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EAC Agenda 02/07/1996 NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMgNF r t /Y MEMORANDUM Fcd 1 4 1996 TO: Stephen Lenberger Environmental SpecialistII FROM: 4 Kimberly J. Polen EC rs^ Environmental Specialist TT _______ _ DATE: February 7 , 1996 SUBJECT: Everglades Private Airboat Tours (CU-92-26) Wildlife Monitoring Reports I am writing this memo in response to the request for technical assistance to evaluate the wildlife (bird) surveys for the above referenced project. In order to evaluate the surveys, I first had to understand the original intent of the requirement. According to the development order stipulations the applicant was required to , submit to Project Plan Review Environmental Staff for review and approval, a monitoring program to assess possible impacts to the natural resources of the area within the conditional use boundaries, specifically impacts to avian species. Unfortunately, a detailed, written monitoring plan was never included within the following development process, the Site Development Plan (SDP-93-80) approved on October 25, 1993 . However, the applicant did contact the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (FGFWFC) for technical assistance during the beginning of the development review process. On July 17 , 1994 , FGFWFC Biologist IV, Kimberly A. Dryden, forwarded a letter including her comments and observations from her joint site inspection with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to the applicant, Mitchell House. In the letter she mentioned that the limitations imposed by the low number of survey events (once during the wet season and once during the dry season, over a five year period) recommended as a minimum by the County will be somewhat ineffective in allowing any comparison of potential wading bird utilization of the project overtime. She also stated that only long-term data can be utilized to make conclusions regarding such impacts, due to the variability in weather (cold fronts) , water depth, visibility, and potential number of airboats utilizing the area during survey events. The only general recommendations pertaining to the County's requirement which she made are as follows: 1) Observations should be made at the same location, same time of year, and most importantly, at the same water depth, to make surveys as consistent as possible. Stephen Lenberger February 7 , 1996 Page 2 2) To assure consistency in determining water depth, staff gauges should be erected at sample sites. 3) Surveyors should be qualified to identify those species utilizing the site. I would recommend that the local Audubon Society be contacted to provide some assistance. 4) I would recommend an increase in wet season surveys, and a decrease in surveys during the dry season, when utilization by birds would be more limited than at other times of the year. Wet season surveys should concentrate on migration periods and periods when wetlands begin to draw down, and forage fish and other bird prey become concentrated. If the survey events were increased in number, dry season surveys, especially in airboat trails, would add to the baseline data for the area. 5) Note preference of avoidance of airboat trails by each species. Since the original Conditional Use approval (CU-92-16) , the applicant has submitted three bird surveys (See attached) . All of the surveys include the following: surveyor(s) name; weather conditions; and a list of bird names and quantities. One of the surveys, the first includes a one and a half hour time frame. Many of the bird names do not correspond to the vernacular names adopted by the American Birding Association or represent the scientific names decreed by the American Ornithologists Union. Although it not specifically stated, the quantities which are oriented next to each bird name may represent the numbers of individuals observed by the surveyor(s) . The applicant's bird surveys do not meet any standardized set of survey requirements in order to provide sufficient detail to allow a meaningful evaluation of the impact of a proposed land use on avian species. There are corresponding survey methodologies designed to aid in determining the on-site status of species within wetland and upland habitats. Staff typically references the Wildlife Methodology Guidelines for Section 18 . D of the Application for Development Approvals published by the FGFWFC and any additional technical assistance provided by the FGFWFC and/or USFWS. cc: William Lorenz , Jr. , P. E. Director EVERGLADES PRIVATE AIRBOAT TOURS BIRD SURVEY ") JULY 26 , 1994 10 : 30 -12 : 00 t V — / Surveyors : Robert Carter & Mitchell House Weather Condition:clear skies , no wind, water intermediate to low SNOWY EGRET 15 GREAT EGRET 14 COMMON GALANULE 5 LITTLE BLUE HERON 29 TRI-COLOR HERON 52 NOGHT HERON 1 FLORIDA DUCK 2 GREEN BACK HERON 1 LIMPKIN 1 STILT 13 RED WING BLACKBIRD 2 MALES 30 FEMALES GRACKEL 1 GREAT WHITE HERON 2 TERN 1 SORA 1 CROW 1 BUZZARDS MANY ;;-- y2. - c OCT 1 3 EVERGLADES PRIVATE AIRBOAT TOURS BIRD SURVEY JANUARY 15, 1995 SURVEYOR: MITCHELL HOUSE WEATHER CONDITIONS : light wind , above normal water levels bordering on high ( 2 months after Gordon ) green crown night heron 1 white ibis 21 small blue heron 5 great blue heron 2 king fisher 2 cattle egret 3 stilt 10 snail kite 1 green wing teal 20 blue wing teal 20 Florida mallard 10 migratory mallard 2 coot 40 limpkin 4 purple martin many black vulture many turkey vulture many red wing blackbird many grackle many EVERGLADES PRIVATE AIRBOAT TOURS � 3 BIRD SURVEY OCTOBER 11 , 1995 SURVEYOR : CHARLEY GOFF WEATHER CONDITIONS : light south wind, extremely high water levels green crown night heron 3 white ibis 10 great blue heron 4 king fisher 4 cattle egret 12 snail kite 2 green wing teal 20 blue wing teal 20 grebe 20 limpkin 2 black vulture many turkey vulture many anhinga 5 cormorant 4 doves 1 red shoulder hawk 1 grackle many gallinule 20 osprey 2 tri-colored heroes 5 DINGO black maNl Item V.A. ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD STAFF REPORT MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7, 1996 I. NAME OF PETITIONER/PROJECT: Petition No. : Planned Unit Development Petition No. PUD-95-14 Petition Name: David A. Gallman Estates PUD Applicant/Developer: John D. Jassy, Trustee Engineering Consultant: Q. Grady Minor and Associates, P.A. Environmental Consultant: Boylan Environmental Consultants, Inc. II. LOCATION: The subject property is located north of the Collier County Government Center and east of Airport Road, in Section 12 , Township 50 South, Range 25 East, Naples, Collier County, Florida. III. DESCRIPTION OF SURROUNDING PROPERTIES: The subject property is an undeveloped parcel located in a largely residential and commercial area off South Airport Road, immediately north of the Collier County Government Complex. The Glades apartments are located to the north and east of the property and the remaining uses surrounding the property are commercial with the Gallman car dealership to the south and the St. Matthews House to the North. ZONING DESCRIPTION N - C-4/ RMF-16 St. Matthews House/The Glades Apts. S - P/ C4 Collier County Government Center and Gallman Pontiac dealership E - RMF-6 The Glades W - C-4 Airport Road and Commercial properties IV. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The 30± acre parcel is described as undeveloped with the following vegetative communities: pine flatwoods, palmetto, xeric oak and cypress. A large portion of the land was hydro-axed in March 1995 to remove exotics. Some of the area cleared included wetlands. Plan of Record: Water Management: David A. Gallman Estate PUD "Conceptual Water Management Plan" Sheet 3 of 10 dated December 18, 1995 and "Conceptual Water Management Details" Sheet 4 of 10 dated January 8 , 1996, both sheets prepared by Q. Grady Minor and Associates, P.A. , one revision. EAB Meeting 2/7/1996 PUD-95-14, David A. Gallman Estates PUD Page 2 Environmental: Gallman Estate 30± Acre Tract Environmental Impact Statement, prepared by Boylan Environmental Consultants, Inc. , dated November 9 , 1995. David A. Gallman Estates PUD set of drawings (10 sheets) , prepared by Q. Grady Minor and Associates, dated October 1995. David A. Gallman Estate PUD document, prepared by Q. Grady Minor and Associates, received November 27 , 1995. V. STAFF COMMENTS: Water Management: The water management system to serve the project will consist of a lake of approximately 0. 6 acres interconnected with 1. 05 acres of dry detention. Runoff from the developed areas will be conveyed to the lake and dry detention areas by catch basins, culvert system and swales. The lake and retention areas will then discharge through culverts into a spreader swale adjacent to the preserve. The spreader swale will bleed down into the preserve area through intermittent bleeder pipes. The preserve area is included in the surface water management system for quantitative storage and re-establishment of natural hydroperiods. Offsite discharge will be through a control structure located at the southeast corner of the project. This discharge will be conveyed by an existing ditch into Haldeman Creek to the south. Post construction discharge will be 1. 52 cfs (0. 