A. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any activity which otherwise requires a permit or approval from the town, that has a potential to impact an environmentally sensitive area or its established buffer unless otherwise exempt. Such activities include but are not limited to:

1. Removing, excavating, grading, disturbing or dredging of soil, sand, gravel, minerals, organic matter or materials of any kind;

2. Destroying or altering vegetation through clearing, grading, harvesting, shading or planting vegetation, that would detrimentally alter the character or function of an environmentally sensitive area or its established buffer;

3. Dumping, discharging or filling with any material;

4. Draining, flooding or disturbing the water level or water table;

5. Driving pilings or placing obstructions;

6. Constructing, reconstructing, demolishing or altering the size of any structure or infrastructure that results in disturbance of an environmentally sensitive area or its established buffer, or the addition of any impervious surface coverage to a site;

7. Activities that result in significant changes in physical or chemical characteristics of water sources, including, but not limited to water temperature, quantity and pollutants; and

8. Any other activity that has a potential to significantly adversely impact an environmentally sensitive area or established buffer not otherwise exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

B. To avoid duplication, the following permits and approvals shall be subject to and coordinated with the requirements of this chapter: clearing and grading; tree removal, subdivision or short subdivision; building permit; rezone; shoreline substantial development; variance; planned unit development and binding site plan review, special use, and any other permits leading to the development or alteration of land.

C. Proponents of nonproject actions, including but not limited to legislative zone changes, annexations, and the adoption of plans and programs, may be required to perform any studies or evaluations required by this chapter using methodologies and at a level of detail appropriate to the action proposed, as part of the nonproject action review. (Ord. 00-387 §1(part), 2000)