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SmeadSoft Reprint Date: Friday, August 23, 2013 - 1 Application of a conservation designation to St. Sebastian River wetlands and adjacent scrub communities would have the benefit of promoting land development compatible with resource protection. Within the St. Sebastian River conservation area, a development densittrof t unit—per4fl—acres forwetiands would- effectively protect such resources which are inherently not conducive for land development. A 1 unit per acre transfer of -deVeIGPMeA".—Si�]'! credit for wetlands would .provide further wetland protection incentive. Unlike wetlands, scrub uplands have physical characteristics prime for land development. Since xeric scrub areas are "high and dry', the conflict of development vs. preservation is greater than with wetlands. For these reasons, a development density of 1 unit per 22 acres on the scrub uplands adjacent to the river would provide adequate protection in combination with a pro ec xve utter along the river and a cluster development requirement. While a 1 unit per 40 acres density application to the scrub upland (as well as wetlands) would provide substantial development deterrence, a 1 unit per 21 acre density strikes a. more reasonable balance between_ private development rights and upland scrub protection. Moreover, a 1 unit per 2' acre—density—aubjEct—to—an—upland conse-r-vation percent set aside requirement would promote conservation The intent of a St. Sebastian River conservation area is to provide development control as it pertains to the St. Sebastian River, associated wetlands, and adjacent xeric scrub communities. While the conservation designation can be generally depicted on an overall county land use map, specific boundaries of the conservation area need to be establishedon a site- y -s a review basis, reflecting the extent of such natural communities. The specific extent of xeric scrub communities can be field verification of existing scrub soils and/or vegetation, using the Indian River County Soil and GFC,xeric scrub communities report and survey for reference. For establishing the general eastern boundary of the St. Sebastian River conservation area, Roseland-Roadi a sonable cut-off point. Approximately 500- 600 acres of land exist between the river and Roseland Road in the area of concern. Of this aermee, approximately 300 acre- are classified byAhe GFC as xeric scrub' using National Wetland. Inventory (NWI) maps, aerial photographs and the county soil survey as an information base it is estimated that roughly 125 acres of the remaining 200-300 acres between the river and Roseland Road are wetlands. Thus, it is estimated that approximately 75-175 acres between the St. Sebastian River and Roseland Road are non -xeric scrub uplands, the specific location of which could-bedetermine'—�ite-by-site review -basis (as previously mentioned). land development density of 1 unit per acre on this acreage would be appropriate, in that it would be consisen —with the 75-175 number of residential units that could potentially be built on this property at a 1 unit per acre density is consistent with overall projected population in the Urban Service Area of the county, in that the density allowance would not create an unreasonable "supply" of potential homesites beyond the projected population's need (see the Land Use and Housing Elements for reference information on population and housing needs projections) -68.1- 2:00:07 - OfncialDocuments:626, Attachment Id 0, Page 8