For the purpose of the protection of sensitive environmental areas and protection of the public from environmental hazard areas of the city, an environmental overlay zone is established, and any development within such district shall occur under the additional provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 831 § 8.1, 1992)

The boundaries of the environmental overlay zone shall be set by a variety of means:

1. Flood plain boundaries shall be set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) map as amended and adopted by the city.
2. Other sensitive environments and environmental hazards, such as, but not necessarily limited to, rock fall areas, cliffs, steep slopes, unstable slopes, subsidence areas, areas contaminated by hazardous waste, areas subject to wildfire hazard, riparian habitat and critical wildlife habitat shall have their boundaries set by studies funded by the developers of individual properties, and funded by studies done by local government at its sole option.

(Ord. 831 § 8.2, 1992)

1. Property in the environmental overlay zone shall only be developed subject to the specific review of the planning and zoning commission. Due to the sensitive and hazardous nature of these areas, the development of the specific property will often require an extensive mitigation plan. Such mitigation plan will be developed by the developer and the city planning department and will be presented as part of the development package to the planning and zoning commission.
2. The city’s cost to develop and coordinate the development of a mitigation plan shall be borne by the developer. The city may retain expert as required whose costs shall be paid by the developer.

(Ord. 831 § 8.3, 1992)