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Exhibit 6 - Wetland Report.pdfWetlalfd elac, It Delineation.' Mitigation / Restoration / Habitat Creation / Permit Assistance � ` 9505 19th Avenue S.E. Suite 106 Everett, Washington 98208 (425} 337-3174 W Fax (425) 337-3045 Critical Area Study for 76th Avenue W Wetland Resources, Inc. Project #07392 Prepared By: Wetland Resources, Inc. 9505 19th Ave. SE Suite 106 Everett, WA 98208 (425) 337-3174 For: Laurie Hili and Kathy Maag 2422376 1h Ave. W Edmonds, WA 98206 June 18, 2008 RECEIVED J PSI EXHIBIT 6 P-08-46 & SM -08-47 SITE DESCRIPTION 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1 WETLAND CLASSIFICATION - COWARDIN SYSTEM 1 WETLAND CLASSIFICATION - CITY OF EDMONDS 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND MITIGATION 1 BUILDING SETBACK 2 WETLAND DETERMINATION REPORT 2 BOUNDARY DETERMINATION FINDINGS 4 FUNCTIONS AND VALUES ASSESSMENT 5 WILDLIFE 6 USE OF THIS REPORT 6 REFERENCES FIELD DATA 8 CRITICAL AREA STUDY MAP 1/1 SITE DESCRIPTION Wetland Resources, Inc. conducted a wetland delineation on January 17, 2008 to locate jurisdictional wetlands and streams on and adjacent to the 2.26 -acre site located at 24227 76th Avenue W."the city of Edmonds, Washington. The site is located as a portion of Section 32-,.- ownship 27N, Range 4E, W.M. A previous visit was made in December of 2007 for a site reconnaissance. This site is accessed from the west via 76th Ave W. The lot currently contains two single-family residences with associated infrastructure in the western portion. The property slopes to Lake Ballinger with an eastern aspect. Areas of the site not occupied by the house consist of maintained lawn. Surrounding land use consists of single-family residences to the north and south, with Lake Ballinger to the east. A Category 4 wetland associated with Lake Ballinger is located along the eastern portion of the property. This property is located within 200 feet of Lake Ballinger. As such, this property is within the Suburban Residential IV Shoreline Environment. Category 4 wetlands in the city of Edmonds typically receive 35 -foot protective buffers. The shoreline buffer for this area is also 35 -feet. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The applicant is proposing to construct a multi -lot residential development for this property. No impacts to the wetland or associated buffer are proposed. To allow future residents to access and enjoy the lakefront (passive outdoor recreation), the applicant is proposing to maintain the on-site wetland and buffer in lawn, which is its current condition. This will not alter or increase the impact to the critical area nor increase the risk to life or property. WETLAND CLASSIFICATION - COWARDIN SYSTEM According to the Cowardin System, as described in Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the Unified States, the on-site wetland is classified as follows: Wetland: Palustrine, Emergent Wetland, Semi -permanently flooded. WETLAND CLASSIFICATION - CITY OF EDMONDS Under ECDC, chapter 23.50.090, the on-site wetland is classified as follows: Wetland Category 4: This lake fringe wetland associated with Lake Ballinger received a score of 25 on the DOE Wetland Rating Form for Western Washington (Version 2). Category 4 wetlands in the city of Edmonds typically receive 35 -foot protective buffers. Critical Area Study 1 Wetland Resources, Inc. Hill Ft Maag Project #07392 At the discretion of the Director, Critical area tracts may be required in development proposals for subdivisions, short subdivisions, and planned unit developments. These critical area tracts shall delineate and protect those contiguous critical areas and buffers greater than five thousand (5,000) square feet. The director maquire that critical area tracts be dedicated to the city, to be held in an uVivided interest by each owner of a building lot within the development with the ownership interest passing with the ownership of the lot, or held by an incorporated homeowner's association or other legal entity (such as a land trust), which ensures the ownership, maintenance, and protection of the tract and contains a provision to assess costs associated therewith. (FDCD 23.40.270) BUILDING SETBACK ECDC 23.40.280 states: "Unless otherwise provided, buildings and other structures shall be set back a distance of fifteen (15) feet from the edges of all critical areas, if no buffers are required. The following may be allowed in the building setback area: • Landscaping • Uncovered Decks • Building overhangs, if such overhangs do not exceed more than eighteen (18) inches into the setback area; and • Impervious ground surfaces, such as driveways and patios, provided that such improvements may be subject to water quality regulations as adopted in Chapter 19. " WETLAND DETERMINATION REPORT Methodology On site, routine methodology as described in the Washington State Wetlands Identification and Delineation Manual (Washington State Department of Ecology Publication #96-94, March 9997), was used for this determination, as required by the City of Edmonds during the permitting process. Under this method, the process for making a wetland determination is based on three sequential steps: 1) Examination of the site for hydrophytic vegetation (species present and percentage cover). 