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    RIPARIAN BUFFER PRESERVATION

The growing body of scientific evidence documenting the beneficial role of
riparian buffers in protecting water quality has led to action by conservation
groups and governmental bodies to preserve existing buffers. In many
cases, retaining existing buffers is the most cost effective method of protect-
ing waterways from runoff, sediment pollution, streambank erosion and
destructive flooding which are often associated with unbuffered waterways.
A variety of preservation tools are available to interested communities and
landowners to guide and limit development along stream corridors. These
tools can be designed to fit local conditions.

Among the approaches that have been used to protect existing buffers are:
                                   Fee simple acquisition: purchase of the full ownership of riparian                           
                                   land by conservation groups or local governments                                             What are Development Rights?
                                   Conservation easements for land along riparian corridors                                               Fee simple land ownership
                                   Municipal planning tools which incorporation riparian buffer                                      provides landowners with a bundle
                                   preservation into the County Comprehensive Plan and an Official                                   of rights. Each right, such as
                                   Municipality Map                                                                                  mineral rights, water rights, air
                                   Riparian buffer ordinances                                                                        rights or development rights, may
                                                                                                                                     be separated from the rest and
                                   Development tools that promote conservation of riparian buffers                                   transferred to someone else while
                                   during land development                                                                           the original owner still retains
                                                                                                                                     ownership of the land.
An overview of these methods will be discussed in this chapter in order to
provide a basis for selecting buffer preservation options appropriate to a                                                                A development right is a right to
specific locality.                                                                                                                  develop land, as distinguished
                                                                                                                                    from the ownership of land

                                                                                                                                          Development rights entitle
                                                                                                                                    property owners to develop land
Fee Simple Acquisition of Riparian Land                                                                                             in accordance with local land use
Fee simple acquisition, that is, gaining the full ownership of riparian land,                                                       regulations.
provides the greatest amount of control over the use and maintenance of a
property. This type of ownership is most desirable if the resources con-