Take a look at how Marin County is addressing these important issues:
Marin County is updating its Countywide Plan with the goal
of completing the Plan by July 2007. In the next few weeks
the Marin County Planning Commission is holding several
hearings on parts of the draft Plan.
On Monday, February 26, 2007 from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. in
Room 328, Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael, the
Commission will consider and take public input on the part
of the draft Plan which concerns stream conservation and wetland conservation.
If you are interested in what the draft Plan has to say about these topics, we hope you will attend and urge the
Commissioners to support the following aspects of the draft
Plan:
–Protect all streams and creeks, including ephemeral and
intermittent streams and those that have been channelized
or otherwise altered.
–Support policies proposed by staff in the natural systems
section of the draft Plan.
–Adopt the proposed 50 and 100-foot setbacks along stream
banks as proposed in the draft plan. Setbacks should be
required even if there is no riparian vegetation. Where
setbacks are proposed to be determined by an administrative
review process, ensure that protection of habitat is the
primary consideration.
–Use a broad ecosystem approach to creeks and wetland protection,
as recommended in the San Francisco Estuary Institute report
and in the Plan’s draft Environmental Impact Report. Don’t just
focus on special status species, but give equal consideration to
all native wildlife and plants.
–Support as a minimum the proposed 2:1 ratio for on-site re-
placement habitat and 3:1 ratio for off-site replacement habitat
for wetlands lost to development.
–Agricultural land uses should not trigger an exemption from
creek setback requirements.
Marin Conservation League
1623A Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, California 94901
Tel: (415) 485-6257