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/ FLORIDA GAME AND FRESH WATER FISH COMMISSION
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<br />11011111TIM. BRANTLY, Ex,kutive 1)irv,:wr
<br />F.(;. RANKS, A..i,tant Executive Director
<br />Mr. Sam Shannon
<br />Treasure Coast Regional
<br />Council
<br />P. 0. Box 2395
<br />Stuart, Florida 33494
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<br />Planning
<br />P. 0. Box 1840
<br />Vero Beach, Florida 32961
<br />August 7, 1985
<br />Re: Grand Harbor Development of
<br />Regional Impact, Indian River
<br />County
<br />Dear Mr. Shannon:
<br />The Office of Environmental Services of the Florida Game and Fresh
<br />Water Fish Commission has reviewed the referenced Application for
<br />Development Approval (ADA) for a Development of Regional Impact, and
<br />offers the following comments.
<br />The applicant proposes to construct a residential planned -unit
<br />development with mixed-use commercial and office complexes on a 677 -acre
<br />tract. Major features of the project include 3,000 residential units, a
<br />freshwater lake system, an office park, shopping centers, four marinas
<br />including a central marina resort, a championship golf course, a tennis
<br />club, and a 300 -unit resort hotel.
<br />According to the ADA, the development tract includes 496 acres of
<br />citrus groves, approximately 80 acres of wetlands, a 20 -acre existing
<br />deepwater basin, and 81 acres of previously filled land. There are no
<br />significant native upland habitats on the entire tract. The
<br />approximately 80 acres of historic salt marsh are now essentially
<br />impounded by dikes and a large landfill between the wetlands and the
<br />Indian River. The marshes occur in distinct parcels which have been
<br />variously impacted by diking, drainage, freshwater inflow, agricultural
<br />operations, and invasion by native upland species and exotics. _
<br />The wetlands were, for the most part, adequately described in the
<br />ADA, but several important clarifications are warranted. The 25 -acre
<br />northernmost marsh ("A", Figure 1) was described (p.. 18.2) as rt... a
<br />series of narrow ditches (1-2 feet in depth) bordered by sea daisy flats
<br />and Brazilian pepper spoil mounds." Actually, Brazilian pepper is only
<br />significant in the northwest corner of this parcel, and along the
<br />perimeter dike. The open, shallow ditches are tidally flushed; are
<br />fringed by scattered red, black, and white mangroves; and support large
<br />forage fish populations. Most mangroves in this marsh were severely
<br />freeze -damaged, but are resprouting. Tidal inflow to the "impoundment"
<br />is via an open culvert from the tidal creek north of this wetland, and
<br />around the culvert where the dike is breached. The "flats" are
<br />dominated by sea daisy, with a lesser component of groundsel bush and an
<br />occasional Brazilian pepper. Many of these areas were saturated or
<br />inundated, and very little accumulated litter was observed. Numerous
<br />tricolored herons, little blue herons, green herons, and snowy egrets
<br />were observed in this marsh. This parcel is an impacted but functional
<br />estuarine wetland.
<br />61
<br />OCT 231985 : BGCK 2 PACEZ
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