Natural Resources Conservation and Restoration – Above Green

(2-5 points)

Intent

To conserve and restore the natural resources within the city.

Requirements

Option 1: Natural Resource Acreage (3 points)

Maintain natural resource¹ acreage at 80 square meters per person (861 square feet per person). OR Maintain natural resource acreage at 11.5% or more of total jurisdictional land area.

Reference: STAR Communities V2 NS-3: Natural Resource Protection Outcome 1: Natural Resource Areas

Natural resource areas include but are not limited to critical aquifer recharge areas; deserts and arid lands; fish or wildlife habitat, natural deltas or floodplains, steep slopes, natural parkland, forests, geologically hazardous areas, grasslands and prairies, habitats of endangered and threatened species, shorelines and their buffers, streams and their buffers and wetlands. Green spaces as defined and /or provided under NS Prerequisite: Green Spaces can be included within the Natural Resource Acreage.

AND / OR

Option 2: Natural Resource Conservation and Restoration Plan² (2 points)

Develop a Natural Resource Conservation and Restoration Plan based on the study carried out under NS Prerequisite: Ecosystem Assessment to meet requirements of ANY two of the following ecosystems as applicable to the city. Adopt policies or regulations to support the execution of the

Plan 1. Steep Slopes:

Do not permit development on slopes greater than 40% and do not disturb portions of the land area within 50 feet (15 meters) horizontally of the top of the slope and 75 feet (23 meters) horizontally from the toe of the slope.
For undeveloped slopes from 26% to 40%, development can be permitted on 40% of the area.
For undeveloped slopes from 15% to 25%, development can be permitted on 60% of the area.
For previously developed slopes (above 15%) restore a minimum of 50% of the slopes with native vegetation or noninvasive adaptive plants within a period of 5 years.

If construction is permitted on steep slopes (greater than 15%), adopt a regulation to the effect that development permits and building permits will be issued after reviewing the following for each project:

A general site survey, topographic and land feature survey along with geotechnical evaluation.
A grading plan that indicates a clear feasibility for roads, driveways and building envelop without massive manipulation of the site.
A tree and vegetation plan.
A drainage management plan.
An erosion control plan that avoids massive manipulation of the site.
An Environmental Inventory and Assessment to identify environmentally sensitive areas and features to be protected, and to measures to avoid, minimize or mitigate environmental impacts of the proposed development and development activities.

Reference: LEED v4 ND SLL Credit: Steep Slope Protection

Path 2. Agricultural land and food production:

Do not disturb prime farmland, unique farmland, or farmland of statewide or local importance as defined by the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 7, Volume 6, Parts 400 to 699, Section 657.5 and identified in a state Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey (or local equivalent for projects outside the U.S.).

Reference: LEED v4 ND SLL Prerequisite: Agricultural Land Conservation

If the development footprint affects farmland of any category, mitigate the loss by providing alternative area for farming such as rooftop farming or vertical farming in the ratio of 2:1 (i.e. two square meters of alternative area for every one square meter farmland affected). In addition, plan for farmer’s markets or supermarket or grocery stores with a produce section in residential areas which will be within 1/2 mile (800 meter) walking distance.

Path 3. Vegetation and Habitat:

If the site has any threatened or endangered species or ecological communities, as identified during the ecosystem assessment, comply with an approved habitat conservation plan under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (or local equivalent for cities outside the U.S.) for each identified species or ecological community.
Conserve any Significant Habitat³ present within the city.
Adopt or enforce an ordinance requiring control of listed top three invasive species or enact a preferred plant ordinance for private and public landscaping.
Restore degraded vegetation and habitats within the city, identified during the Ecosystem Assessment. Restoration strategies must be developed based on Society for Ecological Restoration Science & Policy Working Group. 2002, The SER Primer on Ecological Restoration, Section 3, Attributes of Restored Ecosystems⁴.

References: SLL Prerequisite: Imperiled Species and Ecological Communities Conservation LEED v4 ND SLL Credit: Site Design for Habitat or Wetland and Water Body Conservation SITES v2 Prerequisite 4.2: Control and manage invasive plants SITES v2 Credit 4.4: Conserve healthy soils and appropriate vegetation SITES v2 Credit 4.5: Conserve special status vegetation SITES v2 Credit 4.8: Optimize biomass STAR Communities v2 Action 2: Policy and Code Adjustment

Path 4. Aquatic Ecosystems:

Do not permit any development within limits specified below except for minor improvements or comply with the equivalent local or national regulations.

Shorelines and coastal areas: Within 200 feet (61 meters) from normal high tide line.
Floodplains, rivers and streams: A flood hazard area shown on a legally adopted flood hazard map or otherwise legally designated by the local jurisdiction or the state or entirely outside any floodplain subject to a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year.
Wetlands: Within 50 feet (15 meter) of a wetland, except for minor improvements.
Water bodies: Within 100 feet (30 meters) of a water body which is greater than 50 contiguous acres (20 hectares) and within 50 feet (15 meters) for waterbodies less than 50 contiguous acres (20 hectares).
Restore degraded aquatic ecosystems identified during the Ecosystem Assessment. Restoration strategies must be developed based on Society for Ecological Restoration Science & Policy Working Group. 2002, The SER Primer on Ecological Restoration, Section 3, Attributes of Restored Ecosystems.

References: LEED v4 ND SLL Prerequisite: Wetland and Water Body Conservation SITES v2 Prerequisite 1.3: Conserve aquatic ecosystems SITES v2 Credit 3.6: Restore aquatic ecosystems

Demonstrate a local Watershed Health Index of greater than or equal to 70.

Reference: STAR Communities V2 NS-5: Water in the Environment Outcome 1: Watershed Health Index

¹Natural resource areas include but are not limited to critical aquifer recharge areas; deserts and arid lands; fish or wildlife habitat, natural deltas or floodplains, steep slopes, natural parkland, forests, geologically hazardous areas, grasslands and prairies, habitats of endangered and threatened species, shorelines and their buffers, streams and their buffers; and wetlands.

²In lieu of a consolidated Natural Resources and Conservation Plan, cities and communities may provide individual plans, ordinances, regulations or policies to demonstrate compliance to credit requirements.

³Significant Habitat for the purpose of this prerequisite is defined as (i) locally or regionally significant habitat of any size, or patches of predominantly native vegetation at least 150 acres (60 hectares) (even if part of the area lies outside the project boundary) (ii) Special status plants which include plants designated as special status in the region. These plants may include, but are not limited to, heritage or legacy trees, specimen trees (as designated by a local tree board), rare vegetation in a unique habitat, and unusual genetic variants of a particular species; and any (iii) habitat flagged for conservation under a regional or state conservation or green infrastructure plan.

⁴https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/LittonC/PDFs/682_SERPrimer.pdf , accessed on December 17, 2018.