8-13D-9-28: WILDLIFE STRATEGY:

   1.   Designation of a major wildlife area and winter range area both north of Currant Creek, south of the power line and west of Cartwright Road as well as east of Cartwright Road and north of the power line. Hidden Springs will work with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) to enhance vegetation in this area including supplemental seeding and seedling planting of sage and bitterbrush. Hidden Springs will allow IDFG to post peak seasonal closure signs surrounding this winter range area. This includes posting peak seasonal closure signs at the trailheads to this area.

   2.   Designation of multiple portions of the site as permanent open space including:

      •   The agricultural area in the valley floor.

      •   The Dry Creek riparian corridor.

      •   Most of the south facing slopes north of Dry Creek.

      •   The Currant Creek riparian corridor.

      •   The McFarland Creek riparian corridor and surrounding valley floor.

   3.   Designation of several trail/migration corridors including:

      •   The Dry Creek regional greenbelt and migration corridor.

      •   The Currant Creek regional trail and migration corridor.

      •   The McFarland Creek trail and migration corridor.

      •   A series of local intracommunity trails including a loop trail around development to the southwest, a trail connecting Currant Creek to Dry Creek and a trail connecting the power line to Currant Creek.

      •   Working closely with neighboring landowners, as the Grossman family has been, to encourage them to extend these trails and corridors through their properties to the federal lands beyond.

   4.   Location of low-density farm/ranch and rural lots as buffers near those areas of the site which accommodate greater intensities of wildlife species.

   5.   Designation of building envelopes on all large, rural and farm/ranch lots to minimize the disruption of wildlife habitat in the form of native groundcover vegetation and existing soil and drainage patterns.

   6.   Restricting fencing in rear lot buffer areas which abut major wildlife migration corridors and the preserved winter range area.

In addition, the project's design guidelines (Section 8-13D-6 of this Article) will:

   1.   Encourage the clustering of buildings and related landscape to maximize contiguous open space.

   2.   Limit fencing across critical migration corridors to a maximum height and minimum kick space as recommended by Idaho fish and game. If barbed wire fencing is used, the bottom wire shall be smooth.

   3.   Require all new landscape material on lots outside building envelopes to be drought tolerant, native and from a list of less palatable or nonpalatable plant species.

   4.   Encourage replanting of wildlife food species and plant species which enhance critical habitat.

   5.   Prohibit the installation and require the complete removal of noxious plants and weeds within the designated development envelope by the builder or homeowner.

   6.   Require builders to employ "best practices" grading techniques including incremental phasing/reparation, dust controls, grading, limit fencing, etc.

   7.   Limit modifications to natural drainageways to those which are absolutely necessary or those which increase the effectiveness of the drainageway in carrying stormwater and accommodating wildlife.

   8.   Prohibit exposed dumping and composting (covered composting is permitted).

   9.   Require residential trash to be kept inside the house, garage or appropriate enclosure until the morning of trash collection. Encourage trash containers to have attached lids.

   10.   Require dogs and cats to be in latchable carriers or on leashes when outside the residential or commercial lots during critical migration periods as determined by Idaho fish and game.

   11.   Prohibit contractors from bringing dogs to construction sites.

   12.   Limit motorized vehicles from roads and trails (4-wheel drive vehicles, snowmobiles and motorcycles) except for construction, fire, emergency and maintenance vehicles.

   13.   Include wildlife educational materials and an acknowledgment of wildlife presence and the potential for property damage in the project's homeowners' documents.

   14.   Post big game crossing signs at major crossing points along Cartwright Road and Dry Creek Road (maximum 4 signs). Where wildlife and development conflicts continue to occur despite these measures, Hidden Springs will work with local, state and federal agencies in an attempt to resolve these conflicts.

(Ord. 1002, 10-28-2025)