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Rye Civic League Notes<\/p>\n
Wetlands and Surface Waters ‘Conservation Overlay District Subcommittee of the Planning Board Rules and Regulations Committee<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n The sub committee met 6 times between August and October.<\/p>\n Subcommittee official minutes can be found here<\/a><\/p>\n Subcommittee meetings live video streaming can be found here<\/a> (Select Type and Planning Board)<\/p>\n The subcommittee’s charge\/tasks as assigned by the Rules and Regulations committee can be found here<\/a> (see page 9)<\/p>\n Online streaming of the 10\/26 Planning Board Rules and Regulations Committee where the subcommittee’s work was discussed, approved and moved to the Planning Board here<\/a><\/p>\n The committee examined and compared, line by line, Rye’s current Wetlands ordinance , the 2016 proposed ordinance which never went to the ballot, and Greenland’s ordinance. Other towns ordinances, state laws and regulations were also studied and considered.<\/p>\n A key focus of work was evaluating existing online wetlands and hydric soils mapping tools to see which were best to provide a general guide as to where wetlands are located, state law requiring that only a certified wetlands scientist can actually delineate them.<\/p>\n The committee debated and concluded that given the short time to prepare its recommendations and the complexity of a complete re write that it would propose specific changes to the current ordinance for the 2017 Warrant, with a recommendation to the Rules and Regulations Committee and Planning Board that the work continue into 2017 for 2018.<\/p>\n Summary of Proposed Key Changes to the Current Wetlands Conservation District Ordinance. <\/span><\/p>\n Recommendations are subject to Planning Board public hearings, modifications, and vote.<\/p>\n Member Winebaum of the sub committee did not agree with all the recommendations approved by the subcommittee and Rules and Regulations Committee concerning 30.,8 B Buffer Restrictions, stating so during sub committee meetings and at the Rules and Regulations Committee meeting October 26th<\/sup>. He recommended that existing lawns and landscaping in buffers be grandfathered but also not allowed to expand. Further that substantial construction or reconstruction in a buffer should require establishing a natural vegetated buffer and that any disturbance of 2500 square feet in a wetland buffer during new or substantial reconstruction should trigger a requirement for a grading, drainage storm water management plan according to Best Management Practices Storm Water.<\/p>\n\n
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