EAC Agenda 01/02/2013 2013 Environmental
Advisory Council
Agenda
January 2 , 2013
AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
WILL MEET AT 9:00 A.M., WEDNESDAY,JANUARY 2, 2013 IN THE BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING,
COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, 3299 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST,NAPLES, FLORIDA
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Agenda
IV. Approval of October 3, 2012 meeting minutes
V. Upcoming Environmental Advisory Council Absences
VI. Land Use Petitions - None
VII. New Business- None
VIII. Old Business- None
IX. Council Member Comments
A. Subcommittee Report—Land Development Code and Growth Management Plan
Subcommittee
B. Update members on projects
X. Staff Comments
A. Reminder—Stormwater Management Memo being presented to Planning
Commission on January 17, 2013
XI. Public Comments
XII. Adjournment
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Council Members: Please notify Gerald Kurtz (252-5860) no later than 5:00 p.m. on
Wednesday, December 26, 2012 if you cannot attend this meeting or if you have a conflict
and will abstain from voting on a petition.
General Public: Any person who decides to appeal a decision of this Board will need a record of
the proceedings pertaining thereto; and therefore may need to ensure that a verbatim record of
proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal
is to be based.
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Loili pi//' I
Lo W IMPACT DEN E-.I..:OP l\'1ENT
Pollution discharge into natural water systems is a nationwide and local concern. The
objective of this Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological
integrity of the Nation's waters," Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. (1 c)72)
Introduction.
Collier County Watershed Management flan
Initiative I ; Low Impact Development (l,11 )Program
I.ow Impact Development aims at rrainiraairing the volume of runoff reaching the
receiving water bodies and managing it as close as possible to where it is
generated. Techniques defined as miera-controls are implemented in a dispersed
fashion throughout a site.
General
This initiative proposes implementation of a Low Impact Development (LID)program
that would apply to all new development in Collier County'. 1,11) is a wvell established
approach to stormwater management that relies on hydrology-based site planning and
design. L_Il) aims at minimizing the volume of runoff and associated pollutant loads
reaching the receiving water bodies and managing ing it as close as possible to where it is
generated. Techniques defined as micro-controls are implemented in a dispersed fashion
throughout a site, Following is a description of the program's background and
recommended implementation strategy
Description of the Recommended LID Program
As described above, FDE.P's studies (FDFFP 2007 and 1i1)1:'',P 2010) have concluded that
the current design requirements for stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) are
not adequate to meet State .law. The agency also concluded that an update of the Florida
Statewide Stormwater Treatment Rule was necessary and a draft new rule was developed.
A main requirement of the drafted new rule is that post-development pollution loads
should not exceed the pre-development loads. Pre-development is defined as the natural
native landscape. This would make necessary the implementation of new approaches to
remove the additional anthropo,genie pollution load, including the implementation of
treatment trains.
The application of the proposed I'D _;P stormwater rule would provide an effective
approach to control water quality impacts of new development. However, it is unlikely it.
will be adopted in the near future. I'herct'rre, it is sate to assume that.the State's current
regulatory requirements would remain in place over the foreseeable future and that
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mitigation of growth impacts at the local level will be critical to achieving environmental
protection goals.
It is recommended that a new approach based on the preservation of a site's natural
features be implemented to minimize pollution loads from new development and help
preserve the natural system. Such an approach should be consistent with the concept of
I,ow Impact Development(i,ID). An approach to promote. implementation of LID for
existing development is presented herein as Initiative 2. which is described later in this
document.
As indicated previously, I_iD aims at minimizing the \olurne of runoff reaching the
receiving water bodies and managing it as closely us possible to where it is generated.
This is accomplished through the application of techniques defined as micro-controls.
These techniques are implemented in a dispersed fashion throughout a site. The basic
principle is to attempt to mimic pre-development hydrology b) retaining or treating
stormwater runoff close to the source thereby replicating the natural pathways. Examples
of III) techniques include a) use of pervious pavement it:o minimize runoff volume,
h)construction or rain gardens, localized infiltration areas, or created systems of filter
marshes to treat storm\saler runoff, c) storage and re-use 01'slorirlV ti'ater for irrigation
purposes. and d)minimiz.iiig the extent of'the direct connected er area (DCIA). The
)(.lA is the er area hydraulically eminccted to the stormwater conveyance system, and
thence to the basins outlet point. ithoui flowing over previous areas. Further
descriptions of the 1.11) concept are provided in Appendix A.
