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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA <br />AGENDA ITEM <br />Parks, Recreation & Conservation Department <br />Conservation Lands Division <br />Date: March 14, 2024 <br />To: The Honorable Board of County Commissioners <br />Thru: John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator <br />Michael C. Zito, Deputy County Administrator <br />Beth Powell, Parks, Recreation & Conservation Director <br />From: Wendy Swindell, Conservation Lands Manager <br />CONSENT AGENDA <br />BCC Meeting April 9, 2024 <br />Subject: Carter Associates, Inc. Work Order Number 1, RFQ 2023015 - South Oslo <br />Riverfront Conservation Area Floodplain Restoration Project Design <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The South Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area (SORCA) was acquired through cost -share funding <br />with Florida Communities Trust. SORCA consists of three parcels: (1) the 66 -acre Salama & <br />Emerson Tract that was acquired in 2000; (2) the 6.69 -acre "South Link" which was acquired in 2004 <br />and serves to connect the Audubon house to SORCA; and (3) the 70 -acre Diamond Tract which was <br />acquired in 2005. The property is located on the south side of Oslo Road directly across from the <br />298 -acre Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area (ORCA). Similar to ORCA, the site contains pedestrian <br />trails and a wetland overlook. Dominant plant communities on the site include mesic pine flatwoods, <br />coastal hammock, and estuarine wetlands. <br />Staff plans to design a restoration project that includes the removal of the County -owned portion of <br />the dike that separates the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) from the impounded mangroves. Improved <br />exchange of waters between the open water portion of the IRL and mangroves to the west will be a <br />great benefit to wildlife habitat, especially fisheries, in this portion of the Lagoon. On January 9, <br />2024, the Board of County Commissioners approved Cost -Share Agreement Contract #38600 with <br />the St. John's River Water Management District (SJRWMD) for the SORCA restoration project. <br />This Cost -share funding includes up to $150,000 in reimbursement by the SJRWMD for the design <br />and construction of the project. The agreement with the SJRWMD outlines a two-year schedule for <br />completion of the project. Year 1 includes the design and permitting of the project, and Year 2 <br />includes the construction and close out of the project. <br />DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS: <br />On April 18, 2023, the Board of County Commissioners approved Continuing Consulting <br />Engineering Services Agreements for RFQ 2023015. Carter Associates, Inc. was approved to <br />provide Infrastructure, Site/Civil, and Utilities services. Carter Associates, Inc. has provided <br />staff with Work Order Number 1 — Continuing Consulting Engineering Services RFQ 2023015 <br />to provide design assistance for the proposed impoundment restoration. Staff will be <br />completing the environmental permitting for the project in-house. Staff is respectfully <br />requesting that Carter Associates, Inc. Work Order Number 1 be approved to authorize <br />completion of the proposed services. <br />224 <br />