INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES REGULATIONS
 FOR THE  TOWN OF BURLINGTON, CONNECTICUT

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                                July 01, 1988 / Revised and adopted on April 19, 2006 /  Revised and adopted on July 18, 2007

         TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section                                                                                               Page

      I    TITLE AND AUTHORITY                                                                 2

     2    DEFINITIONS                                                                                3

     3    INVENTORYOFREGULATEDAREAS                                               6

     4    PERMITTED USES AS OF RIGHT & NONREGULATED USES          7

     5    ACTIVITIES REGULATEDBYTHESTATE                                         8

     6    REGULATED ACTIVITIES TO BE LICENSED                                  9

     7    APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS                                                   10

     8    APPLICATION PROCEDURES                                                     12

     9    PUBLIC HEARINGS                                                                     14

    10    CONSIDERATIONS FOR DECISION                                             15

    11    DECISION PROCESS AND PERMIT                                             17

    12    BONDAND INSURANCE                                                               19

    13    ENFORCEMENT                                                                          19

    14    AMENDMENTS                                                                            20

    15    APPEALS                                                                                   22

    16    CONFLICT AND SEVERANCE                                                      22

    17    OTHER PERMITS                                                                        23

    18    APPLICATION FEES                                                                   23

    19    RECORDS RETENTION AND DISPOSITION                                  25

    20    EFFECTIVE DATE OF REGULATIONS                                          26

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 1 of 25

“Regulated Activity” means any operation within or use of a wetland or watercourse involving removal or deposition of material, or any obstruction, construction, alteration or pollution, of such wetlands or watercourses, including any earthmoving, filling, construction, clear cutting of trees, or discharge of storm water within 500 feet (measured on a horizontal plane) of wetlands or watercourses, or construction or repairs of structures over said wetlands or water courses, but shall not include the specified activities in section 4 of these Regulations.

“Regulated Area” means any wetlands or watercourses as defined in these Regulations.

“Remove” includes, but shall not be limited to, drain, excavate, mine, dig, dredge, suck, grub, clear cut timber, bulldoze, dragline or blast.

“Rendering unclean or impure” means any alteration of the physical, chemical or biological properties of any waters of the state, including, but not limited to, change in odor, color, turbidity or taste.

“Significant activity” means any activity, including, but not limited to, the following activities which may have a major effect or significant impact on the area for which an application has been filed or on another part of the inland wetland or watercourse system:

1.         Any activity involving a deposition or removal of material which will or may have a major effect or significant impact on the regulated area or on another part of the inland wetland or watercourse system; or

2.         Any activity which substantially changes the natural channel or may inhibit the natural dynamics of a watercourse system; or

3.         Any activity which substantially diminishes the natural capacity of an inland wetland or watercourse to support desirable fisheries, wildlife, or other biological life; or to prevent flooding, supply water, assimilate waste, facilitate drainage, provide recreation or open space; or to perform other functions; or

4.         Any activity which causes substantial turbidity, siltation or sedimentation in a wetland or watercourse; or

5.         Any activity which causes a substantial diminution of flow of a natural watercourse or groundwater levels of the regulated area; or

6.         Any activity which causes or has the potential to cause pollution of a wetland or watercourse; or

7.         Any activity, which destroys unique wetland or watercourse areas having demonstrable scientific or educational value.

“Soil Scientist” means an individual duly qualified in accordance with standards set by the Federal Office of Personnel Management.

“Swamps” are areas with soils that exhibit aquic moisture regimes and are dominated by wetland trees and shrubs. Typical examples of swamp species are listed in the booklet titled Inland Wetland Plants of Connecticut by Wm. A. Neiring and R. H. Goodwin, Connecticut Arboretum for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, May 1973.

“Submerged lands” means those lands, which are inundated by water on a seasonal, more frequent, or yearlong basis.

“Town” means the Town of Burlington, Connecticut

“Waste” means sewage or any substance, liquid, gaseous, solid or radioactive, which may pollute or tend to pollute any of the wetlands or watercourses of the Town.

“Watercourses” means rivers, streams, brooks, springs, waterways, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs, and all other bodies of water, natural or artificial, vernal, intermittent, or with permanent flow, public or private, which are contained within, flow through or border upon the Town or any portion thereof not regulated pursuant to sections 22a-28 through 22a-35 of the General Statutes, as amended. Intermittent watercourses shall

5 of 25 revised and adopted July 18, 2007