The three options listed below were considered for implementation of the proposed new
approach. They are all based on treating 50 percent of the basic ERP requirement.
SFWMI) regulations for water quality establish that the basic runoff,treatment
requirement for new development is one inch of runoff over the developed area or 2.5 i of
imperviousness inches times the percentage, whichever is greater. i1he basic runoff
treatment requirement described above applies to discharges to all water bodies
considered to be Waters of the State, except for discharges into Outstanding Florida
• G\'atcrs(Ol"\y's) or current impaired water bodies.
at Require that the runoff volume equivalent to 50 percent of the basic ERP requirement
he disposed of by retention and percolation.
b) Require that a runoff yolurrre equivalent.to 50 percent of the basic ERP requirement be
treated by I.11) techniques.
c) Require that the nutrient load associated with 50 percent of the basic ERP requirement
be treated by LID.
The first option was considered impractical tbr application in areas of high groundwater
table elevations. The second option was also considered not adequate because of the wide
range in LID treatment techniques and corresponding treatment ef'ficienc.ies. The third
option was considered practical because it,basically establishes pollutant removal goals
based on post development conditions, while letting the designers choose the techniques
that best suit local site conditions. The proposed I II) treatment:should be for the nutrient
load generated by 0.5 inch of runoff over the developed area or 1.2 inches times the
percentage of impeiviousness, NV hichever is greater.
Based on input from local stakeholders, it is proposed that the current 150% treatment be
maintained and the LII:) approach be set as an additional land development requirement.
Application oi'the Rescurnntended LII) Program
In practice, the LID techniques applied to a particular development should be left at the
discretion of the designer as conditions may vary substantially between sites. The
techniques could he applied at the lot level or at the subdivision level. Because runoff
reduction is the most efficient method to reduce pollution loads,infiltration techniques
should be considered when possible. from that standpoint it was estimated that for
residential areas, based on typical lot designs for single-family homes under zoning
categories RSF-3 through RSF-6. and assuming an average DC:IA of 25 percent and an
SCS curve number (CN) of 74 for the non-DC IA areas (a CN ot74 represents soils type
C). the design storm event for LII.) design should be 1.5 inches., which represents
approximately the 0' r percentile event. A storm is defined as a period of continuous
rainfall separated from other events by at least a24-hours dry period. This means that the
nutrient pollutant load associated with 03 percent o1'the storms would be eliminated by
1.II:) if infiltration methods are used at a site. For parking facilities. assuming a 90 percent
[)(.''IA, the design event is 1.30 inche>. This rainfall event represents the approximately
the 90 percentile.
It is recognized that the construction of infiltration systems is not always possible in areas
of high water table elevations. .Design of appropriate LiD techniques must consider this
condition, Significant amount of information regarding 1,11) design criteria is available
front the literature. Documents that could be used as reference to facilitate the setting of'
design criteria include the "Storrnwater Quality Applieant's I landbook" developed by
11)14' as part of the draft st:in'mv.v:rter rule and the Sarasota (2aunty, Florida, l.11) manual.
The I'DEP handbook deli criteria for numerous types of rtes design from BMPs retention
basins and exliltration trenches to swales, pervious pavement. and underground storage
facilities. The Sarasota County manual focuses on detention with hiofiltration an pervious
pavement. The establishment art adoption of design criteria for various types o I'facilities
should be part of the f,DC amendment process.
LID Cost Effectiveness
Although the concept and application of I:II) has been promoted and studied for over 20
years. it is still considered a new and emerging.technology and there is some
apprehension in the development community as to installation costs. This is particularly
true at the initial stages Ulan 1,11) implementation program because construction costs for
I.JI) technologies are often site-specific and develt and design. Also, the increases in site
assess trtenopers may see some development community may be concerned with long-
term maintenance costs associated with 1.11) techniques including on-site management of
st.e rmwat:er facilities. i lowever. numerous studiestloss 2005; Conservation Research
Institute 2005: 11.S, hIPA 2005; /iekler 2004) have demonstrated that 1,1D can compare
favorably with conventional controls in a side-by-side analysis of installation and
maintenance costs, i,lt) costs may he higher in terms of installation of site specific
technologies, but savings are accrued because of the reduce dst systems capacity needs
and stormwater conveyance the reduced load of sediments to existing ponds, which
eliminates the need of dredging to restore the facilities' treatment efficiency and aesthetic
characteristics.
in sunmrary, consistent with current research. the implementation of the proposed iii...)
program is expected to be at worst cost neutral for the development community. The
main benefit of implementing the proposed program is the achievement of countywide
water quality improvements of the County's water bodies due to pollution load
reductions.
