14.154.020 Designation of critical fish and wildlife habitat areas.
A. General. This chapter applies to proposed regulated activities within critical fish and wildlife habitat areas. Critical fish and wildlife habitat areas are those areas identified either by known point locations of specific species (such as a nest or den) or by habitat areas or both.
B. Identification of Critical Fish and Wildlife Species and Habitats.
1. Critical Fish and Wildlife Habitat Areas.
a. Federal and State Listed Species and Their Associated Habitats. Areas which have a primary association with federally or state listed endangered, threatened, or sensitive species of fish or wildlife (specified in 50 CFR 17.11, 50 CFR 17.12, WAC 220-610-010 and 220-610-110) and which, if altered, may reduce the likelihood that the species will maintain and reproduce over the long term.
b. Habitats and species of local importance, including the following:
i. Areas with which state listed monitor or candidate species or federally listed candidate species have a primary association, and which, if altered, may reduce the likelihood that the species will maintain and reproduce over the long term.
ii. Documented habitat areas or outstanding potential habitat areas for fish and wildlife species. These areas include specific habitat types which are infrequent in occurrence in Pierce County and Lakewood, and may provide specific habitats with which endangered, threatened, sensitive, candidate, or monitor species have a primary association, such as breeding habitat, winter range, and movement corridors. These areas include the following:
(A) Priority Oregon white oak woodlands.
(B) Prairies.
(C) Old growth forests.
(D) Caves.
(E) Cliffs.
(F) Snag-rich areas.
(G) Rivers and streams with critical fisheries.
(H) Naturally occurring ponds under 20 acres and their submerged aquatic beds that provide fish or wildlife habitat.
(I) Waters of the state, including all water bodies classified by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) water typing classification system as detailed in WAC 222-16-030, together with associated riparian areas.
(J) Lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers planted with game fish by a governmental entity or tribal entity.
(K) State natural area preserves and natural resource conservation areas.
2. Mapping. The resources listed below provide information on fish and wildlife habitat areas:
a. Puget Sound Environmental Atlas, Puget Sound Water Quality Authority.
b. The following Washington Department of Natural Resources documents and data sources:
i. Stream typing maps.
ii. Natural Heritage Database.
c. The following Washington Department of Wildlife documents and data sources:
i. Priority Habitats and Species Program.
ii. Nongame Database.
iii. Washington Rivers Information System.
d. The following Washington Department of Fisheries documents:
i. Water Resource Index Areas (WRIA). [Ord. 630 § 1, 2015; Ord. 362 § 3, 2004.]