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r I JUN 19 1985 BOOK 61- F,AIJE 3?8 Administrator Wright wished the Board to be aware there is a new administrative policy whereby every time one of these type of requests is received for comment, the staff reply will be brought directly to the Board instead of to the P&Z Commission. Art Challacombe, Chief of Environmental Planning, informed the Board that when we originally received this application, we had several concerns dealing with water quality and the dredging of habitat in the Indian River. Staff inspected this site and found significant habitat in the form of grass beds, etc. They took this to Planning & Zoning Commission, and the Commission authorized staff to transmit those concerns to the DER. Mr. Muller then revised the application, and it again came to staff for review and comment. Several issues originally addressed were taken care of with the amended application. In regard to water quality, the basin mouth was enlarged and the basin itself taken to a shallower depth. The marina also was reduced from 64 slips to 44. The continuing concern, however, was in the dredging of the Indian River. Mr. Muller and Mr. Moler did modify the dredge area, and in all fairness, if staff had to choose an area to be dredged, they would choose that area. They do believe, however, that important habitat would be destroyed by the permit being accepted and construction continued. Commissioner Scurlock asked what was meant by "important" habitat, and Planner Challacombe explained the grass beds which have a significant importance for juvenile species and for feeding adult species; they have a function similar to an ocean reef and are a part of the structure of the overall eco system. Another factor is increasing turbidity over an area much larger than the actual project itself. He informed the Board that the Planning & Zoning Commission authorized staff to recommend that the DER and the applicant continue to discuss and explore alternative access techniques, including the possibility of connecting the existing lake with a basin to the north, the Sembler basin, so the existing channel could be reached that way. 62