Program Assessment°nt within the State's Regulatory Framework
he proposed initiative was presented to, and discussed with. SFW1VID staff to determine
how it tit::, within Lire permitting process. It was deterrnirred that the program
complements and enhances the I RI' permitting process. I or example, one oithe
limitations of the State permitting, process occurs ;+hen pre-do elopment pollutant loads
exceed those anticipated for post-development. In that case; the State is unable to require
post-development treatment beyond those allowed by current rules. 'l-he propose County
requirement is based totally on post-development conditions, which would eliminate the
State's limitation.
LII) Implementation Incentives
Although the implementation of the proposed l.11) program is likely not to increase
development costs, we believe incentives to land developers are necessary to help offset
the perception that traditional designs c are less expensive and perhaps more attractive to
potential 'biners than the osed approach. Various incentives are used through changes in
the i and Development ('ode(I.,i)('I. They are listed in `fable 3-2 by LDC chapter and
refer mainly to modifications to road and parking design criteria.
An important recommendation is for the County to revisit the road width criteria to
consider the average daily traffic (AD"I`) needs. A minimum road width for local streets is
recommended to beset at 18 11 based on an AD)] of less than 400. That results in roads
serving either 36 single fancily_ (tomes or 60 multi-family units, The proposed design is
consistent with the ,American Association of State I liglri>,ray and `i`ransportation Officials
(AAS1I10) standards,
The off-site parking recommendations refer to modified requirements for minimum
parking spaces. parking aisle widths, and go eral design Features. 'Ile new design
features would not diminish the safety or aesthetic characteristics of the parking facilities.
It should be considered that many of the current design standards for parking lots were
established years ago when cars were generally larger and inure difficult to maneuver.
�l.
IP
Table -2. Low Impact Development Incentives
4.02.01 Dimensional standards for principle use. Allow 18-ft width on local roads having
an AIYl'of 400 trips (36 single family homes). the recommended width is consistent
with (AASI I 1'C)) standards. Allow reducing the t'rrtnt yard setback to 18 ft if the driveway
is designed with permeable pavement
4,04,00 Transportation System Standard 1. Promote design ofshallow swales on local
roads, as long as maintenance procedures are clearly defined. 2. Allow road medians to
be designed as depressed surfaces that can collected and treat road runoff
4.05.02 Parking design standard 1. Promote parking lots design using surfaces with
pervious materials that promote water 2. A intiltratiollow aisle width design to be
reduced by 2 feet except for parallel parking. 3. Allow grassed swale dividers along
opposing parking spaces. Parking space depth reduced from 18 feet to 16.5 feet if wheel
stop is located 0.5 foot from edge of swalc.
4.05.04 Parking space requirement. 1. Modify the I..,DC` to only address minimum counts
for typical use,//demand. Allow the developer or facility owner to provide what is believed
necessary for peak use. 2. Reduce the minimum retail shop and store and department
store parking requirement from 1 per 250 square feet to 1 per 500 square feet of
indoor/outdoor retail area. 3. Allow for up to 25"% grass spaces (or Other suitable
permeable vement) for developments regardless of parking count. There should be at
least 3 pa\ed s ecs (e\clud ng handicap park mg Allow use of identified grassed areas
for locating dry detention facilities.
1.06.03 Landscaping requirements for vehicular use areas and rights-of-wal. Allow use
of depressed landscape islands. 2. Allow rows of parking spaces to contain 20 spaces,
instead of 1t:), between islands if drainage is directed to grassed sWale dividers. 3. Allow
Swale. divider area and grass parking areas to count as part of the off-parking
interiorvcgetated areas. 4. Allow parking stalls to be up to 100 feet away from a tree.
Allow one tree for every 500 square feet on interior landscaped area
6.05.01 Stormwater management system requirement. 1. Allow in-ground percolation
type retention systems to achieve water quality retention if designed per L1[) manual
requirements.
3.0 Watershed Management Plan Conclusions and Recommendations
Develop a I.ow Impact .Development (I,It))program as an i.ncerrtive based program that
requires on-site stornrwater runot f treatment for new development.
