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Q & A
Perdido Key Habitat Conservation
Plan
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Results of Request for Public Comments - Perdido Projects
Q & A - Tim Day, Neighborhood & Environmental Services
Proposed Beach
Renourishment and
Maintenance Easements on property south of
the Coastal
Construction Control Line
1. How many acres
of beach will be added to Perdido Key during the Beach Renourishment?
The beach nourishment/dune restoration project will have a project
footprint of approximately 195 acres. Of this, approximately 111 acres of
upland private property. An additional 77 acres of beach will be created
from Florida sovereign submerged lands (currently part of the Gulf of
Mexico), and the footprint of the new dune feature in the State Park is
about 7 acres. Over the first 12-18 months the project is expected to
retain 65-75% of created beach as the project equilibrates.
2. When additional
depth is added to gulf coast property during beach
renourishment, will the additional property become part of the legal
description of those parcels?
No – an Erosion Control Line (ECL) will be set at the existing mean high
water elevation (+0.93 ft) as provided by the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection. Since the state of Florida holds all lands below
Mean High Water in public trust for all to use, the location of the ECL is
based on the location of the mean high water elevation. Sand placed
waterward of this location will be considered public as it is placed on
sovereign submerged lands at public expense per Florida Statute 161. An
informational meeting and public hearing will be scheduled in December
2007 or January 2008 to inform and receive public comment regarding the
establishment of the ECL.
3. Will the
property owners be required to pay Ad Valorem taxes on this
additional square footage?
No – All property landward of the ECL privately held before the project
will
remain privately owned. Any new sand placed offshore (seaward of the
ECL) will belong to the state since that offshore area is currently
state owned.
Public Beach vs. Public
Access
This project will result in the creation of “public’ beach from sand
deposited or accreted seaward of the ECL. There are no provisions in the
easement to provide additional public access to this “public” beach.
Public
access and associated parking will remain at Sandy Key and the two
Perdido Key Drive locations. The County is continuing to evaluate parcels
for potential purchase to enhance public accessibility to the Gulf.
4. Can the
additional property created south of the Coastal Construction
Control Line be considered “beach mouse habitat” or habitat for the
additional species?
Beach mouse
– if the area vegetated at the end of this project projects
further seaward than the “critical habitat” map for the beach mouse, then
mouse habitat is created. If the vegetated portions of the project do not
extend further than the “critical habitat” extent, then beach mouse
habitat
is restored (pre-Ivan dune field).
Additional species – For the first several years additional utilization by
shorebirds and a decrease in sea turtle nesting is expected. As the
project matures a return to historical utilization by these species is
anticipated.
5. If so, will
this property be included in the area-wide HCP?
This area likely will be included in the HCP, however, the area created
seaward of the Erosion Control Line (ECL) will be considered state lands.
6. Can the
additional acreage be negotiated as “avoided habitat” for the sake
of mitigation
with USFW and FWCC to offset impacted habitat on private
property? Will Escambia County negotiate that for property owners?
Avoidance will be assessed on a parcel-by-parcel basis and will ultimately
depend on the condition of the subject parcel at the time of application
for
permit. However, a County commitment to enhance and maintain a
“healthy” beach and dune system may be a component of a successful
mitigation strategy to obtain the desired Incidental Take permit for
private
property and SR 292 improvements.
7. Why must
Escambia County require permanent easements when beach renourishment is a
finite project and renewed for post hurricane
maintenance by the BCC when needed?
The Board of County Commissioners revisited guidance to staff on
September 27, 2007. The construction and maintaince easements will be
revised to reflect a 15-year duration. Erosion from the project will
generally
be gradual with the exception of storm events. However, it is anticipated
a
supplemental project will be needed every 8-12 years to maintain the full
protective value of the project (frequency dependant on tropical storm
activity).
Q & A - Perdido Key Habitat Conservation
Plan
Timothy Day
Environmental Analysist
Escambia County
Neighborhood and Environmental Services Department
Environmental Quality Division
E-mail
850-595-1144 phone
850-595-3495 fax |
