Ivins planning commission recommends Habitat Conservation ordinance to city council

The Ivins Planning Commission on June 3 recommended that the City Council adopt a Habitat Conservation Ordinance tied to the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan and an associated environmental mitigation fee.

The recommendation was unanimous. After a brief staff summary and public-hearing period with no public comments, a motion "that we recommend for approval the Habitat Conservation Ordinance as written" was moved and seconded and carried with all aye votes. Commissioner Robinson said, "Aye," Commissioner Brown said, "Aye," Commissioner Clifford said, "Aye," and the chair said she would also vote aye.

The ordinance text read into the record notes that much of Washington County and all of the land within Ivins’ municipal boundaries was identified by federal biologists as critical habitat for the Mojave Desert tortoise, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Staff explained that the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan and an associated incidental take permit are the federal mechanisms allowing certain development while offsetting impacts; the plan established the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve as the primary conservation measure.

Staff also told the commission that an environmental mitigation impact fee would be needed to finance plan measures including management and monitoring within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. There were no public commenters at the hearing.

The commission’s vote forwards the ordinance to the City Council; staff said the item will be scheduled for the council meeting on June 19.

Next steps: the City Council will consider the ordinance on June 19. If council approves it, the ordinance and any associated fee schedule would become part of the city’s land-use regulations related to projects covered by the county Habitat Conservation Plan.