Appendix 3 'A
The I_.,ow Impact I.)evelopment (LID) Approach
5
Research has shown the watershed imperviousness has a direct relationship with stream
degradation (MA-'C(1 1995). In addition, as indicated previously, exclusive reliance on
conventional BiYIPs is not allowing streams to meet Water quality standards. Therefore, a
new approach based on the preservation of0 site's natural features has been found to be
an effective way to minimize pollution loads arid help preserve the natural system.
LID is a well established approach to stormwater management that relies on hydrology-
based site planning and design. LII.) aims at minimizing the volume of runoff'reaching
the receiving water bodies and managing it as close as possible to where it is generated.
Techniques defined as micro-controls are implenaenn.xl in a dispersed Fashion throughout
a site. the basic principle is to Atte; i pt to tunaie pre-dcvelopn cnt hydrology by
detaining and infiltrating rainwater close to the source thereby :replicating the natural
I>aat a�.ays. i.11) techniques are often more cost effective than the conventional
stormwater management approach that relies primarily on fast drainage through storm
drains, ditches and/or canals that take runoff to central detention facilities or to open
tiyat.er bodies.
1.1 Framework
Meeting water quality standards and addressing the water surplus/deficit issues affecting
the natural system requires application of a variety of new tools and approaches that need
to he grounded on a common framework consisting of the ibllowing main elements:
hydrology Centric Site Planning, Site design should consider maintaining the natural
site's hydrology. or helping restore hydrologic conditions it previously impacted. The
objective should be the protection of hydrologically beneficial assets such as soils_ native
vegetation, wetlands, and natural drainage patterns. Hydrology centric site planning
typically results in better site layout and reduced development costs.
Water Quality lnprovement.
The Florida stormwater treatment rule is specifically aimed at reducing the input of
nutrients to receiving waters. Nutrient load reduction is most effectively attained by both
reducing runoff volume;
and reducing sources of nitrogen and phosphorus. If stormwater runoff treatment is
necessary, controls should be based on appropriate unit processes for pollution removal,
particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, that considers the chemical characteristics of the
pollutants.
Ilaabitat Protection. Runoff reduction and water quality improvement have a direct
beneficial effect on natural habitat. Site development should strive to preserve and/or
restore natural resources on site such as tivctlands tam native vegetation on site.
l ffective l.a nd Use. Collier County is not yet as urbanized as other neighboring counties
but development pressure is mounting. Comprehensive planning at the county level and
judicious site planning at the development level allows effective deployment oi'new
6
infrastructure, reduced maintenance needs, enhanced community aesthetics, and access to
natural resources air recreation.
W'''hole-Lire Cost-Lffectivencss. The implementation of a stormwater management
program should consider the costs of development in terms of both construction and
operation and maintenance((:&M), as well as the potential gains associated with the
environmental and social benefits to the community,
Enhanced Aesthetics: Planning and engineering measures for storin\aater control should
be blended into slreetscapes and landscapes and become assets to the community.
I Implementation Techniques
111) implementation techniques are divided into three categories: planning, stormwater
controls, and pollution prevention, Following is a description of these categories, along
with the techniques that tine believe can be implemented in. Collier County,
Planning Techniques. At the site level, planning techniques arc aimed at taking advantage
of existing assets, especially those that help maintain the hydrology of the site and
minimize runoff volume through maximization of the hydrologic performance. These
techniques include:
Promote site design based on natural hydrologic patterns by conserving i' restoring
such. features its drainage\\ays. \wilands, stream corridors,, riparian buffers, and forested
area
.Maximize the extent of pervious areas and areas of absorbent landscape, while
minimizing paved areas.
Disconnect impervious surfaces from conveyance systems so that runoff
discharges to on-site pervious areas.
Manage runoff close to Where it is generated by creating micro-controls adjacent
to paved areas
Protect areas of permeable soils.
I)csign multiple storage systems throughout the site to maximize the assimilative
capacity and create redundancy.
Minimize site disturbance during construction. ltesearclr(Gregory, 2004)has shown that
to maintain predevelopnnent infiltration rates, identified areas within a subdivision, or
specific areas within a lot, should be left undisturbed because even a small degree of
compaction of imported soils has been found to drastically reduce infiltration capacity.
Protect native vegetation existing on site. Conserve as much as possible of'existing trees
and shrubs.
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Use native species in landscaping plans and providing sufficient top soil to promote
healthy plant development and irlinlize chemical application needs as well as irrigation
needs
Substitute turf with native species consistent with Florida-Friendly Landscaping
guidelines
Promote cluster development practices with higher densities that reduce road length and
utility footprint.
