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PAGE 99 GOP Number GOP Language Recommended Action Comments/Rationale conservation of xeric scrub and coastal/tropical vegetative communities by establishing density transfer and cluster development incentive land use regulations to apply to these environmentally important areas. Policy 6.12: In accordance with LDR Chapter 929, the county shall continue to require development projects five (5) acres or larger, excluding bona fide agricultural operations, to preserve a minimum of 15 percent of the total acreage of native upland area of the project site. The upland set-aside area shall be overlain with a conservation easement dedicated in perpetuity to Indian River County. The following upland ecological communities described in this element shall be subject to the native upland set-aside requirement: ~ Coastal strand, including dune vegetation; ~ Coastal tropical hammocks; ~ South Florida flatwoods, including pine flatwoods and dry prairies; ~ Xeric scrub, including sand pine scrub; ~ Cabbage palm hammocks; and ~ Upland hardwood hammocks. Where on-site preservation of the native upland communities is not feasible, the county shall, as a last alternative, accept a fee-in-lieu payment. The fee-in-lieu payment shall be based on the current "per-acre" fair market appraised value of the project site multiplied by the number acres that would have been preserved under the 15 percent set-aside requirement. Fee-in-lieu payments shall be paid prior to issuance of a land development permit, and shall be used to acquire comparable native habitat preserve areas or to manage such lands. No Change Policy 6.13: The county shall continue to prohibit the disturbance of dune vegetation oceanward of the county dune stabilization setback line, with the exception of dune walkover construction and other similar minor structures that may be allowed subject to approval from the FDEP Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems. Revise Revise to the following: The County shall continue to prohibit the disturbance of dune vegetation oceanward of the county dune stabilization setback line, with the exception of dune walkover construction and other similar minor structures that may be allowed subject to approval from the FDEP permitting requirements. Policy 6.14: The county shall prioritize the following pine flatwood/dry prairie communities for acquisition: ~ Flatwoods/dry prairie communities associated with the St. Sebastian River Buffer Preserve; ~ Flatwoods/dry prairie communities in southwest Indian River County, identified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) as potentially contributing to a regional "wildlife corridor"; and ~ Flatwood/dry prairie communities complementary to riverine wetlands and other natural systems which contribute to upland wildlife species diversity. No Change Policy 6.15: The county shall protect the xeric scrub community abutting the St. Sebastian River by limiting densities in the area to a maximum of 1 unit per 2.5 acres, by encouraging cluster developments through density transfer, and by requiring residential developments to maintain a river buffer setback consisting of native vegetation in accordance with land development regulations. No off-site mitigation or fee-in-lieu payments will be accepted for developments proposing to locate in the area. No Change Objective 7 Through 2025, there will be no reduction in the critical habitat of endangered or threatened aquatic and terrestrial species of flora and fauna occurring in Indian River County. For the purpose of this objective, "critical habitat" is defamed as the minimum required sum of environmental conditions in a specific area necessary to sustain a given species. The protection of critical habitat shall be measured and evaluated on a site development basis. Revise Revise: Through 2040, there will be no reduction in the critical habitat of endangered or threatened aquatic and terrestrial species of flora and fauna occurring in Indian River County. For the purpose of this objective, "critical habitat" is defined by the USFWS for each protected species.