5/1/1985 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I %Y 11985 - BOOK 60 Dn)E 73-2 Questions followed regarding elevations in the impounded area, the level of Blue Cypress Lake itself, the effect of this plan on Fellsmere Grade, etc. Planner Challacombe informed the Board that the plan St. John's is utilizing is essentially a January 1983 document that was submitted to the county at that time with just some minor modifications; the design the Army Corps of Engineers will put out sometime in June of 1985 will be the actual plan, and Mr. Challacombe believed we need to keep a good handle on what the Corps is doing because that is an integral part of the situation. In regard to the consequences from placing these two reservoirs in our county, Planner Challacombe stressed that the concern of the people in Fellsmere is the loss of habitat and recreation value of about 2,000 acres of what is called the "stick marsh," as it would be permanently under water with this plan. He informed the Board that he called the Fish 8 Wildlife Service to see if they had done any research, and in 1982, they put out a memo to the Corps stating a number of concerns and possible alternatives, i.e., using "sheet flow" instead of the levee and dike system. Another concern is the possible closing of the Fellsmere Grade. Although it seems the ownership is in St. John's, the Grade basically is a public road, and he believed the County Commissioners might want to address this issue. In addition, Mrs. Wilson of Fellsmere says that St. John's has promised certain amenities in the area, but the plan does not show this nor state how they would be paid for. Staff, therefore, recommends that the Commission write the District expressing its concerns, raising any questions that need to be answered, and requesting tha.t they give us the alternatives that were looked at before coming up with the plan. Mr. Challacombe further recommended that the Commission hold one or more workshops so that the people affected can have further, input. In the following discussion, Chairman Lyons emphasized that we do not want to give up Fellsmere Grade as a east -west 16