Apply road width requirements that are consistent with actual average daily traffic needs
based en the num her ci'lionics sewed,
Collier County Watershed K8unut.t.onuuiPlan
Storniwater Controls Techniques. From its inception, the application of I II) recognized
that, depending noupooifiosite characteristics, a versatile set ci controls is needed Our
effective stoon*utermanagement. 'l'hcsc techniques belong to a broad array of
engineered ftattires aimed at mitigatiirg anthropogenic impacts in terms of both water
quantity and quality. Key objectives are to minimize the volume of'runoff discharged into
the public collection system and design the s(onorvutcrcon{oo\u in a way'that is consistent
'Willi dzechcnoixxi unit processes associated with ibe pollutants of interest. Disperse
deployment of micro-controls throughout the site is emphasized, but the stormwater
management strategy can also include endoi-pipe dc\'iceS such as detention basins and
constructed wetlands,
Ihcu{/ategyoutrou! ytoronvakr summarized below:
a) Runoff segregation. Ruin that Pd Is cii roofs should not be allowed to come iii
conhict with fertilizers and other ground-level pollutants,
b) Sk/rmwate/ cortnJs in series. Storrirsvater controls should be installedx in series to
obtain incremental treatment |crcIS, It should be noted Uhxt the upstream most controls
provide Ghe largest removal, when pn,pc/hoincd. The removal efficiency o.I additional
controls downstream is much less because the iofloco\cuocorVra¢iooa have been reduced.
Sn`nnpvutcr controls in series benefits system redundancy.
Bioretention. Roof runoff should be directed to bioretention areas located in the
ODpudsdcnncd1obuildingcuny\rucdon. Pad configuration may have to be slightly
modified to locate the bioretention facilities at sufficient distance from the buildings. The
himocnt ion faci|bjcmdmo|d be designed to cx filtrate the water into Uhcsodlciul aquifer.
Storrriwotcr planters around buildi rigs can also be used tO treat tool rurioll, "The filter
media in the hiorc1en(ioo facilities shall be en inxtrcd Icr nutrient removal. Guidelines
hmpe been provided in the 2000 publication Alternative S|urmxa(cr Sorption Media for
the Control of Nutrients by Marty YYunidistuandNi-8ingChang, researchers for the
Sionnxnlcr Management Academy of the Univoyi|yo[CoUru Florida. From the
findings o|`this publication, h is possible that limestone material from site excavation can
be used usa component of tl'r engineered media.
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•
d) Filter strip . As implementation of imperiousness disconnection, filter strips
should be added to receive runoff from paved areas and discharge it to bioretention
facilities. vegetated swales, or other stornrwater controls.
e) Surface depression Design absorbent landscape areas as depressions that
temporarily store stormwater and allow it to infiltrate. The drainage properties of'these
areas should be designed so that they infiltrate the water without becoming a nuisance.
Permeable pavement. Permeable asphalt or concrete should be used in parking
lots as much as possible. in combination with conventional pavement for high traffic
surfaces, permeable pavement is an effective way to retain runoff. The gravel reservoir
below the pavement stores the water and es'filtrates it through the bottom. It'drainage
through the bottom is limited by the fill material, perforated pipes can be used to drain
the reservoir. Several studies of permeable pavement systems are available on the
1Iniversit>, of Central Florida tl_`CF) Stornm\vutter Management Academy's web site
http `stormyater.uci cdu.
g Conveyance in vegetated s\vales. Provide vegetated swales between building pads and
along streets and driveways.s. The swales should use the engineered filter media described
above. Check darns should be used to enhance infiltration.
II) Pocket wetlands. f)istri'btue pocket wetlands through the site, in series with other
storniwater controls. to receive up to 10 acres of"areas drained by S\\ales. Pocket
wetlands can also receive drainage from pervious pavement to testore the storage in the
grovel bed.
i) Central treatment facility. I'crfortnartee of conventional stormwater treatment
facilities such as detention ponds can be enhanced with littoral shelves; settling basins or
phy:-to-cones; wetland areas, especially upstream of outfalls; mid internal berms to
lengthen the flow path. Floating wetlands can also be deployed. These central facilities
need to be stocked with fish to control mosquitoes,
_i) Stormwater harvesting. Runoff stored in a detention lacility can be used as a
source of irrigation water. In addition to reductions of pollutant loads to surface waters,
stornawater harvesting can reduce potable water use.
