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~ ' ChCA.PT,L.K FU C1IZ D,EVELOPM.~NT AND NIITIGAT'IU1V INTRODUCTION This element of the Plart acknowledges conditions where the community's need for econoriucdevelop- ment outweighs the benefits to protect certain wetland sites by making them available for development according to the mitigation provisions of this Plan. The Plan views the mitigation process as an opportunity to restore" and enhance wetland functions and values of the Amazon Creek basin, while allowing limited development on isolated, lower quality. wetlands and meeting the requirements ~of state and federal wetland law. The 288 wetland acres proposed for development were determined through a process that evaluated each ,wetland against a set of criteria which had the effect of identifying those wetlands that are isolated, low .quality and of limited functional value..The criteria used in evaluagng sites for possible developrr?ent aze contained in Appendix B. ~ In addition to evaluation by local experts, resource agencies. and community members, ~tf~e relative quality of the west Eugene wetlands was determined by the Wetland Evaluation 'Technique (WET)'. program, designed by Paul Adamus of the Environmental Protection Agency. The results of this. evaluation are contained in the Technical Report. The Plan proposes to use the mitigation process to achieve compliance with federal and state wetland law,.and to provide:a vision and program for incorporating all of the elements of this plan with other . related community objectives (flood control, water quality and wildlife habitat enhancement, recreation and education programs) so that a broader goal is achieved -the restoration of the Amazori Creek basin into a community asset. ~ " The basic concepts of the mitigation program aze: . . • Avoid and minimize impact to all wetland sites that meet the protection criteria contained in APpendix B. • Where impact is unavoidable, compensate for losses commensurate with the .level of impact giving. priority to establishing the basic. physical wetland parameters (water, topography, connectedness) that eventually results in full functioning and diverse wetland habitats. Establish a management.entity that will monitor, maintain'and enforce.the requirements of~flie mitigation program. " • ~ Where full functioning wetlandsaze to be impacted, in-kind replacement of significant functions .and values will be required. The overall mitigation program, however, will be guided by the .ecological characteristics ofthe regional landscape and not necessarily by specific case-by-case \ impacts. Fo><disturbed agricultural wetlands, mitigation requirements will be determined using historic wetland types. presumed to have existed prior to disturbance and the desired mix by the . public. Incentives will be provided to mitigate in advance of impact in the form of replacement ratios which are less than the ratios for compensating at the time of impact. " " . Page 1 -Appendix B MoA For West Eugenc Wetlands Mitigation [3anking Program "