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Willard planning commission moves to map sensitive wetlands, consider restoring commercial corridor through Old Town
Summary
Planning commissioners discussed adding mapped wetlands to the general plan and restoring a commercial corridor through Old Town Willard, directed staff to overlay wetland mapping with zoning, and deferred ordinance drafting to forthcoming meetings.
Willard City Planning Commission members on Aug. 7 discussed amending Chapter 3 of the city’s general plan to expand the map of environmentally sensitive areas to include identified wetlands and to reintroduce a commercial corridor through Old Town Willard.
The commission said the change is intended to align the future land use map with recent USGS and NRCS mapping and provide developers and residents clearer guidance about where development is appropriate and where additional review or mitigation will be required.
Commissioners and staff described areas on the north end and west of 200 West as having hydric soils or seasonal inundation. Staff said some of those areas are currently shown as agricultural or conservation on the future land use map but that the mapping in planning documents may not reflect the most recent federal or state data. Commissioners said they want mapped wetlands tied to clear policy language in the general plan and implementing code.
Planning staff was directed to prepare a GIS overlay showing the city’s zoning and future land use designations superimposed on the USGS/NRCS wetland and hydric-soil layers so the commission and the public can identify conflicts. Maddie (staff) accepted the assignment to prepare the overlay for review at a future meeting. Commissioners also asked staff to extract existing plan and code language related to sensitive lands so the commission can decide whether and how to strengthen verbiage tied to the map.
Commissioners discussed specific development pressure at a TOD-zoned parcel west of the storage sheds and a Deer Run subdivision site. Staff said geotechnical reports are required before building permits are issued and that developers have repeatedly asked about the status of mapped wetlands because some owners have filled areas and prospective buyers have pulled back due to uncertainty about federal jurisdiction.
Commissioners noted that federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act — and whether certain features are “waters of the United States” — is unsettled and affects permitting. The commission discussed the practical options developers have: obtain a Corps of Engineers 404 permit and proceed; reroute development around mapped wetlands; or pursue litigation to clarify jurisdictional questions. Commissioners referenced recent Supreme Court precedent (the Sackett case) as background to the federal-jurisdiction issue and said changes to federal definitions could alter how local wetlands are treated.
No regulatory amendments were adopted at the meeting. Commissioners requested that staff return with the GIS overlay, existing policy language, and proposed draft language for consideration at a future meeting or work session with the city council.
The item will remain on the commission agenda for further review; staff indicated a likely follow-up at the next planning meeting.
