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1992-319 CZM Section II (7.10) 7.10 BIG MARCO/CAPRI PASS COMPLEX 7.10.1 SIGNIFICANCE TO NATURAL SYSTEMS 7.10.1.1 Introduction Capri Pass is located between Sea Oat Island to the north and Coconut Island to the south, directly west of Isles of capri. Big Marco Pass lies between Coconut Island to the north and Marco Island to the south (Figure 7.10-1). Capri and Big Marco Passes are separated essentially only by Coconut Island, an unstable land mass which is approximately one-half mile wide at the present time. The two passes, due to their proximity and drainage characteristics, can be considered as one pass complex. The Big Marco/Capri Pass complex is almost completely encompassed by the Rookery Bay Aquatic Preserve, Class II Outstanding Florida Waters of the State. The Class II status currently includes a prohibition for shellfish harvesting. The Aquatic Preserve boundaries bisect Big Marco Pass at the center line. The passes drain Johnson, McIlvane, Tarpon, Unknown, and Addison Bays, part of Goodland Bay, Big Marco River, Sanctuary Sound, and the inland bays and canals of Isles of Capri and Marco Island. Developments within the drainage basin include Isles of Capri and Marco Island, the Marco Shores PUD, and various agricultural fields, northeast to U.S. 41. . The passes and inland waters in this area are heavily used by West Indian manatees for feeding and resting activities. For this reason, as well as for boater safety purposes, the canals of Marco Island and Isles of Capri, and the eastern and northern shores of Marco Island, have been designated as idle speed zones. The waters of Big Marco Pass, from the eastern end of Johnson Bay to the pass opening, have also been proposed and approved as idle speed zones by the Board of County Commissioners (October 9, 1990). Installation of proper signage in these areas is expected to occur in the near future, pending acquisition of financing. 7.10.1.2 BioPhvsical Features Pass and Shoreline Dynamics The Big Marco/Capri Pass complex has not been federally or locally maintained. No major dredging or alteration activity has occurred at these passes for navigation purposes, but they are currently well marked navigational channels. The passes are tide-dominated, with a relatively large tidal prism and strong ebb tidal currents. These characteristics promote the growth of shallow submerged sand deltas on their seaward side, known as ebb II -375- tidal deltas. These deltas are dynamic with respect to size and shape, and affect the cycles of erosion and accretion on the adjacent beaches (Harvey et al., 1984). Due to the tidal current patterns, a substantial ebb tidal delta exists between the two passes, seaward of Coconut Island. This delta was used as the borrow area for the 1990-91 Marco Island beach renourishment project. Shoreline changes in this region have been extensive since 1927 (Figure 7.10-2). Coconut Island was 3.75 miles long at that time; during the next forty years, it was breached in two places by the formation of Hurricane and capri Passes. By increasing the total cross-sectional area of tidal passes in the vicinity, the new passes reduced the current speeds and volumes of water exchanged by the previously existing Big Marco and Little Marco Passes (Harvey et al., 1984). Since 1927, the majority of the sand transported south along Keewaydin Island in the littoral drift system became tied up in the accreting spit and ebb tidal delta of Hurricane Pass. The capture of sand in the vicinity of Hurricane Pass caused downdrift erosion on Coconut Island of up to 1,200' from 1927 to 1981. By 1973, Coconut Island had been narrowed sufficiently to be easily breached during a storm, creating capri Pass. Some of the sand that had eroded from Coconut Island was transported to the north, in the form of an accreting spit. This sand spit joined Cannon Island in 1979. Overall, large fluctuations in the shorelines and continual reorganization of tidal flushing routes are the trends in this vicinity, and are expected to continue in the future. Due to the changing shape of the ebb tidal delta, Marco Island's northern and northwestern shorelines have undergone major accretional and erosional changes (Harvey et al., 1984) . Changes in the position of the north and northwestern shorelines of Marco Island have generally exceeded 300' since 1885. The inlet shoreline on the south side of Big Marco Pass (north Hideaway Beach) has eroded 300' since that date. This recession was a result of the shift of the main ebb channel to the southern i.e., against north Marco Island. The continued erosion of southern Coconut Island, which protected northern Hideaway Beach from direct wave attack, could cause increased recession in the future (Collier County Environmental Resources Management Department, 1989). The position of the northwestern Marco Island shoreline has fluctuated widely in response to the changing shape of the ebb tidal delta at Big Marco Pass. Between 1885 and 1962, the northern 1.75 miles of Marco Island received sand released from II -376- the ebb tidal delta and accreted 900'. Since 1962, however, northern Marco Island has become the site of massive, pervasive erosion. Shoreline recession rates ranging from 30'-40' per year have occurred there since 1962. These rates have not been exceeded anywhere else in Collier county (Collier County Environmental Resources Management Department, 1989). The shoreline of north central Marco Island has shifted both landward and seaward since 1885. The area is currently in an erosional phase, having eroded 215' since 1962. A 700' long seawall, which was constructed in the central portion of the sector in the early 1970's, has exacerbated erosion in the area. In the period from 1973 to 1981, some 60' of erosion has taken place. Coastal strand vegetation on either side of the seawall was cleared during the mid 1970's to allow for development. Consequently, the seawall became more exposed to wave action, causing increased wave reflection and turbulence. This, in turn, increased erosion during storm periods. Approximately 40' of recession occurred north of the seawall in a matter of hours during the "No Name" storm of June, 1982 (Collier County Environmental Resources Management Department, 1989). At present, there are at least 7,300' of seawall and 1,750' of revetment near the northern end of the island (FDNR, 1988a). Future predictions indicate that the northern shoreline adjacent to Big Marco Pass will continue to erode at about 3' per year, as a result of the shift southward of the main channel. Severe erosion is presently occurring along both northwest and north central Marco Island, but future trends may slow or reverse it because of the amorphous nature of the ebb tidal delta at Big Marco Pass. continued hardening of shorelines using seawalls and revetments along north central island beaches will prevent natural processes of sand bar welding, overwash accumulation of sand, and dune formation. Sand Dollar Island At tide-dominated passes such as Big Marco and Capri Passes, the ebb tidal delta dissipates the energy of approaching waves by causing them to shoal and refract around the delta. This causes the release of sand to the nearshore zone, often forming sand bars which migrate landward, becoming attached to the beach (Harvey et al., 1984). An unmistakable example of this process is the formation of Sand Dollar Island to the south of Big Marco Pass. This barrier island, which runs roughly parallel to the northwestern shoreline of Marco Island, continued to accrete and emerge above the mean high water line throughout the 1980's. At present, it is approximately one and a half miles long, with a II -377- major portion of it being stabilized by native dune vegetation. Another bar, still submerged, is currently forming parallel to and seaward of Sand Dollar Island. Sand Dollar Island is now an important shore bird habitat and part of the Big Marco critical wildlife Area (CWA), as designated by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission (FGFWFC). The southern half of the island, including some tidal flats, encompasses the majority of the bird nesting area. It is currently posted as a closed area, marked with signs and flagging, to discourage human disturbance (Figure 7.10-3). A memo written on May lO, 1990 from Mark Robson (FGFWFC) to interested persons, indicated that an estimated 400-500 least tern nests were observed in the vicinity on May 4, 1990. Most of the birds were incubating the nests, but some were still exhibiting courting and mating behavior. This colony of nesting least terns is one of the largest in the State. Other species that were involved in nesting activities, were black skimmers (approximately 20-30 individuals), and Wilson's plovers (approximately 10-20 pairs). A few snowy plovers were also observed. Piping plovers, listed as threatened by the State and federal government, were not observed during this inspection, but are known to occur there during the winter months. The Big Marco CWA is considered by the FGFWFC to be a very important nesting and loafing area for the threatened least terns and snowy plovers. Table 7.10-1 lists the species and approximate number of avifauna occupying the CWA during the May 4 inspection. Substantial controversy exists with regard to the presence of Sand Dollar Island. The Residents for Rational Renourishment, Inc., a group of local citizens, requested the County apply for dredging permits to create a flushing channel between the island and the beach (USACE File Number 88IPZ-20290). The members of the group consist primarily of beach-front property owners with holdings landward of, and to the north and south of, Tigertail Beach. Their concern is that Sand Dollar Island would encroach upon the existing Marco Island shoreline and cause the creation of a mudflat and a decrease in water quality and recreational value at Tigertail and Hideaway Beaches. However, water quality testing showed no degradation of water quality with respect to water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, salinity, pH, fecal coliform bacteria and fecal streptococci counts (Grabe and Walker, 1989). This process is, in fact, a natural progression in barrier island dynamics, and not a cause of environmental degradation. "Marco Island is