5/23/1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Public Works Director Jim Davis advised that Coastal Engineer Don Donaldson has been vigorously pursuing the permits from the Department of Environmental Protection as well as the Army Corps of Engineers for the PEP reef project and time is of the essence. A decision whether to issue a Notice to Proceed for the project needs to be made today. Mr. Donaldson will provide a current status report on his permitting efforts and make a recommendation regarding a Notice to Proceed. Coastal Engineer Don Donaldson advised that American Coastal Engineering had informed staff that they cannot guarantee a complete installation for this year unless the County issues a Notice to Proceed today. We have a permit from the FDEP, Bureau of Wetland Resource Management, and a draft permit from the FDEP, Bureau --of Beaches and Coastal Systems. State lands issues have been resolved and we expect the FDEP to authorize the ECL and the submerged lands easements shortly. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit has not been issued because they are waiting for a State Historical Officer's report. This report has been issued; however, the Historical Officer has asked the County to revisit five anomalies, or obstacles, found in the project area or to avoid the area by placing a buffer around them and not placing the units within that buffer. The archeologist, on contract with the County through American Coastal Engineering, Inc., does not feel any significant resource will be found at these five locations. Staff has requested the Corps of Engineers condition their permit so that these additional anomalies may be investigated at the time of construction. Recent correspondence with the Corps of Engineers indicates that this condition may not be possible and that they, too, would request that we place a 150' buffer adjacent to these anomalies or investigate them prior to construction. Because this buffer is not feasible, staff has requested American Coastal Engineering to provide the County with the cost for this additional work. - In talking with the contractor and their subcontractor, staff feels that the work can be accomplished in a relatively short time, in time for the Corps of Engineers to issue their permit and in time for an installation this summer. Therefore, staff does believe that all the necessary permits and land use rights can be obtained for a summer installation, except Mr. Frank Zorc has presented the County with a letter stating his intent to file petition(s) for a formal administrative hearing under Section 120.57 and 161.053 of the Florida Statutes. Vero Beach Mayor Winchester contacted staff and stated he knew of two other 45 BOOK �cJ May 23, 1995