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4) Environment - There are a number of birds, turtles, and other aiumals living in the vegetation. The vegetation is predominately Brazilian pepper. The canal right-of-way was completely cleared in the early 1980's due to the City powerline construction and development of the subdivision. In communicating with the City of Vero Beach Electrical T & D Department (Larry Raisor), woodpeckers have damaged the timber poles, and the City is planning to rebuild the line in 3-4 years. They are already having trouble with the line. The City can perform localized, selective clearing to access their pole line and not clear the entire right-of-way east of the canal. 5) Privacy - Clearing the vegetation and building the access road east of the canal will eliminate privacy. Once cleared, the canal right-of-way and access road will be gated at both ends to avoid use by the public. 6) - Kingswood Estates is a "Lone Residential Area" and canal maintenance access roads do not exist next to residential areas. There are many residential areas where a canal maintenance access road exists. For example, Forest Lake Subdivision. Vero Beach Country Club area, Tunber Ridge, etc. all have canal maintenance roads. 7) The canal right-of-way clearing will reduce property values - If a new buffer is planted in the 10' buffer area between Kingswood Estates Subdivision and the Lateral "B" Canal right-of-way, there should not be a reduction in property values in the area. 8) Canal Maintenance can be conducted west of the Canal. The County staff. consultants, and Drainage District have considered many alternatives to clearing the canal right -of --way, including moving the 138 KV electrical line west of the road, purchasing specialized equipment, and eliminating the guardrail proposed between the road and the canal. These options are either cost prohibitive or unsafe. On December 18, 1990, the Board considered three alternatives and approved widening Kings Highway to four lanes between the 138 KV FPL powerline on the west side of the road and Lateral "B" Canal. On August 1, 1995, the Canal right-of-way clearing was approved. Staff is of the opinion that the Drainage District and City of Vero Beach both have the need to access the canal from the east canal right -of- way - At the public meeting, staff recommended that a new vegetation buffer be constructed in the platted 10' buffer area shown on the Kingswood Estates Subdivision plat. In the past. the County has not funded the construction of buffer improvements on private property unless the County offered to do so as a Part of right-of-way acquisition where additional road right-of-way was being acquired (for example. Vista Gardens along Indian River. Indian River Boulevard -Phase 3. Vista Plantation along 66th Ave., etc.). Private developments such as Fairlane Harbor Mobile Home Park and Grand Harbor have funded the cost of buffers..The County did fund the planting of Red Cedar trees within the County owned CR512 right-of-way and the construction of the Vista Harbor wall within the Indian River Boulevard right-of-way. In the case of Kingswood Estates Subdivision, the project does not have road frontage on the Kings Highway roadway easement west of the Canal. 41 September 10, 1996 sic Ra fil