a 'beach ridge' barrier island made up of many hundreds of years of beach ridge migration. Sand Dollar Island is the latest evidence of this migration II -378- and is naturally moving towards Tigertail Beach. Coastal hammock species and red mangroves now thriving on the once barren Tigertail Beach front are also evidence of this natural succession of this area. If this beach system follows typical successional events it is not expected to return to the sandy beach it once was, and Sand Dollar Island will take its place as the Tigertail sandy beach" (Lorenz, 1989). Man-made alterations to this system would be contrary to County policies as outlined in the Conservation and Coastal Management Element of the Collier County Growth Management Plan (Jan. 1989). specifically, Objectives 11.3, and ll.5 and Policies 11.3.2, 11.3.3, 11.3.4, 11.3.14, 11.5.3, and 11.5.7 (Appendix 14) are relevant with respect to the alteration of Sand Dollar Island. In addition, dredging cuts through the island would have a high probability of affecting the balance of sediment supply, longshore transport and overwash processes. This type of activity would also alter tidal current and littoral transport rates, and may create dangerous currents through the dredged areas (Lorenz, 1989) . Tigertail Beach Collier County Tigertail Beach Park is located landward of Sand Dollar Island. Sand Dollar Island provides increased aesthetic, recreational, and storm protection benefits to this County beach park. In 1969, Tigertail Beach was deeded to Collier County by the Deltona Corporation. The County began to develop park facilities in 1981. The park consists of 34.6 acres of property, with approximately 10 acres of beach zone, 10 acres of upland vegetation, and 11 acres of mangrove wetlands. The beach is approximately 3,600'. Previous to the dune restoration work that was begun in 1983, the beach was subject to frequently changing periods of erosion and accretion. Australian pines spread rapidly in the dune zone in the late 1970's and early 1980's (Collier County Community Development Division, 1983). In 1983, Collier county Resolution 83-161 was passed, which approved a variance for the construction of a parking lot for the beach park up to thirty feet seaward of the CCCL. DER Permit Number 11-48923-5E was issued for this project, after substantial modification to reduce impacts to mangrove forested wetlands (FDER, 1982a). The parking lot consists of a permeable sand/shell surface and required 13,500 cubic yards of fill. Permit conditions also dictated that it be stabilized with native vegetation. The overall plan also called for the restoration and protection of the dune zone within the park, including the II -379- reconstruction of approximately 3.43 acres of destroyed dune areas, revegetation of approximately 4.47 acres of area with sea oats, removal of 4.44 acres of Australian pines from the active dune zone, thinning of 4.41 acres of Australian pines in other parts of the park, construction of 1,170' of surficial, pedestrian feeder walkways and 530' of dune crossovers, erection of pedestrian fences or warning signs to keep traffic off the dune, relocation of recreation activities outside of the active dune zone, and prohibition of tractor use for beach raking (Collier County Community Development Division, 1983). On February 19, 1985, the Governor and Cabinet of the state of Florida approved funding for Contract Number C2722 for $114,889 for the erosion control project known as the Collier County Tigertail Revegetation Project. On March 5 of that year, the Collier County Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution approving an agreement for the project and authorizing the Chairman of the Board to execute the FDNR contract on behalf of ......'--- ""---_..&.._- \,..u~ \...UUUl,..y. The erosion control project was successfully completed, and dune revegetation with native plants, primarily sea oats, exhibited a high survival rate. Due to the accretion of Sand Dollar Island, normal wave action on Tigertail Beach's shoreline has been decreasing. This factor, combined with the decrease in the number of beach visitors during the summer of 1989, allowed for a seaward migration of native dune vegetation. A wide variety of valuable, native salt-tolerant species colonized the dune region (Table 7.10-2). Although native vegetation is a major contributor to beach stabilization and provides more habitat for wildlife, many people of the Marco Island community objected to the reduction in size of the unvegetated seaward portion of Tigertail Beach, the reason being a reduction in size of recreational space for sunbathing, picnicking, beach walking, and other such activities. Numerous editorials and letters to the editor of local newspapers appeared between December, 1989 and May, 1990 addressing the controversy (Appendix 11). From the content of most of these letters, and the degree of public involvement in the matter, it is clear that the public is largely uninformed as to shoreline processes in general and specifically to the value of dune vegetation in beach stabilization processes. "Because of the dynamic nature of coastal processes, the county should recognize that its coastal parks are subject to change also. Given this understanding, the county should anticipate these potential changes and incorporate them in coastal park design and management. This will help ensure that facilities are 'designed and constructed for appropriateness in the area where they II -380- are to be located' and 'should represent a positive example of designing energy use and concern for the people and the environment.' In short, we should strive to keep our park facilities in harmony with nature rather than force nature to comply with our present use of current park facilities. Native vegetation is colonizing the sandy beach area at Tigertail Beach in response to the natural, coastal processes. These processes have formed and changed Marco Island, and will continue to operate in the same way in the future. Although there are many environmental benefits to these processes, existing recreational opportunities are being changed. These changing conditions, however, present additional varied recreational opportunities. It is proposed that we develop flexible management plans to allow recreational opportunities that are in harmony with the ever-changing coastal environment. The concept is applicable for Tigertail Park and the County's other coastal parks. The County should therefore expect changes in the character of its coastal parks and be prepared to match recreational opportunities consistent with the natural changes" (Lorenz, 1989). Removal of native vegetation on Tigertail Beach is contrary to county policies as outlined in the Conservation and Coastal Management Element of the Collier County Growth Management Plan (Jan. 1989). specifically, Objectives 11.3, and 11.5 and policies 11.3.2, 11.3.3, 11.3.4, 11.3.5, 11.3.9, 11.5.1, 11.5.3, and 11.5.7 are relevant with respect to the removal of native vegetation on Tigertail Beach (Appendix 10). In addition, the removal of sea oats and sea grapes, and the removal of mangroves, are contrary to section 370.041, Florida statutes, and Florida Administrative Code Rule 17-321, respectively. In order to accommodate human recreational concerns while still maintaining the biological integrity of the dune system and complying with the policies of the County's Conservation and Coastal Management Element, the Collier County Environmental Services Division devised a scheme of limited vegetation removal at Tigertail Beach. It was estimated that the maximum use for the facility is no more than 1,000 persons per day, and that the average area of beach that is used is approximately 100 square feet per person (FDNR, 1987a). The maximum anticipated demand for unvegetated beach area was therefore calculated to be no more than 100,000 square feet, landward of the MHW line. Presently, as determined by a May 4, 1990 survey, a 71,000 square foot area II -381- exists between the MHW line and the existing vegetation line. Accordingly, County staff recommended that vegetation removal would consist of clearing 29,000 square feet of area, up to nine feet landward of the existing seaward vegetation line. Proponents of vegetation removal at the site, however, requested to the Board of County Commissioners a total removal of salt-tolerant vegetation to the 1983 vegetation line. This line is landward of the dune restoration and revegetation project that was completed in 1985. A total of 404,000 square feet of clear unvegetated beach was requested, with an area of 333,000 square feet of native salt-tolerant vegetation to be cleared. On May 15, 1990, the Board of County Commissioners voted 4/0 to apply for a DNR permit to remove vegetation back to the 1983 vegetation line. The permit applications to the FDER, FDNR, and Collier County Development Services Division are still pending at the time of this writing. Beach Renourishment There has been substantial controversy during the last several years over the beach renourishment issue on Marco Island. In a 1986 report by Coastal Engineering Consultants, Inc. (CEC), it was noted that Hideaway Beach, which runs parallel to Big Marco Pass, is subject to erosion by channel migration and wave action. Southwest of this beach segment, the County's Tigertail Beach Park is currently depositional due to sheltering by the offshore inlet shoals, including Sand Dollar Island. The lack of development structures and the existence of an extensive area of vegetated dunes further stabilizes this shoreline. The shoreline known as the central beach, located between South Seas Condominiums to 400' south of the Admiralty House Condominiums, is very erosional, exacerbated by armoring with seawalls and revetments. CEC determined that of five possible alternatives to restore the shoreline, i.e., taking no action, seawall removal, revetment of eroded beaches, building groin fields, or beach renourishment, the latter would provide the best assurance of restabilization (CEC, 1986). Acting as consultants to the County, CEC prepared permit applications to the various environmental agencies for beach renourishment along several segments of the Marco Island shoreline. The delineation of shoreline to be renourished is 4,200' along the north