Brevard Scrub Conservation and Development Plan Brevard County Florida Brevard Scrub Conservation and Development Plan Workshop Tuesday, February 28,1995 10:OO a.m. Multi-purpose Room Third Floor - Building C Brevard County Government Center Table of Contents Page # I Introduction - Agenda ................................................................................... 1 - Preface ..................................................................................... 2 - Brevard County Commission ................................................. 3 - SCDP Citizen Steering Committee, consultants ...................... 4 - Scientific Advisory Group, consultants ................................... 5 I1 History of Brevard's Scrub Issue - Brevard's Scrub Issue and the SCDP ....................................... 6 Summary of Board Actions - SCDP Chronology of Events ................................................... 7 111 The Plan - The Planning Process .............................................................. 8 - Citizen Steering Committee Operations ................................... 9 SCDP Flow Chart IV Scientific Results - Florida Scrub Habitat .............................................................. 10 - The Florida Scrub Jay ............................................................. 11 - Scientific Advisory Group Procedures ................................... 12 - Scrub Sanctuaries Alternatives ............................................... 13 \I Economic Analysis - Economic Analysis: scope of work ......................................... 14 VI Summary - Comparison of Future Scenarios .............................................. 15 - Key Elements of the SCDP ...................................................... 16 VII Appendix - Common Questions - Scrub Species Included in the SCDP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Letter - Questions from the Commission - Answers to Commission Questions - SCDP Brochure - Sample: Scrub Sanctuary Design Map Agenda 1. Introduction (5 minutes) Presented by: Tami Townsend, SCDP staff coordinator - NRMD Natural Resources Management Division Board of Commissioners SCDP Citizen Steering Committee, facilitator and staff Scientific Advisory Group, biological and economic consultants 2. History of Brevard's Scrub Issue and the SCDP (5 minutes) Presented by: Lisa Barr, director - NRMD Original U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notification Initial compliance plan Citizen's Ad-hoc Committee Board authorizations 3. The Planning Process (5 minutes) Presented by: Michael O'Connell, facilitator The Citizen Steering Committee: operation of committee and selection of interest group representatives Scientific Advisory Group Biological and economic consultants Public involvement 4. SCDP Results to Date (20 Minutes) A. The Scientific Process Presented by: Dr. Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Station Dr. Hilary Swain, Florida Institute of Technology Data collection and analysis Reserve design alternatives B. The Economic Analysis Presented by: Dr. Hank: Fishkind, Fishkind and Associates Costs of implementing the SCDP vs. no plan Relative cost of the reserve designs alternatives Potential funding mechanisms Benefits of implementing the SCDP 5. Summary of Key Elements (5 minutes) Presented by: Michael O'Connell, facilitator 6. Questions and Comments Board of County Commissioners * General public Preface The Brevard Scrub Conservation and Development Plan (SCDP) will resolve conflicts between conservation of endangered species and land development in Brevard County. The SCDP provides a long-term, comprehensive and voluntary alternative to the current method of regulation under the federal Endangered Species Act. Under the plan, land vital to the conservation of protected scrub species is identified for acquisition at fair market value. Remaining habitat is released for other uses. Brevard County Commission Truman Scarborough, Jr. 400 South Street District 1 (R) Titusville, FL 32789 Randy O'Brien 2575 N. Courtenay Parkway 407-455-1 334 District 2 (R) Menitt Island, FL 32953' Nancy Higgs 131 1 E. New Haven Avenue 407-952-6340 District 3 (D) Melbourne, FL 32901 Mark Cook 2725 St. Johns Street 407-633-2044 District 4 (R) Melbourne, FL 32940 Scott Ellis 1515 Sarno Road 407-253-661 1 District 5 (R) Building B Melbourne, FL 32935 SCDP Citizen Steering Committee Bob Cochran, Jr. 242 5th Avenue 407-723-0406 Indialantic, FL 32903-0228 Bill Hall 2725 Malabar Road 407-727-7764 Malabar, FL 32950-4427 Commissioner Nancy Higgs 13 11 E. New Haven Ave. 407-633-2033 West Melbourne, FL 32901 Tim McWilliams 492 E. Eau Gallie Blvd. 407-777-4 11 1 Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937 Kim Zarillo C/OBrevard County 407-633-201 6 Natural Resources Management Div. Steve Tatoul C/OBrevard County 407-633-20 16 