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• Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners grant the requested permission to relocate up to 24 gopher tortoises to the Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area, provided the requestor provides the parameters and results of a gopher tortoise survey to the County free of charge, and provided the survey results indicate that the Wabasso Scrub habitat has the capacity to accommodate the relocation, according to FWC's standard of no more than two tortoises per acre. Environmental Planning & Code Enforcement Chief Roland M. DeBlois reviewed the memorandum using an aerial view to enhance his presentation and show the area to which the gopher tortoises would be relocated. Vice Chairman Adams was concerned that relocation of gopher tortoises might infect a new population with the disease, fibro papilloma, and Mr. DeBlois responded that was the reason for trying to relocate the gopher tortoises in the near proximity. In response to Commissioner Stanbridge's concern about mitigation for gopher tortoises for future Countyprojects, Mr. DeBlois agreed it was an issue, however, the County will be losing only a little reserved mitigation. He expected that most of the scrub issues that the County will experience in its future developments will diminish because most of the scrub remaining is either publicly owned or on public land. Mr. DeBlois stated the developer is preparing to do the survey of one-third of the Wabasso scrub property. He recommended that even though that would be the area they would be using for relocation, the Commission could specify that the survey be done of the whole area as a trade-off. He felt the relocated tortoises would not remember they are obligated to stay on a third of the property, and believed the developer would be willing to survey the whole property. Commissioner Stanbridge felt the entire area should be surveyed and Vice Chairman Adams agreed. Commissioner Tippin commented he was an "expert" on gopher tortoises since his daughters and their friends have been bringing the species to his property and he believed his property was supporting more than two gopher tortoises per acre. One of the tortoises is named `Rondo", which was treated by a veterinarian after an encounter with a car. ON MOTION by Commissioner Adams, SECONDED BY Commissioner Stanbridge, the Board unanimously (4-0, Commissioner Ginn absent) granted permission to Weston Real Estate Investment Group Corp. to relocate up to 24 gopher SEPTEMBER 7, 1999 85 BOOK I JL,, i=U F_ �� '