THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIVISION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
This item supports the Broward County Board of County Commissioners' Value of encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices, and environmental protection; specifically, the goal to seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting, the use of alternative energy, resource conservation, sustainable practices, and environmental protection. Designating a site as an Urban Wilderness Area allows natural areas to be permanently preserved and protected, furthering conservation of vital environmental resources in Broward County.
The intent and purpose of the establishment of the Urban Wilderness Park System is to designate permanent wilderness preserves that are protected from incompatible human activity. These areas are managed in a manner to protect and enhance their basic natural quality for public enjoyment and utilization. The ten sites being proposed for designation as Urban Wilderness Areas are: Carpenter House at Hollywood North Beach, Crescent Trail Natural Area, Deerfield Highlands Nature Preserve, Helene Klein Pineland Preserve, Highlands Scrub Natural Area, Pine Island Ridge Additions I and II, Sands Natural Area, Saw Palmetto Natural Area, Herman and Dorothy Shooster Preserve, and West Creek Pineland Natural Area.
The County has obtained additional parcels adjacent to existing Urban Wilderness Park System properties already designated by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as Urban Wilderness Areas. Amendments are being proposed to include these additional parcels in the following existing Urban Wilderness Areas: Hillsboro Pineland Wilderness Area, a Natural Area (Chapter 25½, Article X), Miramar Pineland Wilderness Area, a Natural Area (Chapter 25½, Article XIII), Secret Woods Wilderness Area, a Nature Center (Chapter 25½, Article III), and Sheridan Street Wilderness Area, part of West Lake Park (Chapter 25½, Article XII).
Thirteen sites, totaling 667.56 acres, have previously been designated as Urban Wilderness Areas by County Ordinance. The proposed sites and additional parcels comprise a combined total of 201.9 acres which, if approved, would bring the total acreage of designated Urban Wilderness Areas to 869.46. The Broward County Urban Wilderness Advisory Board recommends that these sites and additional parcels be designated as Urban Wilderness Areas, and staff have developed management plans for each of the sites proposed for designation or addition to the Urban Wilderness Park System. Broward County owns each of the proposed sites and additional parcels. |