06 cfs/acre maximum) . This project will be permitted by South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) . Environmental: The subject property contains approximately 17 acres of jurisdictional wetlands and approximately 13 acres of uplands. The wetlands are made up of 7 acres of cypress (Taxodium distichum) forest under a County Special Treatment (ST) zoning designation, and 10 acres of disturbed hydric flatwoods (This area was hydro-axed in March 1995) . Within the ST area the predominant vegetation is cypress (Taxodium distichum) , swamp fern (Blechnum serrulatum) , dahoon holly (Ilex cassine) , wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) , flag, saltbush (Baccharis halimifolia) and Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) . The consultant indicated that the water depths at the time of her site EAB Meeting 2/7/1996 PUD-95-14, David A. Gallman Estates PUD Page 3 visit were 6 to 18 inches above ground. The disturbed hydric pine flatwoods contains a canopy of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and and understory of swamp fern, melaleuca (Melaleuca spp. ) , and various sedges and rushes. The upland areas are made up of 2+ acres of xeric oak habitat and 11+ acres of pine flatwoods with a rapidly regenerating understory which had been totally destroyed during the exotic removal process done by hydro-axed. The xeric oak area is located at the northwest corner of the property. Predominant vegetation here includes live oak (Quercus virginiana) , saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) , penny royal (Piloblephis rigida) , assorted vines and weedy groundcover. Thirteen active and inactive burrows were identified and flagged in this area. It is estimated that five tortoise occupy these burrows. One quarter of this habitat ( . 5 acre) will be preserved and used to protect the tortoise during development. The proposed development will impact approximately 30% of the wetlands leaving the quality wetlands (under ST designation) in place with a water management plan to maintain or improve the hydroperiod. VI. RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of Planned Unit Development Petition No. PUD-95-14 , "David A. Gallman Estates PUD" with the following stipulations: Water Management: 1. A copy of South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Permit or Early Work Permit with staff report is required prior to construction plan approval. 2 . An Excavation Permit will be required for the proposed lake in accordance with Division 3 . 5 of Collier County Ordinance NO. 92-73 and SFWMD rules. 3 . Developer shall dedicate a thirty foot (30' ) wide drainage easement along the north boundary of the project to encompass the top width of the adjacent ditch that lies within the property and provide for a maintenance access travel way along the south side of the ditch. 4 . Prior to final site development plan approval, developer shall provide evidence that there is sufficient capacity for the existing drainage ditch to Haldeman Creek that serves as the project's outfall at the southeast corner of the project. EAB Meeting 2/7/1996 PUD-95-14. David A. Gallman Estates PUD Page 4 5. At site development plan submittal, PVC bleeders shall be shown fitted with end structures. Environmental: The following stipulations shall be added to the PUD document: 1. All conservation areas shall be recorded on the plat with protective covenants per or similar to Section 704 . 06 of the Florida Statues. Conservation areas shall be dedicated on the plat to the project's homeowners association or like entity for ownership and maintenance responsibilities and to Collier County with no responsibility for maintenance. 2 . Environmental permitting shall be in accordance with the state of Florida Environmental Resource Permit rules and be subject to review and approval by Current Planning Environmental Review Staff. Removal of exotic vegetation shall not be counted towards mitigation for impacts to Collier County jurisdictional wetlands. 3 . 5.9 .0 of the PUD document shall be amended to read " . . .Collier County Current Planning Environmental Staff. . . " instead of "Project Plan Review" . 4. 5. 9 .D of the PUD document shall be amended to read " . . .A final site inspection by Collier County Environmental Staff shall be required to verify successful vegetation planting. . . " PREPARED/BY: // 44 Stephen Seal Date Senior Engineer v3aAoAc2._ �� ; c ��� / '�.3- 46 Barbara Burgeson Date Environmental Specialist II REVIEWED BY: 0 'LPL / Thomas E. Kuck, P.E. Date Engineering Review Services Manager /_ 7X _7 ' Robert J. Mulhere, AICP Date Current Planning Manager