juneau wetland management plan by teri camery and nicole jones

Watershed Forum Presentation

March 8, 2012Presented by:

Teri Camery, Senior Planner

Nicole Jones, Planner I, CFM

Municipal Wetland Management: Overview of the CBJ process and the real life applications of the Juneau Wetlands Mgmt Plan

Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—Purpose

• Classify wetlands into high-value (A and B), low-value (C and D), and Enhancement Potential based on ranked environmental functions according to the Adamus wetland methodology

• Provide for reasoned, scientifically-supported decisions regarding protection and development of wetlands

• Increase predictability for property owners

Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—History

Two stages of development:

1) 1980s wetland surveys and wetland functional analysis report

2) 1992 final Juneau Wetlands Management Plan, with policies, regulations, and implementation guidelines

Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—History

More recent versions of the plan—1997 and 2008—still use the original studies and study area.

CBJ will begin the first phase of a four-year plan to update the JWMP this year.

Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—Components

• Wetland Categories—A, B, C, D, and EP

• 140 different wetland units, each with its own functional analysis of 15 different wetland functions

• Freshwater wetlands only, not estuarine

• Wetland surveys, not wetland delineations

Shoreline Corridor Rule

Highest wetland category adjacent to streams

Residential Road Corridor Rule

Lower wetland category within 100-feet of some major roads


• Individual management regulations for each wetland category

• CBJ Land Use Code wetland regulations implemented through CBJ Building and Zoning permits

• Regulations allow consideration of new scientific evidence


Establishment of CBJ Wetlands Review Board• Volunteer Scientific Advisory Board appointed by the CBJ Assembly• General Permit Authority from Army Corps for low-value Category C

and D wetlands• Board has an advisory role over projects that impact wetlands and

salmon streams

CBJ Wetland Permitting Process

Wetlands Fill Permit—Process

• Wetland Delineation• Application submittal

– Fees $350-$1,600

• Staff Review• Wetlands Review Board

– Conditions of approval

• Wetland Permit Issued– Approximately 8-12 weeks

• Applicant applies for a Building permit– Fees $50-??

Wetland Permit Case Study

WET2000 - 00001

Juneau Wetland Management Plan

Partial Wetland Functional Analysis of J7 Wetland Unit

• Add wetland functions of this wetland unit

Site Plan Pre-Wetland FillWetlands

Proposed Wetland Fill

±800 cu yards of fill—category B(r)C

±1,400 cu yards of fill—category B(r)C wetlands

Wetland Fill Permit—Conditions

Notice of Decision—see handout

• 1,500 cubic yards of wetland fill was approved to allow for a new church with a parking area

– 5,200 cubic yards of overburden was approved to be removed

• 11 conditions of approval were applied to the wetland permit.

JWMP Challenges and Update

Juneau Wetland Management Plan—Challenges

• Wetland maps are surveys, not formal delineations. Delineations are valid for only 5 years.

• Studies, maps, and regulations are outdated. Developed area of the Borough has expanded.

• The majority of low-value C and D wetlands have been filled (an indicator of success); General Permit authority has lapsed

• Poor enforcement of permit conditions

Juneau Wetlands Management Plan Update

• Four year project funded by federal CIAP which includes LiDAR, infrared imagery, and stream and wetland mapping and classification

• New wetland methodology• New wetland categories and

analysis, freshwater and estuarine


• Update existing surveys and classifications and expand into developing areas


Includes Land Use Code regulatory revisions for compatibility with:

• Corps 2008 Mitigation Rule

• other local mitigation programs such as SEALTrust fee-in-lieu; and

• new General Permit authority (with Corps approval) for low-value wetlands

Juneau Wetlands Management Plan Resources

• Juneau Wetlands Management Plan

http://www.juneau.org/cddftp/plansstudies.php

• Wetlands Permit Application

http://www.juneau.org/cddftp/documents/Wetlands_Application_2011.pdf

• CBJ Land Use Code Title 49

http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=13307&stateId=2&stateName=Alaska

Teri Camery [email protected] 586-0755

Nicole Jones [email protected] 586-0218

Questions?

juneau wetland management plan by teri camery and nicole jones

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