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Comprehensive Plan Coastal Management Element <br />several large expanses of conservation lands within the Coastal Zone. These include: the St. <br />Sebastian River Buffer Preserve, the Cairns Tract, the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area, the <br />North Sebastian Conservation Area, and the Wabasso Scrub site. <br />There are certain <br />?:az?:. <br />tions whsimple acquisition to protect habitat is either not practical <br />due to high costs, existing development). These special circumstances may <br />require an ordinance designed to protect a particular species and/or a habitat conservation plan <br />(HCP). For example, the West Indian manatee and sea turtles are two well-known endangered/ <br />threatened species that are being adversely affected by a conflict of use that cannot be resolved <br />via fee simple acquisition of habitat. Manatees are susceptible to injury and death from impacts <br />with boats and propeller wounds. Since 1976, 16 From 1974 through 2003, 28 watercraft -related <br />manatee mortalities were recorded in Indian River County. Areas of the IRL and the St. <br />Sebastian River are known to be important cavorting locations for manatees. <br />Manatee protection speed zones were established in the IRL and St. Sebastian River in 1992 as a <br />means of reducing manatee injuries and mortality and promoting boating safety. "No entry" <br />manatee protection zones that prohibit all boat traffic as a means of providing a secure sanctuary <br />for manatees are in place certain parts of the state. However, there are no plans to prohibit <br />boating in any section of the IRL or St. Sebastian River in Indian River County. Additionally, In <br />August 2000, the Indian River County adopted a Indian River County Manatee Protection and <br />Boat Safety Comprehensive Plan (MCP).will be adopted by 1998. That plan X11 addresses <br />boat/marina facility siting, habitat conservation, and educational awareness. <br />Lighting from oceanfront development can disorient sea turtle hatchlings and thus contribute to <br />sea turtle mortality. Indian River County's Sea Turtle Protection ordinance (LDR Section <br />932.09) restricts illuminating beach areas during the sea turtle nesting - from March 1st through <br />October 31th of each year. Vehicular access onto the beach is also prohibited in the <br />unincorporated county, to reduce potential human impacts to turtle nesting areas. <br />LAND USE <br />The coastal mainland will most likely continue to experience a westward development <br />expansion. However, most of the land located outside the current boundaries of the Urban <br />Service Area (USA), especially west of Interstate 95, is expected to remain largely undeveloped <br />as agricultural land. Thus, the majority (over 90 percent) of future development in Indian River <br />County will be located within the designated Coastal Zone. <br />According to projections contained in the Housing Element, by the year 2020 the amount of <br />single-family land needed is expected to increase from 13,289 acres to 19,522 acres. The amount <br />of land needed for multiple -family residential development is expected to increase from 1,374 <br />acres to 2,018 during the 20 year planning horizon. By the year 2020, acreage for mobile homes <br />is anticipated to increase from 1,750 acres to 2,571 acres. Combined, there will be a need for <br />Indian River County Coastal Management Element Page 71 <br />Supplement # Ordiance #2005-_ Adopted 2005 Exhibit B Page 2 <br />