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i j� assessment of the presence of habitat features suitable for use by scrub- iays. The surveys were primarily completed within the Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas i to ensure that management strategies recommended within this HCP would not adversely impact existing territories and to provide accurate base data to estimate the e, potential number of scrub -jay territories that the compensation areas can support when restored to optimal scrub -jay habitat conditions. 4.1.2 Aareaghlands Potential Scrub Jav HabitoA Lots Pursuant to an informal agreement between the FWS and the Applicant, the assessment of the level of anticipated incidental take for this MCP is primarily habitat -based. It considers the habitat contained within the privately -owned Sebastian Highlands scrub lots presently designated by the FWS as occupied or potentially -occupied by scrub -jays. For purposes of this HCP, the average area of each affected Sebastian Highlands residential lot is estimated to be one-quarter acre. Therefore, the level of anticipated incidental take proposed under this HCP, expressed in terms of habitat -areas, is calculated based on the total number of affected lots multiplied by an average lot size of one-quarter acre. Based on the existing lot data compiled by SES and presented in Table 3, 317 Sebastian Highlands scrub lots, comprising 79.3± acres, are presently recorded by the City of Sebastian as containing potential scrub -jay habitat. Figure 2 shows the spatial location of these specified lots (impact areas). These lots are located within the overall ITP Impact area covered under this MCP. 4.1.3 AcreA9e of Exi"In OccuPiedj Scrub -Jay HabltAt ,on t e Scram -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas Field surveys conducted in support of this HCP found that almost no habitat was optimal for scrub -jays on the North Sebastian Conservation Area, Sebastian Highlands Scrub Conservation Area (34 lots in Unit 17), and Pelican Island Elementary School Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas. The majority of the scrub -jay habitat areas that occur on the Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas have more than one habitat feature that is suboptimal for use by scrub -jays. Scrub -jay habitat quality at Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area is higher than the other compensation areas covered under this HCP. This is a result of a wildfire that bursted the northern oak scrub habitat areas approximately 10 years ago and the implementation of a timber operation in 1998 within a 34.6± acre sand pine forest located in the southeastern area of ttte site. This forest habitat type was not used by scrub -jays prior to timbering. The timber operation was completed as part of a mitigation plan to compensate for the take of one (1) Florida scrub -jay territory incidental to the County Road 512 improvements project (FWS Log No. 4-1-96-432). As clearly stated on Table. 5 and Figure 9, this 34.6d- acre parcel (Polygon 55) is not included as mitigation under this Sebastian HCP. This is due to the fact that Indian River County already used this area