end of Marco Island beginning approximately 4,000' northeast of FDNR T-128 monument (north fill area), 550' north of the FDNR R-135 monument to 330' south of the FDNR R-139 monument totaling 4,900' (central fill area), and 580' north of the FDNR R-143 monument to 880' south of the FDNR R-148 II -382- monument totaling 6,330' (south fill area). The north fill area is on Hideaway Beach, where the proximity to the pass has been causing erosion in recent years through scouring and wave action. The central fill area is located along a section of shoreline where heavy armoring with seawalls and revetments accelerated erosional trends. The south fill area consists of sandy beach except at the extreme south end where a large seawall compound is located, another site of heavy erosion due to the presence of hard structures. This area is further discussed in "section 7.11: Caxambas Pass". The final DER permit (Permit No. 111460389) allows for activities from December 8, 1989, to December 8, 2004, including periodic renourishment over 15 years for 2.6 miles of beach on Marco Island; the initial hydraulic dredging of approximately 1.18 million cubic yards from two borrow areas in Big Marco Pass and one borrow area in Caxambas Pass; and the construction of three offshore breakwaters and two terminal groins at the south end of Marco Island. The permit allows for the severing of 0.66 acres of jurisdictional wetlands at Hideaway Beach, with mitigation by excavating 1.32 acres of an existing spoil pile and planting mangroves within Rookery Bay Aquatic Preserve (FDER, 1989b). A DNR submerged land lease was granted for the dredging of 367.26 acres, beach renourishment (filling) of 247.77 acres, and construction of terminal groins covering 10.28 acres (Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the state of Florida, 1990). A DNR Beaches and Shores permit was granted on Jan. 31, 1990 (File No. DBS 88-208CO) for a ten year permit to renourish 4,200' of beach at the north end, 4,900' at the central beach segment, and 6,330 linear feet at the south end of Marco Island. However, there was some question as to the purpose of the proposed breakwaters: "...concerned with the possible lack of need and justification for the breakwater system...staff is concerned with the potential impact of the segmented breakwater on Caxambas Pass and the downdrift beaches of Kice Island." (FDNR, 1990d) Dune revegetation with appropriate native plants is required to aid in the stabilization of the renourished beaches. In the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (DER) Intent to Issue Permit No. 111460389, it was noted that water quality in the bays made accessible by Big Marco Pass, (including Tarpon, Marco, Collier, Capri, Johnson, and Factory Bays), was relatively good, with oyster bars and submerged seagrass beds commonly found. It was further noted that emergent shoals of Big II -383- Marco Pass serve as important resting, feeding, and nesting areas for shorebirds. During the winter, 5,000 to 6,000 shorebirds have been recorded using either Big Marco Pass or Caxambas Pass emergent shoals at anyone time. The DER pointed out that the extensive development of Marco Island's shoreline has contributed to the beach erosion problem. Several modifications of the initial beach renourishment permit application were done. "The initial renourishment has been designed to meet all current standards and will renourish a clearly eroding beach. However, there is a clear potentia,l for future environmental damage on a large scale from this project due to the length of the permit and the sensitive nature of the emergent shoal areas in both passes and the bay systems on the interior of the passes." (FDER, 1989b) Therefore, a high degr~e of monitoring, with review and comments from the DNR and FGFWFC, was required prior to approval of each renourishment event, over the life of the permit. To prevent disturbance of the over-wintering bird populations at both Big Marco and Caxambas Passes, which are within critical wildlife Areas, the dredge pipeline is to be routed around emergent shoals and all construction equipment is supposed to avoid emergent shoals. To confirm that removing sand from the borrow areas and the construction of breakwaters and terminal groins are not having an adverse affect on the emergent shoals within the CWAs, the dimensions and locations of the shoals are to be monitored on a yearly basis, with remedial action to be taken as necessary. Work is to be done by hydraulic dredge and pipeline to keep turbidity levels as low as possible, and daily turbidity monitoring reports during all renourishment activities are required. Future renourishment activities will not be approved if initial turbidity levels violate state standards. The borrow areas can be dredged no deeper than -18' NGVD, to avoid the creation of unnaturally deep pits. Manatee awareness conditions are included in the permits, with the permittee (Collier County Government) or the contractor being held responsible for any manatee harmed, harassed, or killed as a result of project activities. Permit conditions dealing with manatee protection include the installation and maintenance of at least one manatee sign within the project area, the cessation of all construction activities in open water upon a manatee sighting within 100 yards of the project area, and the contractor keeping a log detailing manatee sightings, collisions, or injuries to manatees during the contract period. II -384- Sea turtle protection conditions include the determination by the DNR and DER for the need to till the renourished beach within three weeks of completion of each beach segment. This determination is necessary to insure the presence of suitable substrate for turtle nesting activities. Renourishment activity was only to be permitted during the months of October through March to avoid disturbing least tern and sea turtle nesting activities. However, this requirement was recently waived due to requests by CEC, to allow an earlier start date for dredging. The justification for requesting the change in the proposed start date was that weather conditions during the winter would interfere with the project (Humiston, 1990). However, there was some disagreement over this; "Moving the project forward from October 1 to an August date places the renourishment activitv in the peak sea turtle nesting and incubation period.~..on a final note, the applicants' weather related justification to move the project window forward into the summer months is without substance. We have found that inlet dredging, shoal dredging, and renourishment projects can be conducted year-round without unusual adverse impacts from weather...one could argue that the worst time to implement one of these projects would be during the summer and fall hurricane season" (Huff, 1990). Allowing an early start date called for a DNR approved sea turtle protection plan to avoid destroying incubating nests and disrupting sea turtle hatching activities. CEC submitted such a plan to the appropriate agencies, with comments from the County's Natural Resources Department. However, CEC stated that; "No sea turtle nesting has been reported on the north project area, perhaps because as a tidal channel it is not suitable for sea turtle nesting habitat. The central project is an armored shoreline with no beach for turtle nesting, except at the extreme north and south ends. The south project has a relatively low beach berm with a high vertical erosion scarp at the landward end. This scarp would make it difficult for turtles to get to ground high enough to ensure successful incubation without the nests becoming flooded, and furthermore if they were to nest at a high enough elevation, the rapid erosion which has caused the scarp and has previously been documented by measured erosion rates, could uncover and destroy the nests. Furthermore, we have been working on a nest monitoring and relocation plan with the Collier County Natural Resources Department staff who are licensed by II -385- the state of Florida for the activities. In summary, we do not believe that there is justification for prohibiting construction activity prior to October 1 for the purpose of protecting sea turtles and Least Terns. The project will have no impact on Tern nesting. Any turtle eggs laid in the project area would probably be in the South project area, and they would have a better chance of survival with the project monitoring program and relocation, than without it" (Humiston, 1989). Representatives of both Collier County Natural Resources Department (Kraus, M., 1990) and the FDNR (Schroeder, 1989) disagreed with this determination and recommended that monitoring was necessary at all renourishment sites. Sea turtle nests and false crawls were monitored daily from May 5 to August 31, 1990. Thirty-eight false crawls and 35 nests were found along the Marco Island shoreline during this period. The number of nests and false crawls created in this area prior to May 5 were not recorded. A total of 31 nests and 20 false crawls were found within the proposed renourishment areas, including 5 nests and 5 false crawls along the north beach, 2 nests and 6 false crawls along the central beach, and 24 nests and 9 false crawls along the south beach. Nine nests had to be relocated to the sea turtle hatchery located seaward of the Marriott Marco Island Resort to avoid expected impacts caused by a September 1 start date for renourishment activities. Unfortunately, due to heavy rains and poor drainage conditions in the area, the majority of the eggs in the hatchery were inundated with water and killed (Endangered Species Research Foundation, 1990). Despite the time and effort expended to accommodate CEC's request for an earlier start date of September 1, and possible mortality due to the relocation of sea turtle nests, work has not yet begun at the time of this writing (October 15, 1990). 