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constructed In the alignment of the existing ROW, it is estimated that +3 acres <br />of scrub jay habitat would be impacted by the road project. <br />Wabasso Scrub Addition <br />Within the next few months, the County Land Acquisition Advisory Committee (LAAC) <br />will be considering the purchase of a northern addition to the Ill acre Wabasso <br />Scrub Conservation Area that was bought by the County in October, 1995. This <br />northern addition has been proposed by the owner of Park Place, the development <br />In which the property is located, and consists of approximately 5 acres of xeric <br />oak scrub habitat (within 1/2 mile of the Sebastian Highlands Unit 17 scrub <br />lots), <br />If the County proceeds to buy this addition, it will expand the +25 acres of <br />occupied scrub jay territory and +32 acres of unoccupied habitat being restored <br />in the existing Wabasso Scrub Conloervation Area. <br />Mitigation Proposal <br />County staff is requesting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service (FWS) consider <br />the following proposal to serve as mitigation for the planned Gibson Street <br />extension and for release ofthe +450 privately owned 1/4 acre scrub lots in the <br />Sebastian Highlands that have been identified by the FWS to be scrub jay habitat: <br />• County purchase and management of +40 acres of occupied <br />scrub jay habitat and restoration ;f +50 acres Of scrub <br />on the St. Sebastian PUD and AGC Industrial Tract <br />properties ("North Sebastian conservation Area") . <br />• County purchase and management of +5 acres of scrub at <br />the south end of Park Place Development, as an addition <br />to the +57 acres of scrub habitat now under County <br />manageme-nt in the Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area. <br />If this proposal is generally acceptable to the FWS, county staff will schedule <br />an item before the Board of County Commissioners for authorization to proceed <br />with drafting a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) based on the proposed mitigation. <br />I look forward to your response. if you have any questions or wish to discuss <br />this matter, please contact me at 567-8000, ext 258. <br />Si t r 1 <br />Roland M. DeBloig, AICP <br />Chief, Environmental Planning <br />cc: Robert Keating <br />Bob Massarelli <br />Board of County Commissioners <br />