Other 1.11) st.ormwater controls can be applied depending on the nature of the site and can
lead to innovative solutions. The following are examples of these other alternatives:
Vegetated roofs absorb rainwater and the excess can be directed to stormwater
planners or bioretention facilities as described above. Vegetated roofs provide additional
benefits in roof mcnlbramic linigevity and coolingr, energy savings. These systems are most
commonly deployed in large buildings with flat roofs.
Rain barrels and cisterns can he used to collect runoff from conventional roofs.
The water could be used later Liar irrigation but if not used, it must. be drained from the
cisterns to provide storage for the next rain event.
Pollution Prevention Techniques. These techniques are aimed at minimizing pollutant.
loads and include the hallowing:
9
Enkrce fertilizer management ordinances
• Designate elements of landscaping(c.a_ vegetated swales, hkvctenhun
facilities, and surface depressions planted with absorbent \uocbcupe,) ussnxmv/u1er
management devices where no chemicals shall bc applied
• Fducote homeowners about impacts on water duality of excessive
chemical applications. A tool available For this purpose is the Florida Yard sand
Neighborhood handbook,
Cm/w1h Management.
Uoba County and Regional Coordination,
Collier County is diverse, With udbmizmd, rural fringe, rural, agricultural, aod
conservation areas.. We have both in cities and unincorporated ureom. Growth
management and storm water management coordination is inperativc. Uncoordinated
decisions in one area likely will impact other areas. Preparation for population growth
couo(ywidc within planning areas is vital, Understanding how other counties in our
region accommodate development and manage yuxnwm|cris u necessity. The following
provides a snapshot of regional stormwaor strategies and oilers recommendations for
Collier County.
/ | !
,
(�oUic/
County
' |
| '
}
Lee
County
10
Charlotte
County
Miami-
Dade
County
Research on L.11) for Monroe Ca
wny has led me to this video and multi-county
coop to address sustainable needs, though I hake not found a spelled out LII)
plan yet 1 have found that Monroe and its connected counties are aware and
Monroe
active in educating and clam ine its areas.
County
http:i/www.monroecounty--17,goti rnediacenter.aspx?VID=-4
http://www.broward iorg/N/VI1.IRAI Rl;S taUR(T};S'CI_.ilMA'I'1?CHAi'GF'!Pages/
5outheasti loridaRLpionaIClimate( om pact as v
1 ' " p '
Sarasota t.
County
I ,
Recommendations.
II
TRANSMI'T'TAL_ MEMORANDUM
October 201 '_
Collier County Board of Count) Commissioners (BCC)
Collier County Plarirurm Commission ((.'CPC)
•
Andrew Dickman Chair' JJJ � �...
11COIr-'1: Collier County Environmental Advisors Council ([AC)
RE: ` torna\aater Management
Pursuant to Section 2-I 11)3(a) of the C'olhia Count...- Code of Ordinances, the [AC is authorized
to -idol/Lit, riot/t-. el:allliiR:, am./provide technical recommendations to the BC(, on programs
ne ess'a t'jar the cons.era'ation, manoQemetli, proicCiio17 01 no', hind,, anti water resources'
and environmental tlwill01' in the ( noun'"
The LAC seeks to raise awareness to environmental issues that should be assessed more
thoroughly and evaluated in comparison with abutting counties listed below that may impact
Collier County. The [AC hopes this memorandum will stimulate additional public debate and
inspire new policy.
Please find attached our summary report in connection with storrnwater management and land
use planning. The [AS 's iecomniendations are
I. Prepare a Collier County low Impact l.)evclopment Manual and then adopt Land
Development Codes to implement innovative, cost neutral, onsite star water management.
_. Require onsite st ormcvu titer management,. such as retention areas, for new construction in
older subdivisions without treatment systems, rather than spending public funds on expensive
swales and can=als.
>. Adopt .aid implement growth management strategies, including incentives to direct new
development into existing urban areas where storm rratlr management infrastructure is
already in place.
. .
4, Divide e County into -drainage rainage district.ss- and charge. a storm water user fee according to impact
within these districts.
5. Protect natural groundwater recharge areas by preserving natural sheet flow. particularly in
areas of projected high growth rates.