7.10.1.3 Drainaqe Basin Characteristics The drainage basins emptying into Capri and Big Marco Passes roughly encompass lands between Henderson Creek to the north, U.S. 41 to the northeast, and S.R. 951 and 951b to the east. Areas to the east of S.R. 951, including various agricultural fields, undeveloped areas, and the Marco Golf Course and airport, also drain into this pass complex via canals and culverts (Figure 7.10-4). Waterbodies within the basin include Johnson Bay, McIlvane Bay, Tarpon Bay, Unknown Bay, Addison Bay, Bear Point Cove, Three Island Cove, Big Marco River, Sanctuary Sound, Collier Bay, the residential bays and canals of Isles of Capri and north Marco Island, and minor tributaries, canals, and ditches emptying into these waterbodies. II -386- Recently, aerial surveys were done by the County's Natural Resource Department to locate submerged seagrass beds. The major submerged seagrass beds in this drainage basin exist along the northern shore of the channel leading from the east end of Johnson Island to the entrance of Isles of Capri Pass; east of Isles of Capri; west of Charity Island; bordering shoals between stingaree Island and the northern end of Marco Island; and in several small embayments northeast of Johnson Bay. There are also smaller, less dense seagrass areas scattered along the shorelines of the inland waterbodies in water depths of less than 3', MLW (Figure 5.7-1). Most of the seagrass beds show evidence of scarring caused by boat propellers. Besides direct damage to seagrasses, which are slow to recuperate, propeller scarring causes a disruption in sediment stability, further degrading the integrity of the habitat. Viable seagrass areas are essential habitat for many protected and commercially valuable species, including the West Indian manatee, pink shrimp, mullet, snook, and others (see "section 5.7: Seagrass Meadows"). Almost all areas waterward of the MHW line in this drainage basin are included within the Rookery Bay Aquatic Preserve. The Preserve boundaries exclude the waters immediately adjacent to Marco Island, bisecting Big Marco Pass. The northern portion of this area is largely undeveloped and zoned as A-2 ST lands. Parts of the Marco Shores PUD fall within the drainage basin. The major developed areas are Isles of Capri and the northern section of Marco Island. Natural Vegetative Communities Historically, Isles of Capri and Marco Island were largely made up of marine and brackish water wetlands. Undeveloped islands and peninsulas around these developments are largely vegetated by mixed mangrove communities. Freshwater and brackish water wetlands exist to the northeast of the passes, north of the Marco Golf Course and airport complex. These areas are dominated by saltgrass, cordgrass, cattails, spikerush and/or black rush marshes. Red mangroves exist with buttonwoods and cabbage palms seaward of these areas. Uplands in the vicinity are dominated by slash pine and cabbage palm. Approximately 280 acres of saltern exist immediately northeast of the Marco Golf Course and airport complex, and are vegetated by sea purslane, glasswort, key grass, and buttonwood. Some parts of this area are very sparsely vegetated (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979). A few buttonwood/cabbage palm hammocks exist, with outside boundaries vegetated by black rush, ~. s~ r~. Depressions are dominated by black rush/cordgrass and spike rush/dwarf red mangrove assemblages (Finan and Finan, 1979) (Figure 7.10-4). To II -387- the south of unit 24 of the Marco Shores PUD, there are approximately 1,418 acres of tidal wetlands extending into Johnson Bay. Shell Island Road is the northern boundary of this area's surface watershed. The Big Marco Pass drainage basin supports a wide variety of wildlife, including many protected species (Table 7.10-3). Developed Areas Isles of Capri was built as a small dredge and fill community prior to the development of laws that protected wetlands. The Deltona corporation began development of Marco Island in the 1960'S, a time which coincided with changing governmental policies on wetlands protection. Deltona had ownership of approximately 24,962 acres. The corporation had acquired 13,914 acres prier to 1964, and purchased the remainder in several parcels in 1968-1969 and in 1976. The initial master plan called for five permit areas: Marco River, Roberts Bay, Collier Bay, Barfield Bay, and Big Key. The Marco River segment was approved by federal, State, and County agencies relatively quickly in 1964. The Roberts Bay permits were applied for in 1967 and approved in 1969, but environmental concerns were mounting. The USACE warned, in the granting of their permit for that work, that: "...the granting of this permit does not necessarily mean that future applications for a permit or permits in the general area of the proposed work by Marco Island Development Corporation or others will be similarly granted." (in U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979) . The Deltona corporation continued to purchase land and promote and sell lots during this time period. The project was 95% sold out by the end of 1970. A master plan was developed for unit 24 (Figure 7.10-5). In 1971, the State agreed that it was in the public interest to develop Marco Island as designed due primarily to the large number of people that invested in single family lots. The Deltona Corporation deeded over 1,200 acres of land comprising Kice Island to the State as mitigation. In 1976, the USACE issued permits for the development of the Collier Bay project, but denied the permit applications for the Big Key and Barfield Bay areas (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979). Litigation followed into the early 1980's, and the issue was eventually resolved through land swap deals, permit application modifications, and other arrangements in what has collectively become known as the "Deltona Settlement Agreement". II -388- The settlement agreement was signed on July 20, 1982 by the Deltona corporation, South Florida Water Management District, Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund of the state of Florida, FDER, Florida Department of Veterans and Community Affairs, Collier County Government, National Audubon Society, Florida Audubon Society, Collier County Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Florida Division of the Izaak Walton League (SWFRPC, 1984b). At the time, a total of 33,525 dwelling units were platted by Collier County and vested by the State of Florida, of which 14,500 dwelling units remained to be developed. These were located where previous dredge and fill permit applications were denied. The units were relocated to less environmentally sensitive areas, and the percentages of single family and multifamily units were significantly changed from 54.6% and 45.4%, respectively, to 5.1% and 94.9%, respectively. The total area to be developed was reduced from 5,472 acres to 2,457 acres. The agreement included, among other stipulations, the following conditions: 1. All outstanding litigation be dropped. 2. Deltona would deed to the State approximately 15,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands, including 4,000 acres originally proposed for development. In exchange, Deltona would acquire title to upland acreage to the north of Marco Island through a land swap involving the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. Most of the 14,500 dwelling units would be relocated to these lands. 3. No signatory to the agreement would require Deltona to obtain future permits for the Marco Island project, except for wastewater disposal, solid waste disposal, water treatment, and water distribution facilities, driveway connections to state roadways, plus District water use and surface water management permits (SWFRPC, 1984b) . The Marco Shores PUD was put together, and consists of several elements (Deltona Corporation, 1984). The development area known as unit 24 is located on the west side of S.R. 951, just south of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Figure 7.10-5). Boundaries were established by State and federal agencies as the landward limits of viable mangrove wetlands in the vicinity. It covers 278 acres in area, and consists mostly of wetlands impounded by the construction of New York Road, and slash pine/saw palmetto habitat. There is also approximately 20 II -389- acres of hardwood hammock in the northeast corner, mostly within the New York Road levee. Isolated upland mounds exist to the south, which are usually surrounded by tidal mangroves. Some areas have elevations of up to 8' above NGVD. unit 24 contains a wide variety of floral assemblages and wildlife habitats (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979). unit 30 (Figure 7.10-6) was purchased by Deltona to relocate as much of its planned development as far landward as possible from coastal wetlands. It consists of 1,646 acres, roughly bound by S.R. 951 on the west, U.S. 41 on the north, and the Marco Shores Golf Course and airport complex to the south. unit 30 consists mostly of pine flatwoods, with a gentle slope to the south. Typical elevation is approximately 4.5' NGVD. The southern boundary, as established by the federal and State agencies, extends to the northern limit of the adjacent impounded wetlands that exist east of S.R. 951. A 427 acre parcel within the northeast corner of the unit, above the Belle Meade grade, was formerly farmed, but was later abandoned due to its being too wet (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979). The area is used by a large number of species of birds, and several species of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians (Appendix 12). A pond predominantly vegetated by Chara is located near the east end of Unit 30. It was found to be an important seasonal wading bird feeding area. Estimates from a 1977 study indicated an average of 380 birds of 15 species feeding in Unit 30 at anyone time, and approximately 1,200 wading birds visiting the area per day for feeding (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979). Details of objections to development plans, listed in the State of Florida Administrative Hearing files, included the following: "...the Marco area comprises a unique and irreplaceable wetlands coastal estuarine system, most of which is subject to regulation by the state of Florida and the U.S. Army corps of Engineers: A. The unit 30 area constitutes the major wading bird feeding habitat in southwest Florida, supporting the only major rookery in southwest Florida. B. The wetland portions of the Unit 24 area adjoin the Rookery Bay National Marine Estuarine Sanctuary. C. The wetland areas under Deltona ownership, constituting thousands of