Town Council Resolution March 2021
Town of Clifton, Virginia
WHEREAS, populations of some native wildlife are declining in Northern Virginia; and
WHEREAS, birds, frogs, bats and other wildlife depend on insects to survive; and
WHEREAS, some insects can only eat the plants with which they evolved; and
WHEREAS, non-native, invasive introduced plants that are planted in Clifton may create serious damage to those ecosystems; and
WHEREAS, Western Fairfax County is zoned to protect the water quality of the Occoquan reservoir, thus making it one of the few remaining areas in Fairfax County with extensive woods; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Clifton is a popular destination and can serve as an example to others,
NOW, THEREFORE, the Clifton Town Council adopts these policies to design and maintain Town of Clifton-controlled and operated public facilities and public open space sites in an environmentally sensitive manner.
Policy a. Apply low impact development (LID) practices and natural landscaping methods with the goal of minimizing resource consumption, reducing stormwater runoff, decreasing life-cycle maintenance requirements, increasing the habitat value of each site, and increasing soil and plant health. Consider factors including costs, health, safety/security, and the broader context of public facility and site needs (e.g. recreational uses).
Policy b. Where opportunities reasonably arise in consideration of the factors identified in Policy a above, retrofit and maintain existing public facilities and public open space sites with natural landscaping and LID methods/practices.
Policy c. See that natural landscaping and LID practices are monitored and maintained such that they will remain viable over time.
Definition of Natural Landscaping: A landscaping approach through which the aesthetic and ecological functions of landscapes installed in the built environment are improved, and through which natural areas are restored by preserving and recreating land and water features and native plant communities. Sustainable landscapes are formed by protecting and restoring natural ecosystem components; maximizing the use of native plants; controlling invasive plant species; reducing areas of unnecessary mowing; reducing or eliminating synthetic fertilizers; protecting, creating and maintaining healthy soils; and retaining rainwater on-site through low impact development practices. In natural areas, only locally native plant species are used to provide the greatest possible ecological benefits. In built landscapes, most of the plant cover is composed of native plant species that support wildlife and improve environmental conditions, although non-invasive non-native plants may be selectively used where appropriate.