Typically landowners need a wetland delineation as
part of the process of obtaining a Certificate of Approval prior to
undertaking some improvement. If you're still in the planning stages,
we suggest checking the Property
Owner's Resource Guide,
developed jointly by the Cook County Planning & Zoning and Soil
& Water Departments specifically for those who own or are considering purchasing
property in Cook County, Minnesota.
A wetland delineation shows where the wetlands are
on your property. It requires an on-the-ground survey examining the
soil types, the vegetation, and the hydrology. Cook County uses the
technical definition of a wetland
as determined by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE).
A Certified Wetland Delineator visits the property
to survey hydrology, soil types, and plants, as well as to flag the tentative wetland
boundaries. The delineator also prepares a written report (which
includes a map and data sheets) describing conditions found at various
locations on site. At this point in the process the delineation is
still considered
tentative.
Ultimately a wetland inspector from the USACE
comes and inspects the site delineation. When the USACOE is satisfied
that
the flagging and the map correctly delineate the wetlands, a
Certificate of Approval is issued.