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• Comprehensive Plan Coastal Management Element greater than the four (4) foot average water depth for the IRL as a whole. The probability of watercraft impact to manatees is low since manatee use in this area is low. The existing 1:100 powerboat to shoreline density ratio should be retained for the portion of Zone 6 lying within the Town of Indian River Shores. The portion of Zone 6 lying within the City of Vero Beach is conducive to the expansion of existing boat facilities. Furthermore, natural resource constraints, including the presence of seagrass and shoreline vegetation, are minimal. Due to a lack of natural resource constraints and proposed expansion plans, a maximum shoreline/ density ratio should not be applied to the portion of Zone 6 lying within the City of Vero Beach. ■ Zone 7 There appears to be little manatee use of the IRL west of the ICW, south of Hole in the Wall Island to the Lost Tree Islands, with the only exception being manatee use in the upland cut basin associated with the Grand Harbor Marina. Therefore, the overall probability of watercraft impacts to manatees north of the Merrill -Barber Bridge within Zone 7 is low. Due to an overall lack of natural resource constraints and proposed expansion plans, a maximum shoreline/ density ratio should not be applied to Zone 7. ■ Zone 8 Although no manatee mortalities attributed to watercraft have been recorded in Zone 8, the probability of watercraft impacts to manatees is high, since Zone 8 is a dense manatee abundance area. Large manatee aggregations have been documented in various areas of this zone including the Moorings Subdivision and Round Island Park. Part of the reason for the manatee abundance may be the warm water refuge at the City of Vero Beach Power Plant located across the IRL west of the ICW in Zone 9. The existing maximum 1:100 powerboat to shoreline density ratio should be retained for Zone 8. ■ Zone 9 Within this zone, most of the land adjacent to the IRL has been deemed environmentally sensitive due to the presence of estuarine wetlands. Five watercraft -related manatee mortalities have been recorded in Zone 9, including 2 in 2000 and 1 in 2001. The City of Vero Beach Power Plant is a significant manatee aggregation area resulting from the warm water discharge. Portions of the residential canal system associated with the Power Plant have been identified by the FWC as one of eight "safe. havens" in the state. The purpose of these "safe havens" is to provide areas for feeding, shelter, and birthing associated with warm water refuge sites. Seagrass density and manatee abundance increase lust south of the South Relief Canal outfall, and combined with the abundance associated with the Power Plant increase, the probability of Indian River County Coastal Management Element Page 81 Supplement #_ Ordiance #2005-_ Adopted 2005 Exhibit B Page