acres, contain basin black mangrove forest, red mangrove forest and mixed mangrove forests which are a major contributor to the estuarine food web. II -390- D. The wetland areas under Deltona ownership are a major nursery area for shrimp and marine juvenile organisms of all description. E. The coastal estuarine system provides a unique habitat for wildlife. F. The wetland portions of the estuarine system protect and enhance the water quality of the adjacent bay areas" (state of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, 1980). The current Marco Shores PUD was finally approved in 1981, and also includes the Isles of capri commercial area, consisting of 7.5 acres at the intersection of S.R. 951 and Isles of Capri Road, and Herr's Island, a 213 acre tract located southeast of Marco Island (Figure 7.10-6). The Marco Golf Course and airport complex is located north of McIlvane Bay and east of S.R. 951, and is made up of 420 acres of fill. It consists of an 18 hole golf course and an airport with a 5,000' runway. It was constructed by Deltona in 1973 from dredged material obtained by creating a borrow lake. A narrow unpaved road ("Road to Nowhere") extends east from the runway for approximately one mile. The area south of the golf course/airport complex is weakly tidal. An approximately 295 acre basin is partially impounded by the Road to Nowhere on the north, the runway to the west, and a low broken natural levee on the east and south. Most of the basin remains shallowly inundated for much of the year, from rainfall and regular tidal penetration through gaps in the levee (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979) . The 86 acre borrow lake, which was dug to provide the fill for this Deltona project, was constructed in the early 1970's. The lake, commonly known as Lake Marco Shores, has a maximum depth of 30 feet. Due to seepage of saline and hypersaline groundwater into the lake, and the excessive depth of the lake, the water column is stratified with regard to salinity. The water below eight feet is at least as saline as seawater, and the upper six feet of the water column is fresh to brackish. stratification is very stable, with little mixing between the layers. The saline portion of the water column is therefore anoxic, with high concentrations of sulfides and nutrients (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979). The upper freshwater layer is, however, well oxygenated. The lake was studied in the late .1970's, and at that time, it was found that widgeon grass (RuDPia maritima) was the dominant submerged vegetation of the littoral II -391- zone, with Chara, a green alga, becoming established. The littoral slopes were vegetated with cattails and mangroves. The dominant fish species present in the lake were tarpon and mullet. Twenty-eight fish species were found, including anchovies, killifish, and mosquito fish (Courtney, 1979). Collier Bay, located at the north end of Marco Island, is bordered to the north by a relatively narrow strip of land that separates the bay from Hideaway Beach and Big Marco Pass. This property is presently under construction as part of the Hideaway Beach PUD (Figure 7.10-7). The original PUD included 211 acres of property, with 111.4 acres of mangrove wetlands, open water area, beach shoreline, and upland habitat to be preserved. The PUD now incorporates Royal Marco Point, and includes a total of 305 acres of property. The parcel is bound to the north by the channel leading to Big Marco Pass, the community of Old Marco to the east, and Deltona single family lots to the south. The bay is fringed by mangroves. Upland of this zone, the area has scattered shell mounds and is heavily vegetated by native trees and shrubs, including gumbo limbo, live oak, and sabal palm. Buttonwood swales meander throughout the property (Figure 7.10-8 and Appendix 13). The FDER, through dredge and fill permitting procedures, required 8 acres of wetlands to be preserved, and the planting of approximately 10,000 mangrove seedlings as mitigation for roadway construction in wetlands. The total conservation area consists of approximately 132 acres of environmentally sensitive open water area, wetlands, and uplands, including 2 miles of beach front shoreline. Development commitments include the preservation of the existing red mangrove fringe around all significant waterbodies, deed restrictions to limit filling activities within single family lots to a maximum of 60% of the lot area, and a covenant to use the conservation area for preservation, conservation, and limited recreational uses (Dekonschin et al., 1979). The remaining shorelines of Collier Bay have been altered by the construction of finger-fills and residential seawalled canals. Drainage Patterns Natural drainage patterns have been altered significantly by the construction of roads and borrow canals. Rainfall has produced sheetflow run-off that drains in a northeast to southwest direction. Presently, the U.S. 41 borrow canal diverts run-off out of the drainage basin area to the east. A fresh water catchment basin for Marco Island located east of the U.S. 41/S.R. 951 intersection further restricts water flow to fresh water wetland areas. Surface runoff from freshwater wetlands in the vicinity of the Marco Airport is funneled through culverts to the S.R. 951 canal and ultimately into Johnson Bay (U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979). II -392- "The over-riding factor affecting the historical hydrology of the region has been the diversion of surface runoff as a result of road building. In 1928, the construction of u.s. Highway 41 effectively severed the coastal wetlands from sheetflow runoff from interior uplands by channelizing the fresh water flow via the highway borrow canal, without provision of adequate culverts to convey some of it in historical pathways to the adjoining bays. state Road 951 and later Shell Island Road further isolated the unit 24 area from its former contributory watershed...The Deltona golf course/airport fill in unit 30 collects fresh water, which may have formerly flowed into McIlvane Bay, and diverts it into the S.R. 951 canal. Data gathered by EPA indicate that the undersized culverts at the Airport Road have reduced tidal pumping in the canal above the culverts and, presumably, in the adjacent wetlands. Early aerial photographs (Tabb et al., 1977) show that the ponding immediately north of the golf course is a result of the fill and restricted culverts, not an augmentation of natural standing water. Since 1966, the lands to the northeast of unit 30 have been drained for farming by a system of ditches and pumps...In unit 24, Deltona's New York Road has impounded a fresh water wetlands, and, in so doing, has much restricted the duration of the wet season runoff to the south and southwest" (Heald, 1978). 7.10.2 PAST AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE capri Pass is a natural unimproved inlet that separates Coconut Island from Sea Oat Island. Capri Pass was formed in 1973 when a storm breached the narrowed south central portion of Coconut Island (Harvey et al., 1984). Big Marco Pass is also a natural unimproved inlet. The pass separates Coconut Island from Marco Island. The passes are tide-dominated inlets, and have a large ebb tidal delta; this delta causes frequent shoaling. Prior to 1973, Big Marco Pass was the main navigational channel leading to the Marco River and was the southern limit of the federal navigational project channel from Naples. Because of the increased shoaling to the south, Capri Pass is now used as the primary channel. Big Marco and Capri Passes have never been dredged for navigational purposes. However, a portion of the ebb tidal delta has been selected as a borrow area for the Marco Island Beach Nourishment Project. What effect this will have on the navigation channel is unknown. Contingency plans should be made to insure that the pass remains open for navigational purposes. II -393- 7.10.3 SIGNIFICANCE TO RECREATION AND DEVELOPMENT 7.10.3.1 Beaches and Other Recreational Facilities Big Marco Pass and Capri Pass are located south of Little Marco and Cannon Islands and north of Marco Island. Coconut Island separates the two passes. However, because of its small size and the negligible distance between it and the other passes, this area will be treated as one pass complex. The recreational amenities of the beaches north of the pass area have been discussed in the previous section ("Section 7.9.3: Hurricane/Little Marco Pass"). The present section will concentrate on Marco Island and Isles of Capri. Marco Island is in Coastal Barrier unit #7. The island's formation is a result of many coastal processes including barrier island beach ridge formation and offshore sand bar deposition. Marco Island has been described as having been a result of the joining of 40 to 50 beach ridges, taking approximately 100 years for each formation (Tanner, 1960). This type of beach ridge development can be seen today at the main pUblic access at Tigertail Beach. The newest ridge is known as Sand Dollar Island. Sand Dollar Island is an effective barrier in protecting the mainland/upland areas from the onslaught of major storms; hence the name "barrier island". A common theory of beach ridge barrier island development is that it starts as a submerged longshore bar parallel to an existing beach. The bar builds up to the water surface at high tide and soon becomes exposed at low tide. If low water conditions persisted through low tide of several tidal cycles thereafter, this longshore bar could be built up, further creating a new island and permanently isolating the former beach. Once vegetation becomes established on the former longshore bar, aeolian and overwash processes begin to act upon this new land, forming a beach ridge barrier island. For example, an additional sand bar formation parallel to the western shore of Sand Dollar Island can be seen; without man's interference, a new beach ridge barrier island will begin to take shape. Tigertail Beach is unique in that it maintains a natural, healthy and undeveloped status. The formation of Sand Dollar Island enhances its uniqueness and provides increased aesthetic, recreational, and storm protection benefits for the citizens of Collier County and landward property owners. Tigertail Beach was conveyed to the County by Deltona as part of a development settlement in 1976. Tigertail Beach contains II -394- approximately 31.6 acres; consisting of sandy beaches (10 acres), uplands (10 acres) and mangrove swamps (11 acres). Sand Dollar Island contains approximately 1.5 miles of beach. Facilities provided at the park include interpretive boardwalks, restrooms, changing facilities, grills, p1cn1c areas and a children's playground. The County contracts a private concessionaire to provide food and drinks for visitors. The county also contracts a sailboat rental concessionaire that provides beach related items such as sunscreens and beach chairs. The Tigertail Beach County parking lot has recently been constructed to include a total of 188 parking spaces with boardwalk access to the beach. There is a deficiency in public beach access on Marco Island. Additional access areas and parking should be considered for future acquisition. A concise beach use survey on Marco Island would provide valuable information for the future facility needs and access requirements. Resource surveys including sea turtle monitoring would also assist in determining beach utilization by wildlife. Isles of Capri is situated on the Marco River and does not contain a beach. There are several small parks with benches which overlook the bays and mangrove areas of the adjacent islands. 