Community-Based Watershed Management Forum, March 2012, Juneau Alaska. Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition

1. Municipal Wetland Management:
Overview of the CBJ process and
the real life applications of the
Juneau Wetlands Mgmt Plan
Watershed Forum Presentation
March 8, 2012
Presented by:
Teri Camery, Senior Planner
Nicole Jones, Planner I, CFM

2. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—Purpose
• Classify wetlands into high-value (A
and B), low-value (C and D), and
Enhancement Potential based on
ranked environmental functions
according to the Adamus wetland
methodology
• Provide for reasoned, scientifically-
supported decisions regarding
protection and development of
wetlands
• Increase predictability for property
owners

3. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—History
Two stages of development:
3) 1980s wetland surveys
and wetland functional
analysis report
2) 1992 final Juneau
Wetlands Management
Plan, with policies,
regulations, and
implementation
guidelines

4. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—History
More recent
versions of the plan
—1997 and 2008—
still use the original
studies and study
area.
CBJ will begin the
first phase of a
four-year plan to
update the JWMP
this year.

7. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—Components
• Wetland Categories—A, B, C, D, and EP
• 140 different wetland units, each with its
own functional analysis of 15 different
wetland functions
• Freshwater wetlands only, not estuarine
• Wetland surveys, not wetland delineations

8. Shoreline Corridor Rule
Highest wetland category adjacent to streams

9. Residential Road Corridor Rule
Lower wetland category within 100-feet
of some major roads

10. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—Components
• Individual
management
regulations for each
wetland category
• CBJ Land Use Code
wetland regulations
implemented through
CBJ Building and
Zoning permits
• Regulations allow
consideration of new
scientific evidence

11. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan—Components
Establishment of CBJ Wetlands Review Board
• Volunteer Scientific Advisory Board appointed by the CBJ Assembly
• General Permit Authority from Army Corps for low-value Category C
and D wetlands
• Board has an advisory role over projects that impact wetlands and
salmon streams

12. CBJ Wetland Permitting Process

13. Wetlands Fill Permit—Process
• Wetland Delineation
• Application submittal
– Fees $350-$1,600
• Staff Review
• Wetlands Review Board
– Conditions of approval
• Wetland Permit Issued
– Approximately 8-12 weeks
• Applicant applies for a
Building permit
– Fees $50-??

14. Wetland Permit Case Study
WET2000 - 00001

15. Juneau Wetland Management Plan

16. Partial Wetland Functional Analysis of J7 Wetland
Unit
• Add wetland functions of this wetland unit

17. Wetlands Site Plan Pre-Wetland Fill

18. Proposed Wetland Fill
±800 cu yards of fill—category B(r)C
±1,400 cu yards of fill—category B(r)C
wetlands

19. Wetland Fill Permit—Conditions
Notice of Decision—see handout
• 1,500 cubic yards of wetland fill was
approved to allow for a new church with
a parking area
– 5,200 cubic yards of overburden was
approved to be removed
• 11 conditions of approval were applied to
the wetland permit.

20. JWMP Challenges and Update

21. Juneau Wetland Management Plan—Challenges
• Wetland maps are surveys, not formal
delineations. Delineations are valid for only 5
years.
• Studies, maps, and regulations are outdated.
Developed area of the Borough has expanded.
• The majority of low-value C and D wetlands
have been filled (an indicator of success);
General Permit authority has lapsed
• Poor enforcement of permit conditions

22. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan Update
• Four year project funded by
federal CIAP which includes
LiDAR, infrared imagery, and
stream and wetland mapping
and classification
• New wetland methodology
• New wetland categories and
analysis, freshwater and
estuarine

23. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan Update
• Update existing surveys and classifications and
expand into developing areas

24. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan Update
Includes Land Use Code regulatory revisions
for compatibility with:
• Corps 2008 Mitigation Rule
• other local mitigation programs such as
SEALTrust fee-in-lieu; and
• new General Permit authority (with Corps
approval) for low-value wetlands

25. Juneau Wetlands Management Plan Resources
• Juneau Wetlands Management Plan
http://www.juneau.org/cddftp/plansstudies.php
• Wetlands Permit Application
http://www.juneau.org/cddftp/documents/Wetlands_Applicati
• CBJ Land Use Code Title 49
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=13307&state
Teri Camery teri_camery@ci.juneau.ak.us 586-0755
Nicole Jones nicole_jones@ci.juneau.ak.us 586-0218

26. Questions?