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I BOOK i6J FAGS o 13AL COMMISSIONER RUTH STANBRIDGE - PERMIT APPLICATION FOR REMOVAL OF OLD WINTER BEACH BRIDGE ROAD ALIGNMENT (QUAY BRIDGE DISTRICT) (HOLE -IN -THE -WALL ISLAND) The Board reviewed Memoranda of July 1 and July 6, 1999: DATE: duly 1, 1999 TO: Margaret Gunter, Executive Assistant FROM: Ruth Stanbridge, County Commissioner 3-a SUBJECT: Items for the duly 6th Agenda I would like to place under my matters a brief discussion of two upcoming permit applications now being scheduled for hearings at the state and federal levels. One of these is the removal of the old Winter Beach Bridge Road alignment on Hole -in -the -Wall Island and the other is the Coast Guard navigation permit application for bridges at the "river islands." These applications, if permitted, will prove to be detrimental to the public's interest and to the citizens of Indian River County. I am sorry that backup for these items are not available from staff today, but they will be provided before the meeting on Tuesday. DATE: July 6, 1999 TO: Members, Board of County Commissioners FROM: Ruth Stanbridge, County Commissioner, District Two (?, A SUBJECT: Winter Beach Bridge Road/Hole in the Wall Island At present, an application is under review at the St. Johns River Water Management District from Horse's Head Ltd. [I believe this company is part of the Lost Tree Village Corporation] This application is requesting permission to fill existing viable wetlands within the Town of Indian River Shores using as a major part of their mitigation the removal of the Winter Beach Bridge Road across Hole -in -the -Wall Island. This corporation claims that Indian River County abandoned this road to the Town in the late 1950x, but the document they presented as evidence did not specifically name this bridge road as being vacated. Over the years several other official documents between the County and the Town has indicated that the Winter Beach Bridge Road with bridgehead on either side of the river is still recognized as a county road by both public entities. The restoration of Hole -In -The -Wall Island, a mangrove island which may have been a high marsh, has merit, but the restoration could be achieved by Indian River County by breaching the roadbed and retaining the alignment for a future transportation corridor. The Quay [Winter Beach] Bridge District was established to build this public roadway and the bridges across the river. Florida Power and Light utility poles have used the county's right-of-way for decades, upgrading their lines and poles over the years, along the same rigbt-of-way. So how did this public road, built with public funds and maintained with WPA monies during the Depression, rmd its why into the hands of a private corporation? The Governing Board of the St. Johns River Water Management District has tentatively scheduled this application [with their staffs positive recommendation] at their meeting on duly 13th. I would like to request that our legal department aggrewively pursue this matter to provide the documentation concerning the true ownership of this road. JULY 69 1999 I