THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND PERMITTING DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This action supports the Board's value of encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection: Goal 1: Seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting the use of alternative energy, resource conservation, sustainable practices and environmental protection. Resource conservation and environmental protection is achieved by insuring that the mitigation area will remain wetlands in perpetuity.
The Environmental Planning and Growth Management Department issued ERL No. DF01-1072 (Exhibit 3) and the SFWMD issued Environmental Resource Permit No. 06-02302-P (Exhibit 4) requiring the licensee to create a mixed habitat mitigation area, which included multi-habitat wetlands (5.12 acres) with upland and open water buffers (0.85 acres). The resulting 5.97 acre wetland mitigation area is designed to mitigate impacts to 2.52 acres of jurisdictional wetlands on a commercial development (Exhibit 1). The licensee is required to convey a Conservation Easement to the County and SFWMD over this 5.97 acre off-site wetland mitigation area to ensure it will remain wetlands in perpetuity.
Since the licensee was required to provide a Conservation Easement to both Broward County and SFWMD, one document was prepared for both agencies (Exhibit 2). |