2) If hydrophytic vegetation is found, then the presence of hydric soils is determined. 3) Determination of the presence of wetland hydrology in the area examined under the first two steps. Critical Area Study 2 Wetland Resources, Inc. Hill 6 Maaq Project #07392 Vegetation Criteria The Washington State Wetlands Identification and Delineation Manual, 1997 edition, defines hydrophytic vegetation as the sum total of macrophytic plant life that occurs in areas where -the frequency and duration of inundation or soil saturation produce permanently or periodica#.saturated soils of sufficient duration to exert a controlling influence. on the plant species present. One of the most common indicators for hydrophytic vegetation is when more than 50 percent of a plant community consists of species rated "Facultative" and wetter on lists of plant species that occur in wetlands. Soil Criteria and Mapped Description The Washington State Wetlands Identification and Delineation Manual, 1997 edition, defines hydric soils as those that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. Field indicators are used for determining whether a given soil meets the definition and criteria for hydric soils. The soils underlying the site are mapped in the Soil Survey of Snohomish County Area Washington as Alderwood-Urban land complex, 8 to 15 percent slopes, and Mukilteo muck. Alderwood-Urban land complex, 8 to 15 percent slopes: This map unit is on till plains. This unit is about 60 percent Alderwood gravelly sandy loam and about 25 percent urban land. Included in this unit are small areas of Everett and Indianola soils on terraces and outwash plains, Kitsap soils on terraces and terrace escarpments, and Ragnar soils on outwash plains. Included areas make up about 15 percent of the total acreage. Alderwood soil is moderately deep and moderately well drained. It formed in glacial till. Typically, the surface layer is very dark grayish brown gravelly sandy loam about 7 inches thick. The upper part of the subsoil is dark yellowish brown and dark brown very gravelly sandy loam about 23 inches thick. A weakly cemented hardpan is at a depth of about 35 inches. Depth to the hardpan ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Permeability of the Alderwood soil is moderately rapid above the hardpan and very slow through it. Available water capacity is low. Urban land consists of areas that are covered by streets, buildings, parking lots, and other structures that obscure or alter the soils so that identification is not possible. Mukilteo muck: This soil is very deep, very poorly drained, and found in depressional areas. It formed in organic material primarily derived from sedges. Typically, the upper layer is dark reddish brown muck about 4 inches thick. The .next layer is dark reddish brown and black organic material about 31 inches thick. Included in this unit are areas of Terric Medisaprists, Orcas peat, and Mukilteo soils that have not been artificially drained. Included areas make up about 10 percent Critical Area Study 3 Wetland Resources, Inc. Hilt £c Maag Project # 07392 of the total acreage. Permeability of this Mukilteo soil is moderate. Runoff is ponded, and available water capacity is high. Hydrology Criteria - The Washington State Wetlands ld4tific6tion and Delineation Manual, 1997 edition, states that "areas which are seasbq.ally inundated and/or saturated to the surface for a consecutive number of days greater than or equal to 12.5% of the growing season are wetlands, provided the soil and vegetation parameters are met. Areas inundated or saturated between 5 and 12.5% of the growing season in most years may or may not be wetlands. Areas saturated to the surface for less than 5% of the growing season are non -wetlands." Field indicators are used for determining whether wetland hydrology parameters are met. BOUNDARY DETERMINATION FINDINGS Category 4 Wetland: This wetland is located across the eastern portion of the property, along Lake Ballinger. Maintained lawn makes up most of the vegetation in this wetland. Species found in the lawn are colonial bentgrass (Agrostis tennis, Fac) and soft rush (Juncus effusus, FacW). Hardhack (Spiraea douglasii, FacW) and cattail (Typha latifolia, Obl) are growing at the interface of the wetland and the ordinary high water mark of the lake. Soils in this wetland have a Munsell color of very dark brown (10 YR 