On behalf of California Trout, Trout Unlimited and The Nature Conservancy – collectively the California Salmon and Steelhead Coalition – I am writing to ask the Board of Supervisors to support efforts to create riparian, stream, and wetland protections. Riparian buffers are critically important for the health of our watersheds and for protecting the quality of water that people rely on. Riparian buffers and vegetation help protect streambanks from erosion and slow floodwaters allowing for groundwater recharge which helps improve drought resilience. Providing space for rivers and streams to meander reduces flood risk, protects infrastructure and helps to maintain connectivity for fish and wildlife. We strongly support the County’s efforts to increase protections for riparian areas, streama, and wetlands.

-Charlie Schneider, Lost Coast Project Manager, California Trout

In addition to setbacks for riparian, wetlands and streams, the county of Mendocino needs to additionally address the lack of a grading ordinance which would make the current ministerial nature of grading permits very clear, as was noted by a very recent California Supreme Court case ( Protecting Our Water and Environmental Resources v. County of Stanislaus (2020). There is currently no grading ordinance in Mendocino County which would make the ministerial nature of issued grading permits clear.