A post written by Bjorn Slate, AIA, Project Manager, Fivecat Studio:
“Wetlands” can be a daunting word for anyone considering building an addition on their home, especially those with a stream, pond or even with ferns (!) on their property. But wetlands aren’t all bad…They do all those noble things like provide natural open space, filter pollutants from water, provide flood protection, recharge aquifers, maintain dry season stream flows, stabilize shorelines from erosion and provide habitat for fish and wildlife.
In Westchester, most town and villages have specific requirements for how far from a wetland you may build without filing an application with the local planning or wetlands commission. In addition, any body of water that is “designated” on the New York State DEC Freshwater Wetlands map has a required buffer of one hundred feet.
A residential architect should make the review of local wetland regulations part of his/her pre-design research. If a proposed design encroaches on a wetland buffer, documents should be prepared and/or consultants should be hired to design mitigation measures. These measures may include sub-surface drainage systems, retention ponds or planting of protective plants. Wetlands should always be protected during excavation and construction using hay bales and erosion control fencing.
So, while wetlands may be a design constraint, you may want to use a different perspective, view them as a natural asset of your site and work around them sensitively.
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