Davenport Native Plant Buffer Easement

Municipal code 13.34.070 Easements
A minimum fifty-foot vegetated buffer area is required whenever any stream or water course is located in an area that is being subdivided or otherwise improved. The buffer should include the area that has been affected by damaging flood waters and/ or inundated by the one-hundred-year flood waters, as determined by the City Engineer. If disturbed during construction, this buffer shall be planted with vegetation native to the Midwest region of the United States and maintained as a native grass and forb (flower) no-mow area; kept free of trees, invasive plant species and other obstructions. Mowing should occur three to four times per year for the first three years to establish the native plant buffer. In subsequent years mowing may occur once per year, in the spring or fall for maintenance and shall comply with Section 13.34.070.E. Mowing should be done as high as possible with a standard mower; no less than six inches in height. The intent of the fifty-foot buffer is to comply with Section 13.34.070.B, allow streams to naturally meander, to maximize plant root depth, and to protect private property by limiting structure installation and uses that will impede its intended use or capacity. If the fifty-foot buffer is left undisturbed during construction, existing vegetation may remain in place.