2/2) with a texture of muck from 0 to 18 inches below the surface. Soils were saturated to the surface during our January 2008 site investigation. Non -Wetland Areas: Vegetation in the non -wetland portions of the site is composed mostly of maintained lawn with scattered islands of trees. The grade of these islands is approximately two and one half feet higher than the surrounding areas. It appears that the areas composed of lawn were graded in the past and the topsoil removed, resulting in the islands and lowered lawn. Typical vegetation in the islands is represented by Western red cedar (Thuja plicata, Fac), Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii, Not/Upl), English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus, Not/Up[), holly (Ilex aquifolium, FacU), English ivy (Hedera helix, Not/Up[), and bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum, FacU). Soils in these areas have a Munsell. color of dark yellowish brown (10 YR 414) with a texture of gravelly sandy loam from 0 to 18 inches below the surface. This matches the description for Alderwood soil as it is mapped for these areas and described in the Soil Survey of Snohomish County Area Washington. Typical vegetation in the areas comprised of maintained lawn is represented by colonial bentgrass (Agrostis tennis, Fac) and creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens, FacW), with scattered English plantain (Plantago lanceolata, FacU+). Soils in these areas have a Munsell color of very dark grey (10 YR 3/1) with a texture of silt loam from 0 to 4 inches in some places and 0 to 18 inches in others. In the areas with a thin layer of very dark grey (10 YR 311) soil, subsoils from 4 to 18 inches were found to have a Munsell color of olive gray (5 Y 6/2) with redoximorphic features of olive yellow (5 Y 616) and a texture of silt Critical Area Study 4 Wetland Resources, Inc. Hill & MQag Project #07392 Loam. Alt soils in the portions of the property mapped as non -wetland were found to be moist during our January 2008 site visit. The olive grey subsoil encountered over much of the site loosely matches the Soil Survey description for the C hori~on of Alderwood soils. This horizon generally occurs at a depth of approximated 35 inches. Along with the conditions of the undisturbed soils in the islands, this supports the observation that a large portion of the topsoil was removed from this site at some point in the past. This served to expose the subsoil that due to its historic position in the landscape resembles hydric soil. However, with the exception of the mapped wetland, no areas of the site contained saturated soils during our two site visits in December of 2007 and January of 2008. Based on the above, it appears that the hydric soils and prevalence of facultative vegetation (colonial bentgrass) is a result of disturbance and not indicative of wetland conditions. FUNCTIONS AND VALUES ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY The methodology for this functions and values assessment is based on professional opinion developed through past field analyses and interpretation. This assessment pertains specifically to this site, but is typical for assessments of similar systems common to western Washington. FUNCTIONS AND VALUES COMPONENTS Wetlands in western Washington perform a variety of ecosystem functions. Included among the most important functions provided by wetlands are stormwater control, water quality improvement, fish and wildlife habitat, aesthetic value, recreational opportunities, and education. The most commonly assessed functions are discussed. Assessments of these functions for the project site are provided below. EXISTING CONDITIONS The on-site wetland is located along the fringe of Lake Ballinger. In this. association with Lake Ballinger, the wetland provides good stormwater storage values. It also improves water quality by filtering pollutants and sediment from overland flow entering the lake. Because the wetland is relatively small and dominated by maintained lawn, its water quality functions are limited. Grass is an effective means of filtering, but aspects of lawn care such as fertilizer may limit this function. Some opportunity for wildlife habitat is provided by the fact that this wetland is a fringe habitat between the upland vegetation and the open' water of Lake Ballinger. This habitat function is limited because of surrounding development. Overall, given the proximity of development and the limited quantity of woody vegetation, this wetland provides a relatively low level of functions and values. Critical Area Study 5 Wetland Resources, Inc_ Hill & Maag Project #07342 jy� 1 WILDLIFE Several species of bird were noted during our site investigation. These include American robin (Tardus migratorius), winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), and black -capped chickadee (Poecile eicapillus). Given this wetland's association with Lake Ballinger, other resident an&4'nigratory species would be expected to utilize the site during some portion of their lives. No herpetofauna were noted. USE OF THIS REPORT This Critical Area`Study is supplied to Laurie Hill and Kathy Maag as a means of describing jurisdictional wetland conditions, as required by the City of Edmonds during the permitting process. This report is based largely on readily observable conditions and to a lesser extent, on readily ascertainable conditions. No attempt has been made to determine hidden or concealed conditions. Reports may be adversely affected due to the physical condition. of the site and the difficulty of access, which may lead to observation or probing difficulties. The laws applicable to wetlands are subject to varying interpretations and may be changed at any time by the courts or legislative bodies. This report is intended to provide information deemed relevant in the applicant's attempt to comply with the laws now in effect. The work for this report has conformed to the standard of care employed by wetland ecologists. No other representation or warranty is made concerning the work for this report and any implied representation or warranty is disclaimed. Wetland Resources, Inc. Louis Emenhiser Senior Wetland Ecologist Professional Wetland Scientist Critical Area Study b Wetland Resources, Inc. Hill & Maag Project # 073 92 REFERENCES City of Edmonds Code Chapter 20.1513 Critical Areas. Classification of Wetlands and Dee 79/31. December 1979. U_ Service. Washington, D.C. Yater Habitats of the United States. FWS/OBS- Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Cors of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual 1987. Technical Report Y-87-1. Environmental laboratory. U.S. Army Engineer Waterway Experiment Station. Vicksburg, MS. Soil Survey of Snohomish County Area Washington United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (1978). National List of Plant Species that Occur „in Wetlands, Northwest Region. 1996. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington, D.C. Washington State Wetlands Identification and Delineation Manual. Washington State Department of Ecology. Publication #96-94. March 1997. Critical Area Study 7 Wetland Resources, Inc. Hill Ft Maag Project # 07392 Field Data Sheet 764 Ave W. WRI# 07392 Investigation Date: 1/17/08 Pit Depth Texture Color Moisture Species % Status Strata 20 Not/Up[ Tree Undisturbed island Ilex aquifolium 10 S1 0-18" Muck 10YR'� 2 sat Agrostis tenuis 80 Fac Herb Wetland Juncus effusus 20 FacW herb 5piraea douglasli tr FacW Shrub Typha latifolia tr Obl Herb Conclusion: Wetland - Parameters for hydrophytic v getation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology are met. S2 0-18" Sandy Loam 10YR 312 moist Agrostis tenuis 80 Fac Herb Non -Wetland Ranunculus repens 20 FacW Herb Plantago lanceolate tr FacU+ Herb Conclusion: Non -Wetland - Parameters for hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology are not met. S3 0-18" Gravelly Sandy Loam 10YR 4/4 dry Thuja plicata 50 Fac Tree Upland Arbutus menziesh 20 Not/Up[ Tree Undisturbed island Ilex aquifolium 10 FacU Shrub Prunus laurocerasus 10 Not/Upt Shrub Hedera helix Not/Upl Shrub Conclusion: Upland - Parameters for hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wettand hydrology are not met. S4 0-18" Gravelly Sandy Loam 10YR 3/1 moist Agrostis tennis 70 Fac Herb Non -Wetland Festuca arundinacea 10 Fat- Herb Graded area near undisturbed island Ranunculus repens 10 FacW Herb Conclusion: Non -Wetland - Parameters for hydrophytic ve etation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology are not met. S5 0-18" Gravelly Sandy Loam 10YR 4/4 dry Thuja plicato 70 Fac Tree Non -Wetland Pteridium aquilinum 40 FacU Herb Undisturbed island Conclusion: Non -Wetland - Parameters for hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wettand hydrology are not met. S6 0-18" Silt Loam 10YR 3/1 moist Malus fusca 30 FacW Tree Non -Wetland Corylus cornuta 30 FacU Shrub Disturbed area Agrostis tenuis 60 Fac Herb Ranunculus repens 30 FacW Herb Conclusion: Non -Wetland - Parameters for hydrophytic ve etation hydric soils, and wetland hydrology are not met. Field Data Sheet 76t1? Ave W. WRI# 07392 , Investigation Date: 1117/08 Pit Depth Texture Color Moisture Species % Status Strata S7 04' Silt Loam 10YR: ,1 moist Agrostis tenuis 60 Fac Herb Non -Wetland 4-18" Silt Loam SY 6%2,616 moist Ranunculus repens 30 FacW Herb Other disturbed soil between two apple trees REDOX Conclusion: Non -Wetland - Parameters for hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology are not met. M `M aLLT Q LU c~�Z Q n w N CL Q Z N F— Q M 0 = U w V) 0 0 M 3A`d H19Z O N u7 II O O w uW~i Q m J U U N O M 3A`d H19Z N � m O O uW~i Q m I O i �