Swainson's Hawk Ordinance Amendment

Swainson's Hawk Ordinance Amendment

The proposed project would amend the Sacramento County Code (Chapter 16.130) related to mitigation for impacts to the Swainson's Hawk. There are two alternatives: 1) Repeal the Swainson's Hawk Impact Mitigation Fees Ordinance (Chapter 16.130). This would mean all future and pending projects in Sacramento County that are identified to take Swainson's hawk foraging habitat would have to negotiate individually with the California Department of Fish and Game until such time as the South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan is adopted. 2) Amend the Swainson's Hawk Impact Mitigation Fees Ordinance (Chapter 16.130). The amendment would include an increase in the per-acre fee, the Operations and Management Fee and the Administrative Fee. The amendment may also include the incorporation of currently excluded areas of the County (areas north of the American River) into the Ordinance area, limiting the availability of the fee option to projects below a specific acreage of impact threshold, and the identification of appropriate mitigation lands. The County has found that the current fee established by the Ordinance has not kept pace with land prices, and therefore either an amendment to the Ordinance is necessary or the Swainson's Hawk Impact Mitigation Fees Ordinance should be repealed in favor of direct individual negotiations with the California Department of Fish and Game.

Sacramento