Environmental regulations on the way for county

By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

A chapter on natural and historic resources is now included as part of Fayette County's land use plan, and new environmental regulations will soon follow.

County Commissioners have unanimously approved the new environmental chapter to the land use plan, which identifies sensitive areas of the county.

“This is a good document, an excellent step in the right direction,” said Commissioner Glen Gosa, who has been an advocate for environmental concerns during his term on the board. “This will serve as the basis on which to build for the future,” he added.

Much of the information in the chapter already was in the land use plan, said Chris Venice, county planning director. But the new chapter has additional information and puts all the environmental and historic information in one chapter for easier reference, she said.

The county Planning Commission recently got its first look at three sets of regulations to address the environmental concerns.

The laws address wetlands, watershed protection and ground water recharge area protection.

Under the wetlands ordinance, county engineers would determine whether a development is likely to have an impact on a wetland area, and involve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers if that's the case.

The ordinance is nothing new, said senior planner Pete Frisina — the Engineering Department already is doing what the law calls for, he said.

The second ordinance identifies the county's large and small watersheds and includes an official watershed map of the county.

Also, the law requires buffers between developments and areas defined as watershed, and defines the types of uses allowed within those buffers.

Experts in the county Environmental Health Department will administer the ground water recharge protection ordinance, which restricts the intensity of development allowed in recharge areas. Recharge areas are those in which rain water seeps into the ground to resupply the water table.

The group will discuss the regulations again May 18 with tentative plans to vote on them June 1.

If the regulations are approved by the planning panel, the County Commission could act on them June 22.