Natural Resources Chapter of the Master Plan - Town of Wolfeboro

Natural Resources Chapter, Wolfeboro, NH
13.3 ANALYSIS OF TOOLS FOR WETLAND PROTECTION
Activities in wetlands are regulated by the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES
– Wetlands Bureau) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). In New Hampshire, towns
are allowed to develop more restrictive regulations to manage important resources within their
town.
Article II of section §175 of the Wolfeboro Town Zoning Ordinances establishes a Wetlands
Conservation Overlay District, which regulates land use surrounding naturally occurring
wetlands. The Wetlands Conservation Overlay District:
Prevents development, destruction, and significant changes to naturally occurring
wetlands;
Protects rare, unique and unusual natural species and their habitats;
Maintains ecological balances;
Protects existing and potential water supplies, aquifers, and aquifer recharge areas;
Protects the wetlands, watercourses and water bodies of the Town from degradation and
helps maintain their natural beauty.
For permitted land uses, the Wetlands Conservation Overlay District emphasizes the importance
of using best management practices in order to protect wetlands. A list of permitted practices can
be found in the Zoning Ordinance. The ordinance regulates these permitted land uses; including:
For a permitted land use, it is prohibited to alter the natural surface configuration of a
prime wetland by the addition of fill or by dredging. For wetlands, the fill or dredging of
1,000 square feet or more is also prohibited.
For a permitted land use, forestry/tree farming is limited to the removal of less than 50
percent of the basal area of the standing timber in any ten-year period. This guarantees a
well-distributed stand of healthy, growing trees.
For a permitted land use, protection of the wetland from any form of pollution is highly
emphasized.
Most land use practices require a special use permit. Practices that require special use permits
are also listed in the Zoning Ordinance. Special use permits allow regulated land uses to be
practiced near a protected wetland, as described below:
No building activity is permitted within 50 feet of any poorly drained soil and within 75
feet of any very poorly drained soil, except if provided in a special use permit.
Natural Resources Inventory, Wolfeboro, NH 64