7.10.3.2 Public Boat Ramps There is currently one boat ramp site that services the Big Marco Pass area, the 951 boat ramp (Figure 7.10-9). The ramp is highly utilized due to the ease of access to the Gulf of Mexico and prime fishing grounds in the Ten Thousand Islands. The ramp is filled to capacity on weekdays, especially during the winter season, and over-filled on the weekends. People from throughout Collier and other adjacent counties access the great fishing areas from this ramp. It is estimated that by the year 1994 an additional ramp will be needed for the increasing population in this area (Reynolds, Smith and Hills, 1988). The 951 boat ramp contains two paved 35' launching facilities. Parking areas include 17 trailer and two car spaces. Amenities provided include a fish cleaning table, garbage cans and a manatee awareness sign. Recommendations for the facility include seawall repairs and a courtesy dock to accommodate the waiting line that builds up during weekend ramp use. Additional parking would also be a II -395- favorable improvement for the facility. Impact on the ramp due to the proposed widening of SR 951 may severely affect the facility. Relocation of the 951 ramp may have to be addressed in the future. 7.10.3.3 Marinas Marco Island and Isles of Capri contain the second highest concentration of commercial marinas in Collier County (Figure 7.10-10). The island supports 12 commercial facilities which provide 555 wet slips and approximately 478 dry slips. There are an additional 17 private marinas (over 10 slips) at yacht clubs and condominiums, providing approximately 614 wet slips and 8 dry storage areas. However, Marco Island has a deficit in dry storage at private marinas. New development in this area should take this into account and provide the seasonal residences with dry storage facilities (SWFRPC, 1984a). Due to a limited amount of available waterfront property, dry storage should be considered as an alternative to wet storage. The dry storage option in some ways is more environmentally sound and there should be economic incentives that would convince residents to utilize this method of boat storage. Dry storage would also be more profitable to marina owners with limited wet storage facilities. Dry storage is more environmentally sound in terms of limiting pollution into the coastal systems, shading bottom communities, in areas of near-shore prop dredging, etc. However, a disadvantage of dry storage is the actual numbers of boats that may be introduced into the area surrounding each marina. For example, a wet-slip marina that accommodates 20 boats will allow a maximum of 20 boats into the surrounding habitats at any time, but a dry storage facility that accommodates 100 boats could potentially allow them all into the same area. This may create more serious consequences for surrounding habitat areas. In considering plans for marinas, it may be appropriate to look at actual numbers of boats in storage as well as those in wet slips. This should be considered with regard to manatee protection, wake erosion, benthic communities, etc., with limits placed on allowed numbers of boat storage based on these factors. II -396- 7.10.3.4 Development and Land Use Marco Island The first known inhabitants of Marco Island were the Calusa Indians who occupied the area between the years 1200 A.D. to approximately 1700 A.D. Evidence of their habitation was first discovered in the late 1800's. In 1895 one of the most famous archaeological endeavors (The Pepper-Hearst Expedition) led by Frank Hamilton Cushing, excavated unique and finely crafted artifacts that were preserved in the muck at the north end of Marco Island. Some of the artifacts included painted wooden masks, carved figurines, fishing nets, pottery, etc... and a complete line of tools that were used in their manufacture. The site became significant considering it was the only wetland archaeological sight in the southeastern united states and it documented one of the most sophisticated cultures of an early date on this continent (Gilliland, 1989). The Calusa residents made efficient use of their environment as established by archaeological evidence. They erected their dwellings (round thatched wooden structures) on platforms and terraces. They built canals for ceremonial purposes and also to give easy access for canoeing to fishing grounds. Pines, cypress, mangroves and sea shells were used in the manufacture of weapons, household utensils, religious paraphernalia, canoes and paddles. Palms and vines were utilized in the manufacture of fishing nets, ropes, twine and clothing. Animal bones and shells were utilized in the creation of tools, household utensils and weapons. They also ate berries and other plants from land as well as animals, and fish, eels, and shellfish from the Gulf (Gilliland, 1989). The Big Marco pass area was a good anchorage, safe from rough storms, and provided the Calusa with an excellent protected passage to the Ten Thousand Islands. This was a land of wealth for the Indians, until the Spanish arrived and wiped out the Calusa of Marco Island by approximately the mid 1500's (Gilliland, 1989; Widmer, 1988). The second group of settlers on Marco Island were the Seminole Indians and individuals of mixed Indian and spanish ancestry (possibly Calusa remnants) who occupied the Island in the early 1800's. They were ranchers (fish farms or ranches) with well cultivated plantations. They occupied Marco Island until the Seminole Wars in 1839. Little is known of the settlement activity between 1839 and 1870. It is rumored that it was a haven for deserters from the Southern Army during the civil War. II -397- The W.T. Collier family was living near New Smyrna in the late 1860's and decided to seek another location to settle and homestead. They set out to explore the west coast in a schooner. During a storm they were wrecked on Indian Key where they discovered another wrecked schooner with a load of lumber. They used this lumber to repair their boat and loaded the rest to build a house. The first place they explored was the Buckingham area near Ft. Myers but they did not like the location. On a later trip, Collier and his son visited Marco and found it uninhabited. They returned to Buckingham, loaded their lumber and family property and sailed to Marco. The Collier family arrived in March, 1871 at Marco Island and proceeded to construct a house from the salvaged lumber. They had everything they needed for the home except shingles. Palmetto was used to cover the house first. About a month after the house was completed it burned to the ground from spontaneous combustion in the drying palmetto while Collier and his son were away. On their return they found their family in a palmetto hut. Farming was the first enterprise for the family on the island. Cabbage was planted for delivery to the Key West markets. During these years, this appears to have been a good cash crop. Eventually the family was able to obtain more lumber and built a second house which burned three months later in 1873. At this point the family moved to a high shell mound on the present site of Old Marco. They built a new house there and lived in it for many years. A second resident, Jim Daniels, came to the island in 1874. He built a small house and was also engaged in farming (Tebeau, 1966). The Collier family prospered on the island and son William D. Collier established a shipping business. Throughout this period the family continued to ship produce to New York and other markets. W.D. Collier operated a freight vessel from Ft. Myers to Key West and New Orleans, the only such connection on that part of the coast. Collier then operated a marine railway which he used to construct at least twenty boats. The community of Marco slowly grew. In 1882, the Williams family moved to the island and the Bob Everett family soon followed. Collier opened the Gainer store in 1883 which was the first trading post on the island. In 1888, Captain Collier obtained a commission as postmaster and in the same year the first school was organized with fifteen students. During the 1880's, much attention was focused on Florida due to extensive travel publicity about the state. The wide range of sporting activities from hunting to fishing were widely told. II -398- The settlement at Marco as well as the area around Everglades became a frequent destination for sportsmen, including Floridians from interior counties and northern businessmen. By 1895, pressure from this industry encouraged Collier to build the Marco Hotel which was completed in 1896. This facility became a major resort for sportsmen who sought the game fish so plentiful in the Ten Thousand Islands (Tebeau, 1966). W.D. Collier became interested in clamming operations and in 1908 invented a clam dredge which allowed for deep water clamming. The dredge was built at Tampa and sold in 1911 to the J.H. Doxsee Clam company of North Carolina which relocated its operations to the island in that