§ 8.4.6. Wildlife development review criteria.

In determining if a new development will or may have an adverse impact on wildlife and wildlife habitats or that such adverse impacts have been avoided or mitigated to the greatest extent practicable, the planning commission, county commissioners, board of adjustment or planning director, as applicable, will consider the following:

A.

Impacts on wildlife species, including but not limited to human-related activities (including impacts from domestic pets) that disrupt necessary life cycle functions of wildlife or cause stress on wildlife to the extent that the health and viability of a species is threatened in the county. Assessment of significant impacts will be based on the following:

1.

Activities in previously undisturbed areas involving any combination of humans, pets, and machines or equipment that disturb or harass an individual animal, group of animals or wildlife species;

2.

Site development or activities that disrupt necessary lifecycle functions, resulting in stress to the extent that physiological damage is done to an individual animal, group of animals or wildlife species. Examples include, but are not limited to, introduction of non-native vegetation; excessive use of fertilizers and other chemicals; placement of structures in close proximity to nesting and feeding areas; and excessive exterior lighting;

3.

Species reliance on specific, unique habitat features, such as riparian areas, that may be affected;

4.

Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to, controls on domestic animals and household pets; restrictions on types and intensity of lighting; clustering of development to avoid intrusion into or fragmentation of habitat; and creation of buffers around critical areas.

B.

Impact on wildlife habitat, including but not limited to elimination, reduction or fragmentation of wildlife habitat to the extent that the viability of an individual species is threatened in the county and the diversity of wildlife species occurring in the county is reduced. Assessment of significant impacts will be based on the following:

1.

The amount of vegetation/habitat removal or alteration within the development site;

2.

The amount of habitat of similar type and quality within the development site that remains contiguous;

3.

The existing and proposed amount of lot coverage;

4.

The existence of contiguous habitat of similar type and quality on adjoining land; and

5.

Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to clustering of development to avoid intrusion into or fragmentation of habitat; creation of buffers around critical areas; limits on the amount of disturbance on a site; restrictions on vegetation removal; and enhancement or restoration of equivalent habitat on or adjacent to the site.

C.

Impact on wildlife movement patterns/displacement and adaptation of wildlife populations, including but not limited to disruption of necessary migration or movement patterns that keep wildlife from using their entire habitat to the extent that the health and viability of a species is threatened in the county; displacement of wildlife species into areas that cannot support or sustain the species over the long term to the extent that the health and viability of a species is threatened in the county; and the inability of wildlife species living within or in close proximity to development to adapt and thrive to the extent that the health and viability of the species is threatened in the county. Assessment of significant impacts will be based on the following:

1.

Preventing wildlife from using a habitat they would normally use, such as blocking migration patterns from summer to winter range;

2.

Causing wildlife to find new routes that expose them to significantly increased predation, interaction with motor vehicles, intense human activity or more severe topography and climatic conditions;

3.

The size of the affected habitat and availability of similarly sized and quality habitat within the surrounding area;

4.

The human activity and development that would result in the inability of a single or multiple species to adapt to the new conditions;

5.

Inability of the specie [sic] or species to adapt to significant alteration of their current habitats or to find a new habitat that is sufficient to sustain the species over the long term; and

6.

Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to clustering or location of development to avoid intrusion into migration or movement areas; creation of buffers around critical areas; limits on fencing that might interfere with migration and movement patterns; and enhancement or restoration of equivalent habitat on or adjacent to the site.

D.

Uniqueness of habitat and species to Larimer County, including but not limited to elimination, reduction, or fragmentation of important wildlife habitat that is identified as unique to Larimer County in that it supports wildlife species that do not commonly occur outside the county to the extent that the health and viability of a species is threatened in the county and impacts on wildlife species that do not commonly occur outside Larimer County to the extent that the health and viability of a species is threatened in the county. Assessment of significant adverse impacts will be based on the following:

1.

The extent that habitat similar to that affected by the proposed development exists in Larimer County;

2.

Whether the species does not commonly occur outside Larimer County, as determined by listing by state or federal agencies as threatened or endangered or as determined by Larimer County in conjunction with the Colorado Division of Wildlife;

3.

Whether the habitat does not commonly occur outside of Larimer County as determined by the county in conjunction with the Colorado Division of Wildlife;

4.

The extent of the threat to the viability of the species;

5.

The extent of the reduction of the diversity of wildlife species in the county; and

6.

Mitigation efforts that directly address the potential adverse impacts of the proposed land use on wildlife species, including, but not limited to clustering of development to avoid intrusion into or fragmentation of habitat; creation of buffers around critical areas; limits on the amount of disturbance on a site; and enhancement or restoration of equivalent habitat on the site or elsewhere in the county.

E.

Cumulative impacts, including but not limited to cumulative impacts beyond the boundaries of the proposed site such that the wildlife habitat in the county is eliminated, reduced, or fragmented to the point that the viability of individual species is threatened and the diversity of species occurring in the county is reduced. Assessment of significant adverse impacts will be based on the following:

1.

The area, including land outside the project site, in which effects of the proposed project will occur and the impacts of the proposed project that are expected to occur in that area; and

2.

The incremental impact on wildlife habitat and wildlife species of the proposed development added to the past and present impact of other activities and developments.