Resolution 2011-086
RESOLUTION NO. 2011. 86
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A POLICY AND FEE
SCHEDULE TO GOVERN THE OPERATION OF THE
CARACARA PRAIRIE PRESERVE GOPHER TORTOISE
RECIPIENT SITE.
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2009 (Agenda Item 16E9), the Board of County Commissioners
of Collier County, Florida authorized the Caracara Prairie Preserve, formerly known as the
Starnes Property, to become a Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site; and
WHEREAS, the need exists to establish a policy and fee schedule to govern the operation
of the Caracara Prairie Preserve Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, that the attached Policy and Fee
Schedule be and hereby are declared to be the Policy and Fee Schedule which shall henceforth
govern the administration and operation of the Caracara Prairie Preserve Gopher Tortoise
Recipient Site,
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Collier
-tit.
County, Florida, this J.n::.. day of 2011.
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A nEST: ,
QWIGHT E~BROCK, CLERK
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Approved 'aSto form and
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Steven T Williams ~~
Assistant County Attorney '3 ~\;r\~,
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: '1u.l- w. ~ do/II
FRED W. COYLE, CHAIRM 7'~
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Caracara Prairie Preserve Short-term Protected Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site
Policy
Prepared By:
Collier County: Facilities Management Department
Conservation Collier Program
3335 Tamiami Trail, Suite 101
Naples, FL 34112
May 2011
The following is a descriptive policy regarding the Caracara Prairie Preserve Short-term
Protected Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site (Recipient Site). This policy and the
associated Caracara Prairie Preserve Recipient Site Fee Schedule will be reviewed
annually by County staff.
1. The Recipient Site shall be permitted, managed and monitored according to the
most current Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) gopher
tortoise permitting guidelines for Short-term Protected Recipient Sites
htto:/lmvfwc.com/docs/LicensesPermits/PW GooherT ortoisePermitGuidelines.odf
and FWC Gopher Tortoise Management Plan.
2. The Recipient Site shall only accept gopher tortoises being relocated from
development projects occurring within Collier County (Donor Sites).
3. Gopher tortoises from both public agency Donor Sites (such as but not limited to:
Collier County government projects, Florida Department of Transportation projects,
Collier County School Board projects, charter school projects) and private entity
Donor Sites shall be accepted at the Recipient Site; however, tortoises accepted
from private entity Donor Sites shall not comprise more than 75% of the total
number of gopher tortoises relocated to the Recipient Site.
4, Conservation Collier staff shall maintain a ledger tallying gopher tortoise vacancies
at the Recipient Site.
5. Upon an inquiry from a possible Donor Site, Conservation Collier staff shall review
the ledger and coordinate with the Growth Management Division. If the estimated
number of tortoises anticipated from the Donor Site is acceptable, staff shall send
a Reservation Letter to the Donor Site - see Reservation Letter Template
attached.
6. Conservation Collier staff shall verify with FWC that the Donor Site has received
the appropriate relocation permit prior to performing any relocation.
7, An FWC authorized gopher tortoise agent employed by Collier County (Collier
County Agent) shall be responsible for the transport of all relocated tortoises from
the Donor Site to the Recipient Site.
8. The Collier County Agent reserves the right to deny transport of any unhealthy
Donor Site tortoises to the Recipient Site.
9. Once at the Recipient Site, relocated tortoises shall be marked by the Collier
County Agent.
10. Donor sites shall be required to pay a $2,000 Gopher Tortoise Relocation Fee to
Collier County for each project requiring tortoises to be relocated to the Recipient
Site, regardless of the number of tortoises to be relocated. See the attached
Caracara Prairie Preserve Recipient Site Fee Schedule.
11. Donor sites shall be required to pay a Gopher Tortoise Receiving Fee (separate
from the Gopher Tortoise Relocation Fee) to Collier County for each tortoise
relocated to the Recipient Site. See the attached Caracara Prairie Preserve
Recipient Site Fee Schedule.
12. Donor sites shall be required to pay a Mitigation Contribution (separate from the
Gopher Tortoise Receiving Fee and the Gopher Tortoise Relocation Fee) to FWC
for tortoises relocated to the Recipient Site. See the attached Caracara Prairie
Preserve Recipient Site Fee Schedule.
13. After relocations are complete, Conservation Collier staff shall monitor and
maintain gopher tortoise fencing according to the most recent FWC guidelines and
gopher tortoise management plan.
--.-----.-- - ~----.-._---_._---" -~------. -- ~ ----,.~~---
Caracara Prairie Preserve Recipient Site Fee Schedule
Relocation Fee (Paid to Collier County):
$2,000 per private or public project
This fee includes:
1. Pick up of tortoise (s) at the Donor Site;
2. Transport to Recipient Site inside the cabin of the transport vehicle;
3. Marking of tortoise (s) per FWC methodology;
4. Collection of all required morphometric data;
5. Soft release of tortoise (s);
6. Submittal of morphometries report to the recipient site and the client; and
7. Monitoring of tortoise (s) in soft release enclosure for six months.
Receivina Fee (Paid to Collier County):
This fee is on a "per excavated adult tortoise" (carapace length greater than or equal to 5'
basis and is all inclusive. There will be no Receiving Fee for sub-adult gopher tortoises
(carapace length less than 5'.
Private Projects* - $ 1,320 per tortoise
Public Projects*. - $905 per tortoise
*Private Project fee includes:
1. Exotic plant control
2. Fire-break mowing and fuel reduction
3. Temporary fencing
4. Recipient Site permitting and monitoring fees
**Public Project fee includes:
1. Temporary fencing
2. Recipient Site pennitting and monitoring fees
FWC Mitiaation Contribution (Paid to FWC):
$200 for the first group of 10 burrows (up to five gopher tortoises) plus $3,000 for each
additional tortoise.
Reservation Letter Template
DATE
ADDRESSEE NAME
ADDRESS
RE: Off-Site Relocation for PROJECT NAME Collier County, Florida
PROJECT #
Dear ADDRESSEE:
The purpose of this letter is to demonstrate Collier County's commitment to the acceptance of
gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) from the above-mentioned project site. In an effort to
perpetually protect a regionally significant parcel of land occupied by both the state listed gopher
tortoise and other federally listed species, we have identified and protected portions of Caracara
Prairie Preserve in Collier County. Collier County secured permits for the Caracara Prairie
Preserve Short-Term Protected Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site comprised of 90 acres of Collier
County's +/- 367.7 acre property known as Caracara Prairie Preserve. The Collier County Board
of County Commissioners owns the preserve and the Conservation Collier Program is
responsible for management/permit compliance associated with Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC) Recipient Site Permit # GTSR-II-00003.
It is Collier County's understanding that the population targeted for relocation to Caracara
Prairie Preserve at this time is approximately XXXX (X) tortoises. According to our ledger, we
have capacity for XXXX tortoises remaining within the recipient site. The Relocation Fee will
be $2,000 and the Receiving Fee per adult tortoise will be $XXXX.
As a registered gopher tortoise agent, I accept tortoises on site at Caracara Prairie Preserve on
Collier County's behalf. Please coordinate and schedule all gopher tortoise relocations with me
at 239-252-2957.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Melissa Hennig, Principal Environmental Specialist
Conservation Collier Program