year. The Company expanded and built a processing plant and constructed residences to house its employees. The industry dominated the economy of the island until the 1920's when nearly the entire island was purchased by Barron Collier (not related to W.T. Collier). As part of Collier's efforts to acquire development lands on Marco, he purchased the majority of real estate on the island from the L & N Railroad in 1922. Development plans were postponed a few years until a group of developers from New York formed a company called the San Marco Development Company. They platted 525 lots for sale and started advertising in 1927. Development plans included the extension of a new road and a railroad line onto the island. Barron Collier was able to get the legislature to incorporate the entire island as Collier city, in honor of W.T. Collier. A power plant and lines were built in anticipation of the upcoming development. The devastating 1926 hurricane and the collapse of the Florida boom shook the real estate market and the Collier City plans were not realized. The community remained a sleepy village in the 1930's and a headquarters for commercial fishing and sportsmen. It was described in the late 1930's as a settlement consisting of scattered groups of weather-beaten dwellings occupied by fishermen and workers in the clam-canning plant, a general store and post office, and a rambling white clubhouse (Marco Island Club). The Marco store supplied everything from outboard motors to dress patterns. The town's only street was shaded by live oaks, coconut palms and royal poincianas with clumps of bamboo rising above the roof-tops. There were also several old citrus and mango groves. The waterfront was lined with net draped piers, fish houses and the canning plant. It was not until 1964 that the present community of Marco Island was established by the Deltona Corporation. The community was designed as a water-oriented, residential, retirement, second- II -399- home community and resort center which provided the amenities of a complete planned community. It included low to moderate density residential use with basic shopping services, full utilities, land, water and air access. The construction of the free standing community was situated on approximately 8,509 acres of Deltona's 24,962 acres. The master plan provided sites for single family residences, multi-family residences, schools, parks, commercial enterprises, shopping areas, boat access, beach utilization areas, arterial transportation systems, and other planned community facilities. The master plan of the development was based on the premise that the transformation of bay bottoms and mangrove swamps would be dredged and filled into a complex of fast lands and canals. The original development was divided into 5 construction areas which included the Marco River, Roberts Bay, Collier Bay, Barfield Bay and Big Key. The construction areas were subdivided into Marco Beach Subdivision units 1-23. unit 24 was added in 1970. Land sales began in 1964 and proceeded from that date such that units 1-23 were substantially sold out by 1970. At this same time De1tona conveyed lands to Collier County for public and recreational use. These lands included church sites, the cemetery, 31.5 acres of gulf-front beach (Tigertail Beach), and Kice Island which contained 2.5 miles of gulf-front beach. Construction commenced in the Marco River permit area in 1964, progressed to Roberts Bay and Collier Bay by 1968, and continues today. In 1971, a golf course and airport facility was built on the mainland to the north of the Island, known today as the Marco Shores Country Club. In connection with the development of the Collier Bay area in the late 1970's, the TIITF undertook a comprehensive review of Deltona's ownerShip and development plans of Marco Island, including units 1-24 and the balance of the company's then unplatted properties. Governor Graham and his Cabinet also became involved with the environmental, social, legal, and equitable issues involved with this long standing master planned community. Based on the review, TIITF and the Governor and Cabinet agreed to issue a permit for construction and development of certain areas, requiring Deltona to eliminate major portions of its property from future development and to deed 4,032 acres of land to the TIITF as preservation area ("state Settlement"). In 1976, the USACE granted Deltona's dredge and fill application for the Collier Bay area, but denied permits in the Big Key and Barfield Bay areas. The latter areas included 2,908 acres of environmentally sensitive mangrove estuaries that were slated for 5,889 single family and multifamily units. The Corps also denied II -400- permits in unit 24 (5,155 single family and 1,449 multifamily units planned for this area) located on 3,564 acres of wetlands. This resulted in Deltona being unable to deliver 4,264 waterfront homesites to contract purchasers. At this time Deltona purchased 1,912 acres of adjoining land to unit 24 (Unit 30) to enhance their flexibility to deal with the consequences of the denials. Law suits from the Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon society, Inc., Florida Audubon Society, Inc., Collier County Conservancy, Inc., and the Florida Division of the Izaak Walton League ensued against the continuation of the grave environmental destruction proposed by Deltona. unit 30 constitutes the only major wading bird feeding habitat in southwest Florida, and the unit 24 area is connected to the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The wetland areas under Deltona's ownership at that time constituted thousands of acres of black, red and mixed mangrove forest, a major contributor to the estuarine food web, a major nursery area for shrimp and juvenile fish, and a unique habitat for wildlife. After much litigation, differences between development and environmental concerns were resolved through the Marco Island Settlement Agreement. The Agreement would allow Deltona to alter certain development areas in accordance with the Conceptual Development Plan without further approval by the State agencies. However, it did not preclude them from obtaining permits for the following: construction and operation of sewage treatment plants, solid waste disposal, water treatment and distribution, driveways onto State roads, bridge and road design or SFWMD permits. There would also be no dredging and filling or destruction of vegetation outside the Development Area. The approvals by the State of Florida would not be effective until Deltona conveyed to the TIITF approximately 136,487 acres of environmentally sensitive property. In exchange for the Deltona property, TIITF conveyed to Deltona 39.47 acres of real property in Dade County. Development in some areas is currently underway; however, no future development will be authorized until S.R. 951 is expanded to four lanes. Hideawav Beach PUD Hideaway Beach is located at the northern tip of Marco Island, east of the Gulf of Mexico and south of Big Marco Pass. The PUD was approved by the Collier county Board of Commissioners in 1979 (Ordinance 79-68). Development of this unique 211 acre coastal habitat area is still in the building phases. The project will be approximately 633 dwelling units upon completion, with a density of three units per acre. Land use is a mixture of single family, multifamily, golf course (9 hole, 13 acres), tennis, health, beach club, convenience store and conservation area. II -401- According to the Hideaway Beach PUD the major focus for the planning of the development is to maintain the environmental integrity of the ecologically sensitive site. The site is characterized by the following: a beachfront along Big Marco Pass, lagoons, mangrove swamps and upland areas consisting of beach ridges and associated swales. only the ridge and swale areas and the upland foreshore adjacent to the pass are to be used for the major development. A large common area is to be set aside to retain the most aesthetically appealing portions of the oak-sable palmetto habitat. Roadways are also designed to meander around specimen trees. As part of the Hideaway Beach development plans the association was permitted to fill in 4 acres of wetlands at the south property line. In exchange for the wetland destruction, Hideaway Beach filed covenants on 55 acres of wetlands; uplands and open water areas, including 1.5 miles of beachfront along Big Marco Pass. Use of this conservation area is restricted by the covenants for preservation, conservation and limited recreation use. Permitted uses in the conservation area are as follows: A. No permitted buildings or structures other than the following: 1. nature trails 2. paths and bridges to provide access from upland areas to the beach for pedestrians and minor maintenance vehicles 3. beach sun shelters 4. other activities for recreation and conservation when appropriate 5. water management B. The Hideaway Beach Homeowners Association is responsible for enforcing all applicable covenants, control, supervision and maintenance of the conservation area in its natural state. Public access to the conservation area, including the beach, is denied. The developers mitigated the denied access by improving and landscaping the Caxambas boat ramp. Isles of Capri Isles of Capri is located across the Marco River from the northeastern tip of Marco Island. The islands were purchased in 1955, by L.L. Loach, an avid fisherman who originally purchased the 600 acres for a fishing retreat and subsequently decided to II -402- develop this secluded area. Loach developed the four adjacent islands with minimum dredging and filling, utilizing the natural contours to create 3 residential islands and one commercial island (for retail businesses) surrounded by natural bays and mangrove islands. The Isles of Capri is a unique community combining the old and the new, fishing village atmosphere. 