002. The Plan sets forth policies for preserving significant wetlands in west Eugene, allowing development of lower quality wetlands, and establishing a system for mitigation of filled wetlands. The Plan also includes goals and policies for protecting and expanding populations and habitats of rare, threatened or endangered plants, including Bradshaw's Iomatium (Lomatium bradshawil ), Willamette Valley daisy (Erigeron decumbens var. decumbens), and white -top aster (aster curlus), and policies for protecting and managing the native Willamette Valley wet prairie plant community. In addition, the Plan contains policies for managing the preserved wetlands in public ownership. E. Experimental burns conducted in 1985, 1987, and 1991 in the Willow Creek natural area within wetland habitat containing the above - mentioned plant species have resulted in. expansion of populations of those plants in the areas burned. Controlled burns in 1995, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 on several sites have also been beneficial for managing wetland habitat and maintaining and improvng wet prairie habitat. F. Management of these wetlands and preservation of native plant species and native plant communities requires controlled open burning of vegetation for scientific purposes and to foster growth of wetlands species in the areas noted on the map attached as Exhibit A hereto and incorporated herein by reference. This burning of vegetation in these areas will help restore them to their historical condition and replicate the indigenous environment for the plants. G. Some wetland sites owned by the City, Bureau of Land Management, and The Nature Conservancy that are currently outside of the Eugene City limits and/or the urban growth boundary also need controlled open burning for the purpose of managing wet prairie habitat and Ordinance - Page 1 of 4