04/19/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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POLICY 3.8: By 2015, the County shall obtain an updated County -wide geohydrological study with seismic profiles, or comparable data. Director Keating next directed the group's attention to Objective 7, Policy 7.9, which pertains to adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Florida scrub jay. OBJECTIVE 7 Wildlife and Marine Habitat Through 2025, there will be no reduction in the critical habitat of endangered or threatened aquatic and terrestrial species of flora and fauna occurring in Indian River County. For the purpose of this objective, "critical habitat" is defined as the minimum required sum of environmental conditions in a specific area necessary to sustain a given species. The protection of critical habitat shall be measured and evaluated on a site development basis. POLICY 7.9: By 2015, the County, in cooperation with the USFWS, the City of Sebastian, City of Fellsmere, Indian River County School Board, and other appropriate agencies, will adopt a County -wide Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the endangered Florida scrub jay. Cost-sharing funding for the County -wide HCP will be sought from participating municipalities and agencies, and County mitigation funds will be used to fund the County's share of costs. A lengthy discussion ensued, wherein staff addressed the Board's and the P&Z members' questions and comments regarding the scrub jay Habitat Conservation Plan. Commissioner Davis expressed concerns regarding potential costs associated with this policy. Staff explained that the County had received a grant to do a regional Habitat Conservation Plan from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and that there was no requirement for matching grant funds. Concluding the update on Chapter 8, Director Keating stated that the requirement for the County to preserve acreage of upland native plant communities has been revised from a minimum of 1,000 acres to 5,000 additional acres, in Objective 6, as follows: 24 April 19, 2010