AGENDA DATE: 8/20/2025
TITLE:
Title
Riparian Buffer Protection Standards Draft Ordinance
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Work session to discuss proposed ordinance amendments regulating riparian buffers
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Herrick, Tevendale, Filardo, Svoboda, MacCall, Pohl, Barnes, Clark
PRESENTER (S): Scott Clark, Frank Pohl
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: A riparian buffer is an area of vegetation adjacent to a stream, wetland, reservoir, or pond. A healthy buffer contains natural vegetation for a set distance from the water body. This vegetation filters and cleans the water runoff and thus 'buffers' the water from human impacts, providing numerous benefits and services to people and the environment.
In December 2021, the Board of Supervisors accepted the Phase 2 recommendations of the Stream Health Initiative (SHI), which included a total of 14 programs and regulations to improve water quality and stream health in the County. Recommendation #1 from the SHI, and the first SHI project undertaken by the County, was a proposal to move the County's existing riparian-buffer regulations from the Water Protection Ordinance (WPO) to the Zoning Ordinance (ZO). On March 16, 2022, the Board adopted a Resolution of Intent to undertake that ordinance amendment. On November 26, 2024, staff held a work session with the Planning Commission on the draft ordinance amendment (Attachment C).
The intent of this amendment is to replace the riparian buffer regulations adopted in 2014, which apply only during land disturbance activities. The proposed amendment would move the Riparian Buffer Protection Standards (RBPS) to the ZO and would apply to all uses within the defined buffers, while still exempting agricultural and silvicultural uses. This amendment would make the County's buffer regulations more like those in effect prior to 2014. The physical extent of the riparian buffers ...
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