A Cultural Resources Assessment Survey Of
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Exhibit J CULTURAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT SURVEY OF THE 280-UNIT MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT PROPERTY LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA Prepared for: Avalon Engineering, Inc. 2503 Del Prado Blvd., Suite 200 Cape Coral, Florida 33904 Prepared by: Florida’s First Choice in Cultural Resource Management Archaeological Consultants, Inc. 8110 Blaikie Court, Suite A Sarasota, Florida 34240 (941) 379-6206 April 2020 CULTURAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT SURVEY OF THE 280-UNIT MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT PROPERTY LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA Prepared for: Avalon Engineering, Inc. 2503 Del Prado Blvd., Suite 200 Cape Coral, Florida 33904 Conducted by: Archaeological Consultants, Inc. 8110 Blaikie Court, Suite A Sarasota, Florida 34240 Marion Almy – Project Manager Elizabeth A. Horvath - Project Archaeologist Nelson Rodriguez - Archaeologist April 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Archaeological Consultants, Inc. (ACI) conducted a cultural resource assessment survey (CRAS) of 280-Unit Multi-Family Project property for Avalon Engineering, Inc. in Lee County. The property is roughly 14 acres in size. The purpose of this CRAS was to locate and identify any cultural resources within the Area of Potential Effect (APE) and to assess their significance in terms of eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). As defined in 36 CFR Part § 800.16(d), the APE is the “geographic area or areas within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause alterations in the character or use of historic properties, if any such properties exist.” Based on the scale and nature of the activities, the project has a limited potential for any indirect (visual or audible) or cumulative effects outside the immediate footprint of construction. The archaeological APE was defined as the project footprint, and the historical APE was the project footprint and adjacent properties. This work completed in April 2020 was conducted as due diligence in anticipation of permitting requirements. The survey was conducted in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and its implementing regulations in 36 CRF Part 800: Protection of Historic Properties. It also complies with the provisions contained in Chapter 267 and 373, Florida Statutes (FS). It was carried out in conformity with the standards contained in the Florida Division of Historical Resources’ (FDHR) Cultural Resource Management Standards and Operational Manual (FDHR 2003). In addition, this study meets the specifications set forth in Chapter 1A-46, Florida Administrative Code. The archaeological and historical/architectural field surveys were conducted in April 2020. Background research and a review of the Florida Master Site File (FMSF) and the NRHP indicated that there are no sites recorded within the APE, nor are there any recorded within one mile of the APE. The property was considered to have a low to moderate archaeological potential. Although a wetland was located along the eastern property line, none of the soil types within the tract have a positive correlation with sites, and in fact, they have a negative correlation with sites. As a result of field survey, including the excavation of 19 shovel test pits, no archaeological sites were discovered within the APE. Historical background research, including a review of the FMSF and NRHP, indicated that no historic resources are located within the APE, but 8LL00638 was recorded immediately to the west of the APE. It was a ca. 1920 Frame Vernacular style residence, but it is no longer extant. The Lee County property appraiser data indicated no historic structures within the APE and none were evident on the aerial photos of the area (FDOT 1972; USDA 1944, 1953, 1958, 1968; Wilkinson 2020). The field investigations confirmed the absence of historic resources within the APE. Based on these results, it is the opinion of ACI that the proposed undertaking will have no effect on any cultural resources, including archaeological sites or historic resources that are listed, determined eligible, or appear potentially eligible for listing in the NRHP. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... 1-1 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL OVERVIEW ....................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Location and setting .................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Geology and Geomorphology ................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Soils and Vegetation .................................................................................................. 2-3 2.4 Paleoenvironmental Considerations .......................................................................... 2-4 3.0 CULTURAL OVERVIEW ..................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Paleoindian ................................................................................................................ 3-2 3.2 Archaic ...................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.3 Caloosahatchee .......................................................................................................... 3-4 3.4 Colonialism ............................................................................................................... 3-6 3.5 Territorial and Statehood ........................................................................................... 3-7 3.6 Civil War and Aftermath ........................................................................................... 3-9 3.7 Twentieth Century ................................................................................................... 3-12 3.8 APE Specifics .......................................................................................................... 3-14 4.0 RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS AND FIELD METHODOLOGY ............... 4-1 4.1 Background Research and Literature Review ........................................................... 4-1 4.2 Archaeological Considerations .................................................................................. 4-1 4.3 Historical Considerations .......................................................................................... 4-5 4.4 Field Methodology .................................................................................................... 4-6 4.5 Inadvertent/Unexpected Discovery of Cultural Materials ......................................... 4-6 4.6 Laboratory Methods/Curation ................................................................................... 4-7 5.0 SURVEY RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................... 5-1 5.1 Archaeological .......................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Historical ................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.3 Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 5-3 6.0 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 6-1 APPENDIX Survey log ii TABLE OF FIGURES, TABLE, AND PHOTOGRAPHS Figure Figure 1.1. Location of the 280-Unit Multi-Family Project APE, Lee County. ............................... 1-2 Figure 2.1. Environmental setting of the 280-Unit, Multi-Family Project APE............................... 2-2 Figure 2.2. Soil types within the APE. ............................................................................................. 2-3 Figure 3.1. Florida Archaeological Regions. .................................................................................... 3-1 Figure 3.2. 1872 plat showing the APE. ......................................................................................... 3-10 Figure 3.3. 1944 and 1972 aerial photographs of the APE. ............................................................ 3-15 Figure 4.1. Location of the previously resource adjacent to the APE. ............................................. 4-2 Figure 5.1. Location of the shovel tests within the APE. ................................................................. 5-2 Table Table 4.1. CRAS projects conducted within 3.2 km ( 2 mi) of the APE......................................... 4-1 Table 4.2. Distribution of sites by water type and distance. ............................................................ 4-3 Table 4.3. Distribution of sites by soil type within the Caloosahatchee Valley. ............................. 4-3 Photo Photo 2.1. Shovel testing in the eastern vegetated strip. ................................................................. 2-1 Photo 2.2. Western portion of the property, facing south. ............................................................... 2-3 Photo 5.1. Soil profile in Wabasso sand. ......................................................................................... 5-1 Photo 5.2. Soil profile in the area of Boca sand. ............................................................................. 5-3 iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION Archaeological Consultants, Inc. (ACI) conducted a cultural resource assessment survey (CRAS) of the approximately 14-acre, 280-Unit Multi-Family Project property in Lee County for Avalon Engineering, Inc. The purpose of this CRAS was to locate and identify