Natural Resources Management Div. Tami Townsend Brevard County 407-633-20 16 (staff coordinator) Natural Resources Management Div. 2725 St. Johns Street Melbourne, FL 32940 Mike O'Connell The Nature Conservancy 407-253-0076 (facilitator) 6767 N. Wickham Rd. Ste. 4 10 Melbourne, FL 32940 Economic Consultants: Steven MacDonald Fishkind & Associates 12424 Research Parkway Suite 275 Orlando, FL 32826 SCDP Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) Dr. Richard Blaney Brevard Community College 407-269-746 1 7795 South US 1 Titusville, FL 32780 Dr. Reed Bowman Archbold Biological Station 813-465-2571 P. 0.Box 2057 Old State Road 8 (County Road 17) Lake Placid, FL 33852 Brad Stith 204 NW 2 1st Terrace 407-633-20 16 Gainesville, FL 32603 Dr. Richard Hilsenbeck 625 North Adams Street 904-222-0 199 Tallahassee, FL 3230 1 Brian Toland U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 904-232-2580 6620 South Point Drive South Suite 1 10 Jacksonville, FL 322 16 Biological Consultants: Dr. Hilary Swain Florida Institute of Technology 407-768-8000 x7238 150 West University Boulevard Melbourne, FL 3290 1-5988 David Breininger BIONETICS 407-853-328 1 Dr. Paul Schmalzer BIO-2 Cape Dispensary Building #4963 5 CCAFS Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 Brevard's Scrub Issue Board directed a citizen committee comprised of landowners, developers and and the SCDP environmentalists, to examine a mitigation banking strategy for scrub. In April, the The conflict over conservation and Citizen's Ad-hoc Committee recommended development of scrub habitat in Brevard consideration of a Habitat Conservation Plan County began in June 1991. A letter from (HCP) under the Endangered Species Act the United States Fish and Wildlife Service rather than a mitigation banking approach. (USFWS) informed the Board of County Commissioners (the Board) of their potential Acting on direction from the Board, the liability under the Endangered Species Act Citizen's Ad-hoc Committee examined due to the County's issuance of development several alternatives, including small area permits in scrub habitat. Thirty-six other HCPs and short-term plans. In December Florida counties received the same letter. 1992, the committee recommended a long- term, county-wide HCP as the only In January 1992, the Board reviewed and reasonable alternative that would rejected a proposed compliance plan permanently resolve the scrub amending county land development conservation/development issue. The Board regulations in scrub habitat. Instead, the unanimously approved the recommendation. Summary of Board Actions August 20,1991 The Board unanimously authorized staff to create review procedures, draft maps of scrub habitat and scrub jay population, and work with the USFWS to develop a compliance plan. December 17,1991 The Board unanimously directed staff to conduct a public workshop in January 1992. The compliance plan and policies were reviewed and recommendations offered. January 21,1992 The Board did not adopt the compliance plan. It unanimously decided to appoint a citizen task force to examine a mitigation banking policy. March 17,1992 The Board directed legal staff to examine ways of preventing unauthorized scrub clearing. April 7,1992 The Board authorized the notification of county land clearing permit applicants of their responsibility to obtain federal permits before clearing land. The Board unanimously authorized the Citizen's Ad-hoc Committee to investigate and recommend procedures for developing an HCP. December 15,1992 The Board unanimously accepted the Citizen's Ad-hoc Committee recommendations for implementing the HCP process. SCDP Chronology of Events Florida Scrub June: January: January: April: Jay listed as letter from USFWS Public workshop; Staff and facilitator Economic Consultant threatened notifying Brevard Staff presents begin public meetings contracted by USFWS and other counties compliance plan to identify steering of liability to Board, citizen task committee members June: force formed SAG analyzes August: February: biological data to NRMD initiates April: Scientific Advisory create reserve preliminary scrub task force Group begins reserve designs mapping project recommends HCP; design process and development of Board appoints September: interim compliance Citizen Ad-hoc April: SAG presents plan for scrub committee to study Citizen Steering Comm. reserve alternatives alternatives begins discussions to steering committee December: Board requests October: June: November: public workshop Congress appropriates Biological Consultant Preliminary draft on compliance first of three $100,000 contracted, compre- economic data plan grants to fund Brevard hensive scrub mapping presented to steering HCP process and scrub jay surveys committee; initiated consultant asked to December: revise analysis Board unanimously July