[Section NR 115.05(1)(c)1, Wis. Adm. Code] To protect natural
scenic beauty, fish and wildlife habitat, and water quality, a county
shall regulate removal of vegetation in shoreland areas, consistent
with the following: The County shall establish ordinance standards
that consider sound forestry and soil conservation practices, as well
as the effect of vegetation removal on water quality, including soil
erosion, and the flow of effluents, sediments and nutrients.
[Section NR 115.05(1)(c)2, Wis. Adm. Code] To protect water
quality, fish and wildlife habitat and natural scenic beauty, and
to promote preservation and restoration of native vegetation, the
County ordinance shall designate land that extends from the ordinary
high-water mark to a minimum of 35 feet inland as a vegetative buffer
zone and prohibit removal of vegetation in the vegetative buffer zone
except as follows:
A. The County may allow routine maintenance of vegetation.
B. The County may allow removal of trees and shrubs in the vegetative
buffer zone to create access and viewing corridors. Per § 59.692(1f)(b),
Wis. Stats., the viewing corridor may be at least 35 feet wide for
every 100 feet of shoreline frontage. The viewing corridor may run
contiguously for the entire maximum width of shoreline frontage owned.
C. The County may allow removal of trees and shrubs in the vegetative
buffer zone on a parcel with 10 or more acres of forested land consistent
with "generally accepted forestry management practices" as defined
in § NR 1.25(2)(b), Wis. Adm. Code, and described in Department
publication "Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines" (Publication
FR-226), provided that vegetation removal be consistent with these
practices.
D. The County may allow removal of vegetation within the vegetative
buffer zone to manage exotic or invasive species, damaged vegetation,
vegetation that must be removed to control disease, or vegetation
creating an imminent safety hazard, provided that any vegetation removed
be replaced by replanting in the same area as soon as practicable.
E. The County may authorize by permit additional vegetation management
activities in the vegetative buffer zone. The permit issued under
this subsection shall require that all management activities comply
with detailed plans approved by the County and designed to control
erosion by limiting sedimentation into the water body, to improve
the plant community by replanting in the same area, and to maintain
and monitor the newly restored area. The permit also shall require
an enforceable restriction to preserve the newly restored area.
From the inland edge of the thirty-five-foot area to the outer
limits of the shoreland, the cutting of vegetation shall be allowed
when accomplished using accepted forest management and soil conservation
practices which protect water quality.