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(a) All developments shall demonstrate that all reasonable efforts have been examined with the intent to avoid and minimize impacts to critical areas. When an alteration to a critical area is proposed, such alteration shall be avoided, minimized, or compensated for in the following order of preference:

(1) Avoiding the impact altogether by not taking a certain action or parts of an action;

(2) Minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its implementation, by using appropriate technology, or by taking affirmative steps, such as project redesign, relocation, or timing, to avoid or reduce impacts;

(3) Rectifying the impact by repairing, rehabilitating or restoring the affected environment;

(4) Reducing or eliminating the impact over time by preservation and maintenance operations during the life of the action;

(5) Compensating for the impact by replacing, enhancing, or providing substitute resources or environments;

(6) Monitoring the impact and taking appropriate corrective measures.

(b) Mitigation for individual actions may include a combination of the above measures.

(c) Unless otherwise provided in this title, if alteration to the critical area is unavoidable, all adverse impacts to or from critical areas and buffers resulting from a development proposal or alteration shall be mitigated in accordance with an approved mitigation plan. Mitigation shall not be implemented until after approval of the mitigation plan.

(d) Mitigation shall be in-kind and on site, when possible, and sufficient to maintain the functions and values of the critical area, and to prevent risk from a hazard posed by a critical area. When necessary, mitigation may be provided that is out-of-kind and/or off site. (Ord. 2123, § 1 (Att.), 2021.)