7.10.4 RECOMMENDATIONS 7.10.4.1 Maintenance Recommendations: Big Marco and Capri Passes should be maintained at their current levels of service. Dredging for navigational purposes is not deemed necessary as depths are adequately maintained by tidal currents. For beach renourishment projects, dredging should be restricted to submerged ebb tidal delta shoals that have been approved for this purpose by state, County, and federal agencies. The dredged material should only be used for renourishment of beaches in the immediate vicinity, i.e., the downdrift beaches of Marco Island. Emergent longshore sandbars should not be used as borrow areas because of their value in providing shore protection and shorebird habitat. projects that would have a negative impact on sea turtle nesting and/or hatching activities should only take place outside of sea turtle nesting season. Nest relocation activities to accommodate construction during sea turtle nesting and hatching season should not be permitted in any case unless there would otherwise be an extreme impact on human health, safety, and welfare. Sand Dollar Island should not be altered by human activities, such as dredging, except as required by the FDER as part of permit requirements for beach renourishment. The sandbar forming seaward of Sand Dollar Island should also be left to natural processes. Newly accreting beaches and sandbars form important shorebird habitats and afford protection to landward shorelines. Small projects, such as single family docks, other over-water structures, and shoreline armoring, should be done in the most environmentally sound manner. Docks should be aligned to avoid submerged seagrass beds or other benthic habitat, and terminal ends should be in appropriate water depths to reduce prop dredging (deeper than -3', MLW). Shoreline armoring should not be allowed unless erosional threats to property are severe. If that is the case, armoring should consist of revetments of sloping II -403- riprap with vegetation planted at the toe. Natural shoreline vegetation should be preserved to maintain shoreline stability, habitat, and filtering capabilities. Native, salt-tolerant vegetation should not be removed from dune areas. Only limited clearing, with an emphasis on construction of dune walkover structures and preservation of dune vegetation, should be permitted. 7.10.4.2 Recommended Restoration Activities Land acquisition by governmental agencies or conservation foundations for preservation purposes should be encouraged. Educational signage within the back bay system and at recreational beaches; as well as the sponsoring of educational programs, addressing shoreline dynamics, protected species protection, littering, prop dredging, the value of seagrass beds and native dune vegetation, and other appropriate topics are encouraged. These projects should be approved by the County's Natural Resources Department. Sea turtle monitoring programs should continue on the beaches of Marco Island and Sand Dollar Island. However, nest relocation practices should be discouraged, unless the nest would be destroyed in its existing location. Instead, construction activities that disturb sea turtle nesting and/or hatching activities should only take place outside of sea turtle nesting season. Dune systems should be vegetated with native, salt-tolerant plants to enhance shoreline stability. Appropriate species include sea oats, salt grass, sea grapes, railroad vine, and other plants included in Table 7.10-2, with the exception of Australian pine. Exotic nuisance vegetation, such as Australian pine and Brazilian pepper, should be removed from the dune systems. II -404- Table 7.10-1: Big Marco Pass critical wildlife Area Avifauna Observed during May 4, 1990 Inspection by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission: Species: Approximate Number of Individuals: *Brown Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great White Heron *Reddish Egret osprey Black-bellied Plover *American Oystercatcher willet Whimbrel Black Skimmer Marbled Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Sanderling Western sandpiper Dunlin short-bellied Dowitcher Royal Tern Sandwich Tern 5-10 10-15 2 2 2 10-15 2 5-10 2 175-200 2 5-10 5-10 5-10 20-30 5-10 5-10 200-300 5 *protected species II -405- Table 7.10-2: Tigertail Beach vegetation List *Red mangrove *Sea oats *Inkberry *Sea grape Saltgrass Balsam apple Sow thistle Flat sedge Spurge Sea purslane Dog fennel Saltbush Goldenrod Railroad vine Beach morning glory Fingergrass Dune sunflower Beach elder Sandspur Sedges Australian pine Salt meadow cordgrass Rhizophora manqle Uniola paniculata Scaevola plumieri Coccoloba uvifera Distichlis spicata Momordica charantia Sonchus spp. Cvperus odoratus Chamaesvce blodqettii Sesuvium portulacastrum Euoatorium capillifolium Baccharis spp. Solidaqo spp. Ipomoea pes-caorae Ipomoea stolonifera Eustachvs petraea Helianthus debilis Iva imbricata Cenchrus spp. Cvperus spp. Casuarina litorea Spartina patens *Protected species Adapted from Kraus, 1989. II -406- Table 7.10-3: Protected Species found in Big Marco Drainaqe Basin West Indian manatee Southern Bald Eagle American alligator Eastern indigo snake Wood stork Brown Pelican osprey Florida Sandhill Crane Southeastern American Kestrel Least Tern Reddish Egret Roseate Spoonbill Mangrove Cuckoo Trichechus manatus Haliaeetus leucoceohalus Alliaator mississiopiensis Drvmarchon corais cooperi Mvcteria americana Pelecanus occidentalis pandion haliaetus Grus canadensis pratensis Falco sDarverius paulus sterna antillarum Earetta rufescens Aiaia aiaia Goccvzus minor mavnardi *Adapted from u.s. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, 1979 II -407- BIG MARCO I I ~ I . H.l i ~_l.IJ;-c " , " , , , , , , 7f, , , , \ t: I.r,; , :: 'j'-"', ,,: I ., . , , \ , , , .';! ~ , I;' LITTLE , . Q c: ... . .,.. , , 'kJ"Mk'~~rq, 8,' , ".....-::.. l~; . - ~~ - ~\ .... ,.~- I',: ,00:' ,:. . ~t'", -'I ..._ \ 'l ~ ----;:.......~.... / I 7'0 " " \.. "'-..; I I ~ r /-..1'llf /0".. , ,"'. :n __ I", )_: ,/" :r", i~~ , .;-~__ i' , --- , , , (I !~ Figure 7.10-1: Big Marco/capri 1990) . > , .. , ., . , , n . , , '< , , , Map NOAA, II -408- .....,,, f::' \ ;; ~ ' / \ \ \ \JJ~10h ,,~,~ ........;,;.;:::J --.- '7 ::~Zl:G:i:j" 1927 -1962 ....:...:..:.:r""'\ f(",',">' \ I ,<,,.:j ..... "'J \ 1 ~\ , (::::: \ E..".l \i1l /p::::::~ 1(:'::':; \Wf,1 \ l ~ \ \ \ \ '- ' , ' ,~ ~i>:.", .' ~(;:.~... ::::-~#erJIiJ """.,~v / (..:.~oi.:; / \ I I I J I / --' ( /~ " / ,~ 1962 - 1969 , '- ............ '" I \ I I / J I I \ I \ \ I , I 1/'1 / tJJ r d, \ l \ \r.~ \ ~'7')I 'i.:;:!\.' /' :.-.'~~,.)\ X:J.I1i:~~J \.:..~ .....~~.,/J ~ ~.~.;..~ - ~ ....:.:.:.::.;.:)- '""@ 1969 - 1973 ~ ,/, ,i ~ut " ~ \ I I / / i' v r, ,_./ , I I I \ \ I \~ \ elf \ tb~ '\ ",,> :0 I I / } / J1"",,,,~ -",r---/ I / )\~...... ._..-.-r:'.... _/ I / J :..(,;~:;;~.;.....::..;...:.~~.:::.......- - - - - ,f , /----- " ~ o 3 . I 2 1973 - 1981 1000 FEET Figure 7.10-2: Big Marco Pass: 1927 to 1981, Accretion and Erosion Patterns (from Harvey et al., 1984 - Part 2). See Figure 7.8-2 for key. II -409- I :J/;:{:::{ .. ..;.;.- / /' /7 /---~ #~ I (/ ___~--- ) '" "------------- / '-- ,/ ""o~ ..-/ / / <;;. / .../p:, " -,~ . -- / / (\ r; / ); { i...../ I \ \ , \ \ \ \ :::U8!.1E.'lGED y SHCAI. AREA~ ~ " , ...- ...-/ ....- ....-/ / .............;. ;;(:.:~}::: ;';,,':';;', .-.'.-. ........;..;:::<;::; ,';;:;::::j;'-::::::;"' .:::"" ~-~~:\.:.;::; ....;.....-. ...:;-;:::;:;:.:::;:{:;:;.;....;.; ..,..... ........,..-. ...;.;...... .-..;.:-:.... .....,. .......-. .-:..:;.:::.... ;-.:>:; ....... ....-;...::.;.:-:.;;...: .......;..... ": :::-.", ;.;-...... . ,.:;.;"," ;.;.;.;:;:;;.;.:-:.;;.;-", ";:::':.<:"::;' . ';".:-:.; ,'-. -.. :. ;.~ .".-.:",.- ;./." ......;:;:::: .,.;,.-,.-. ;:;.::;:::::::.< ........ .;...-:.;.... POSTED AREA 5/1/90 ""- ""- ..... ~ ,,) '-",- ~/ ~ " \> -------"" "" \\, \.) ~ ;..;.....;.. :.....-.:.... .....-.... ..;.<.; Figure 7.10-3: Big Marco Pass critical wildlife Area (from Robson, 1990). II -410- - - t ", Figure 7.10-4: Wetland Floral Assemblages in the Vicinity of unit 30 (from Finan and Finan, 1979). II -411- UNIT 30 JOHN STtVENS CR€E EXTENSION WEST 0 HORRS lSLANO ~-- --- a---- 0-- 0--- ~ SCALE ~ MILES o ~ Figure 7.10-5: Marco Permit Map (from U.S. Army Engineer District, 1979). II -412- ISLE OF CAPRI TRACT .,...:.-~~ -~. " -'. ~ 1:hI I'L.. ,.. J:,) . UNIT 30 ~-n TRACT i 'I "T-'r- KEY MARCO TRACT (HORR"S ISLANO) '- ~.:-.. : ,Cul/ioon Bay , . < -;:71':;, ~.... ~ ..... "'0"'. :; '" o o 2 (MI..ES} Figure 7.10-6: Marco Shores General Location Map (from SWFRPC, 1984b). II -413- .........__10 ~..'''''''''- -- ''''.......:0'''" tZ?ZZ2I-c...___ ..OII'I.-C___. IIDIDG:IIWIIW OOGlCM III ~II>>IVDOn """""""""""'" MASTER PL.AN -tS;I" ,......,..0_ 1CIlI~ r. 3ISO' r-=-;r. , Figure 7.10-7: Hideaway Beach (from Collier County Government, PUD Ordinance for Hideaway Beach, 1980). II -414- c::::'l rrrrm , ~ = ""',"."" ~ ~ ""'IN-- lAKES UU.O e.l( f.rn..". .Ht"~" U..l 1....l.tn .... frh.....'..."... tl4.1 :;t 1~:~4.:;".::::::."':(:;:..~. ti.:r-114.. ........ ,.o'" .... r~ ....tr... Id.,u . It.ohlt. ..."._H......I.. . (r..._t..,uct........ll.. '.tt__4....... h..._...ltr......ll..1 ,..,."... ..e4 _ ..._u.., St.. .....n.. ...u._ ,tl.. ...1 .,..... ......" ....e. .... ...."....n..... ...,.,...... tH,:r~i.~~:fl~:.;;,~.::::: :::~..:::< n.tt ...... "..I ..,t.. h~_.... .... 'It..e:.. It...,. 'he "'. J....h:t ..,....4. U'~I'. ,II.. It....."... COlll(l. ,.....Y 6IG "M,4.RCO ~ASS . Mound~ n.. Gray I > L I 0 I ~ . , ~ . ~ Richo...:h ~ N cD (01<"0;01 Drive o ., <5 &>JD[D~~tlJ1i)~%'Ili3~f5J~!fJ MAR.CO ISLAND, flORIDA GUlF Of MfXKO . ~ c VEGETATATlON PlAN SC.l.LCI t" = 550' ----.................----,.. o 550 EXHIBIT 0.1 Figure 7.10-8: Hideaway Beach Vegetation Plan (from Collier County Government, PUD Ordinance for Hideaway Beach, 1980). II -415- WATER DEPENDENT AND WATER RE~ATED US~S ROYAL r AK,lPALM PLANNING CQI.,H.AUN1TY AAf.A Co.T....- County. nOO"iodo ~~ c........ ~" ~~ .lWCIo1tlO:..un (u.. ,.) ~ : t .: ~: "" . .' . I L.::Cnof:;l . W.fJaN... $IT'":.S ...10..'11........ se,u: , ,~ 2WO. =v~ ,..,..uzl)"ctI..1.:Pall.WTT~Df:"O.(lol'w(lwlONl~ 1J't<I/U ~U>-,,~ Figure 7.10-9: Location Map of the 951 Boat Ramp Servicing the Big Marco Pass Area (from CCME of GMP, 1989). II -416- WATER DEPENDENT AND WATER RELATED USES MARCO PLANNING COMMUNITY AREA CoU;CI' County. flO(,d<'l ~.~ P~ClH BrNO LlAJllNA ~.~ c::;:a>lJ(('YP.&SSLlAAINI< , , ! n U , .. c.u..........'ASl'1 c.u..'~.o.S ---1 BOJt.......!" L!C;~~~ j . LlAAJ>fA SI'1'i:S A.. 8:)J.1JV."'" , S::I;L( ~ lWl. 2lJJ.. ~M<D.' auJI1I t::ClJOITY~ llCo'UlP>cD<'T ~ 2/l0jloa ru.: w-u....l)...;; Figure 7.10-10. Location Map of Marinas Servicing the Marco Island, Isles of Capri, and Caxambas Pass Areas (from CCME of GMP, 1989). II -417-