6. Work with the Water Management District to identify and implement strategies for reducing
nutrient pollution from agricultural operations (citrus and row crops) keeping harmful
nutrients out ofexistin<_r storrnss ater rta: iagernent sv stems.
the [AC strongly requests consideration and action on these recommendations, as part of the
non-structural Wastershed Management Plan initiatives.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Pollution discharge into natural water systems is a nationwide and local concern. The
objective of this Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological
integrity of the Nation's waters." Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972)
Introduction (applied irrigation and precipitation).
When we water our yards, water our landscaping, and water our agriculture, or during
rainfall, any water that isn't absorbed into the ground must flow somewhere depending
on the nature of the watershed topography and existing man-made infrastructure. This
"runoff' typically collects and transports one or more types of pollutants. How we
manage runoff has dire public health and environmental consequences.
Prior to intensified urbanization, surface waters flowed through wetlands in Collier
County and into four primary estuaries.) Intense development over the past 70 years,
including the extensive canal construction has substantially altered natural drainage
patterns into these estuaries. Now all but the Ten Thousand Islands estuary are impaired
with at least one type of dangerous pollutant directly linked to urbanization.
Collier County Watershed Management Plan
The Watershed Management Plan (WMP)2 was developed to protect water resource
quality and quantity within each drainage area or watershed and the related receiving
estuaries. The WMP identifies serious environmental and public health issues including:
1) Excessive fresh water discharges from canals (including ground water
discharges) especially to Naples Bay;
2) Limited conveyance capacities of various canals in the system for large storm
events;
3) Pollutant loading associated with development may degrade water quality due
to pollutant loading associated with development and agriculture; and
4) Aquifer impacts due to canal discharge, reduced ground water recharge, and
potable and agricultural withdrawal demands.
Correcting these issues unequivocally depends on our present and future decisions
managing stormwater and irrigation runoff.
Wiggins Pass,Naples Bay, Rookery Bay, and Ten Thousand Islands (north to south).
However, there are other smaller and important estuaries along our coastline that
require equal protection.
2 Prepared by Collier County Stormwater and Environmental Planning Section and
Atkins North America, finalized November 2011 and accepted by the BCC on
December 13, 2011. The WMP is online at
www.colliergov.net/Index.aspx?page=2302.
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Growth Management.
The WMP links land use with pollution in the"down stream" estuaries that are vital to
this community.
Collier's population increased 32.5% between 2000 and 2010. Florida's rate was 17.6%.
Collier's 2010 total population is estimated at 285,000. and population growth is
projected to be 334,000 in the year 2020, or a 17.2% increase. Florida's projected growth
rate is 10%.3
Looking within Collier County, population growth directly impacts specific watersheds
and receiving estuaries. Growth management planning is essential to accommodate new
development because appropriate future land use is the key to, among other things,
restoring and then protecting our estuaries from anthropogenic impacts.
Planning Community 2010 2020 Change Growth
Rate
NN-North Naples 55,041 59,559 4,518 8.2%
SN- South Naples 28,689 36,416 7,727 26.9%
CN -Central Naples 18,845 19,668 823 4.4%
EN - East Naples 22,320 22,602 282 1.3%
GG -Golden Gate 44,925 47,265 2,340 5.2%
UE-Urban Estates 38,658 44,074 5,416 14.0%
RE- Rural Estates 34,739 36,069 1,330 3.8%
M -Marco 1,219 1,240 21 1.7%
RF - Royal Fakapalm 11,797 19,610 7,813 66.2%
C -Corkscrew 4,550 21,368 16,818 369.6%
1 - Immokalee 24,154 26,317 2,163 9.0%
BC - Big Cypress 233 268 35 15.0%
Intra County and Regional Coordination.
Collier County is diverse. With urbanized, rural fringe, rural, agricultural, and
conservation areas. We have both incorporated cities and unincorporated areas. Growth
management and stormwater management coordination is imperative. Uncoordinated
decisions in one area likely will impact other areas. Preparation for population growth
countywide within planning areas is vital. Understanding how other counties in our
region accommodate development and manage stormwater is a necessity. The following
3 Source: Florida Bureau of Business and Economic Research (medium estimates.)
Source: Collier County Growth Management Division (medium estimates.)
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provides a snapshot of regional stormwater strategies and offers recommendations for
Collier County.
The WMP was developed to satisfy a Growth Management Plan
commitment to assess and protect water resources. The project
was funded in 2007. Atkins (formerly PBSJ) was hired in 2009 to
update the Big Cypress Basin hydrologic / hydraulic model, and
develop the WMP. They reviewed existing reports, evaluated
existing water resource conditions and developed alternatives to
restore or mitigate identified problems. The WMP in and of itself
is not intended to be regulatory. The WMP recommended
initiatives may lead to regulations and/or regulatory policies. The
recommendations serve as a guide in developing policies,
programs, ordinances or regulations to restore and protect Collier
water resources.
