14.50.420.02 Regulations.
A. The environmental impacts of development proposals shall be analyzed and include measures to mitigate environmental impacts not otherwise avoided or minimized by compliance with the SMP and other applicable regulations.
B. Where required, mitigation measures shall be applied in the following sequence of steps listed in order of priority:
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 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;
5. Compensating for the impact by replacing, enhancing or providing substitute resources or environments; and
6. Monitoring the impact and the compensation projects and taking appropriate corrective measures.
C. In determining appropriate mitigation measures applicable to development in shoreline jurisdiction, lower priority measures should be applied only where higher priority measures are determined to be infeasible or inapplicable.
D. Mitigation shall not be required that exceeds what is necessary to assure the development will result in no net loss of ecological functions in shoreline jurisdiction.
E. When compensatory measures are appropriate pursuant to the mitigation priority sequence above, preferential consideration shall be given to measures that replace the impacted functions directly and in the immediate vicinity of the impact. However, alternative compensatory mitigation measures that have been identified within a watershed plan and address limiting factors or other critical resource conservation needs in shoreline jurisdiction may be authorized. Authorization of compensatory mitigation measures may require appropriate safeguards, terms, or conditions as necessary to ensure no net loss of ecological functions.