Collier County
The WMP demonstrated that Collier County's major problem
with water quality is nutrient pollution. A recently prepared
nutrient budget for Collier County demonstrated that the major
sources of Phosphorous pollution are citrus, high density
residential housing and field crops. in that order. For Nitrogen,
the major contributors are citrus, field crops and residential-low
density housing. The contributions to nutrient pollution from
agriculture are more than twice that of urban contributions.
Collier County recently enacted a Fertilizer Ordinance designed
to reduce contributions in the urban area, but steps are also
needed to reduce contributions from agriculture.
A comparison of Lee's GMP and land development regulations
with those of Collier County regarding stormwater strategies
suggests that both counties seem to be complying with applicable
regulations. How each county funds stormwater management is
different. Lee County is divided into "drainage districts" and
charges a stormwater tax according to impact within these
Lee County districts.
It should be noted that Sarasota County also charges a stormwater
tax countywide. It appears eight to 10 Florida counties have taxes
in place dedicated to improving and managing stormwater. South
Florida Water Management District was instrumental in
determining the drainage districts and appropriate taxes for Lee
County.
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Map series, quality and timeliness in Charlotte County is
outstanding. The maps clearly show re-charge areas. In an effort
to preserve floodplain areas, wetlands and aquifer re-charge areas,
Charlotte County Charlotte limits development in those impacted areas.
Charlotte County development in western part of the county
concentrates on urban revitalization and infill encouraging
development where stormwater management is already in place.
Compromises in Miami-Dade stormwater system and aging
infrastructure problems related to the stormwater system have
been identified by the South Florida Regional Planning Council.
The Everglades Plan to restore water flow will have a minor
impact on the Big Cypress area in Collier County.
Miami-Dade County
Southeast Florida is focusing on very expensive and retroactive
`fixes' for their stormwater and related infrastructure problems.
As Collier County urbanizes. policies must prevent stormwater
issues rather than "fixing" them after the fact.
Monroe County requires that new single family and duplex homes
located in subdivisions that do not have an existing stormwater
management system must provide an on site stormwater
management plan. Alterations of existing facilities which result in
an increase in impervious area also fall under this requirement.
Monroe County has an abundance of existing subdivisions which
have not been built out. Most of these subdivisions were designed
Monroe County prior to requirements for including stormwater treatment systems.
As these subdivisions are built out there would be tendencies for
the quantity of stormwater coming off them to increase while the
quality deteriorates. The requirement for all new development to
provide for stormwater treatment tends to reduce this problem.
A similar requirement in Collier County would tend to reduce the
trend in some of the existing large subdivisions that have many
vacant lots to have increasing problems with flooding and
deteriorating water quality at no significant cost to the County.
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The Sarasota Stormwater Management Plan illustrates the
County's uses of multiple infrastructure for stormwater
management: soft drainage approach, natural drainage ways, man
made lakes, canals, road swales, and larger drainage pipes.
Sarasota uses flooding protocols throughout the county. The
County uses side berms to allow greater flows during flood event.
Sarasota County Sarasota employs multiple flood control methods: larger lakes for
better storage, over bank spillways, weir outflow structures, man
made canals, larger road swales configured as a pan bottom, and
canal flow structures.
Sarasota has identified the following strategies for future
improvements: reducing flow restrictions construction of new
canals, and replace bridges that restrict flow.
Recommendations.
1. Prepare a Collier County Low Impact Development Manual and then adopt Land
Development Codes to implement innovative, cost neutral, onsite stormwater
management.
2. Require onsite stormwater management, such as retention areas, for new construction
in older subdivisions without treatment systems, rather than spending public funds on
expensive swales and canals.
3. Adopt and implement growth management strategies, including incentives to direct
new development into existing urban areas where stormwater management
infrastructure is already in place.
4. Divide County into "drainage districts" and charge a stormwater user fee according to
impact within these districts.
5. Protect natural groundwater recharge areas by preserving natural sheet flow,
particularly in areas of projected high growth rates.
6. Work with the Water Management District to identify and implement strategies for
reducing nutrient pollution from agricultural operations (citrus and row crops)
keeping harmful nutrients out of existing stormwater management systems.
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