MORE THAN 50 PAGES AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT MINUTES Agenda ltem:3 L 3 PALM BEACH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: July 11, 2017 (X) Consent ( ) Regular ( ) Ordinance ( ) Public Hearing Department Submitted By: Environmental Resources Management Submitted For: Environmental Resources Management I. EXECUTIVE BRIEF Motion and Title: Staff recommends motion to approve: an updated Management Plan (Plan) for Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area. Summary: The Plan identifies natural resources present on the site, provides for the preservation, restoration, management and passive recreational uses of those resources, and summarizes significant onsite events that occurred following BCC approval of the initial plan in 2003. The next update to the Plan will be due in 2027. District 7 (AH) Background and Justification: The Natural Areas Management Advisory Committee reviewed and unanirpously recommended the Plan for approval at its May 19, 2017 meeting. The public use facilities, environmental restoration activities, fencing and signage have been completed. The annual cost to maintain the site's natural resources is estimated to be $54,580. This includes costs associated with prescribed burns/mechanical vegetation reduction, and ongoing nonnative/invasive animal and plant control. Funding for natural resources maintenance is expected to come from the Natural Areas Fund, Natural Areas Stewardship Endowment Fund, Ag Reserve Land Management Fund and/or Ad valorem funding. Staff also will pursue grants to offset a portion of land management costs. Attachments: 1. Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area Management Plan Recommended by: ~,d Department Director ~7 Dae Approved by: ~---- Depuunty Administrator Date 11. FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS A. Five Year Summary of Fiscal Impact: Fiscal Years 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Capital Expenditures ~541580 $561217 ~571904 $591641 $61A30 Operating Costs External Revenues Program Income (County) In-Kind Match (County) NET FISCAL IMPACT ~541580 $561217 $571904 $591641 ~61A30 # ADDITIONAL FTE POSITIONS (Cumulative) Is Item Included in Current Budget? Yes X No Budget Account No.: Fund 1226 Department 380 Unit 3162 Object Various Program ____ 8. Recommended Sources of Funds/Summary of Fiscal Impact: Fiscal year 2017 costs include $54,580 to maintain the natural resources on the site. Over the past five years, maintenance costs for County owned/managed natural areas have increased an average of 3% per year. Actual costs for FY 2018 and beyond may be higher or lower than projected. Funds for the maintenance of the site's natural resources are expected to come from the Natural Areas Fund (1226), Natural Areas Stewardship Endowment Fund (1220), Ag Reserve Land Management Fund (1222) and/or Ad valorem funding. C. Department Fiscal Review: _,_..,,;$'_-_··.1.._;1;....1_£_&1}....;._--,:1/:.... __________ _ Ill. REVIEW COMMENTS A. OFMB Fiscal and /or Contract Administrator Comments: -~ill1«V1i>i7 ?B z';r 1.P/1'f ~\tS 8. Legal Sufficiency: -/9-/1 C. Other Department Review: Department Director Page2 ~,.._, ~ ~J ' ~ . ---- ·- .- . ., ' ' MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HYPOLUXO SCRUB NATURAL AREA FCT PROJECT # 01-035-FF1 - HYPOLUXO SCRUB NATURAL AREA 2017 Prepared by: Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management 2300 North Jog Road, 4th Floor West Palm Beach, Florida 33411-2743 THE PALM BEACH COUNTY NATURAL AREAS SYSTEM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT The Palm Beach County Natural Areas System is comprised of those environmentally sensitive lands that are owned or leased by the County and managed as natural areas by the County's Department of Environmental Resources Management. These natural areas were selected and acquired to preserve the rare and diverse native ecosystems present on these sites and the endangered, threatened, and rare species of plants and animals that live there. Purpose and Goals of the Natural Areas System The purpose of the Natural Areas System is to protect, restore and manage remnant native ecosystems, and the plants and animals characteristic of those ecosystems, in perpetuity, throughout Palm Beach County. The management of each natural area shall be coordinated with that of the other natural areas in the system. Attempts shall be made to maintain physical and/or biological connections with other publicly- or privately-owned natural areas through additional land acquisitions, conservation easements, interlocal agreements, greenway/trail connections and other appropriate actions. Management Considerations County natural areas shall be open to the public for non-consumptive/non-destructive, resource-based recreation, environmental education and scientific research. Public use shall not take precedence over ecosystem protection. Public uses shall be limited to those that are compatible with the perpetual preservation and management of the native ecosystems, plants and animals found on the natural area. All public use facilities shall be chosen, designed and located to have minimal impact on the rare and imperiled plants, animals and natural communities found on the natural area. Facilities, structures or roads (other than management accessways/firebreaks or access roads) that would cause fragmentation of a natural area shall not be permitted. To the extent practicable, fire-maintained native ecosystems shall be burned at the fire interval necessary to maintain those ecosystems. Burns shall be conducted by trained personnel, using a prescribed burn plan that addresses safety and smoke concerns. Native ecosystems that have been impacted by invasive/nonnative plant infestations, land-clearing activities, drainage and/or other man-made disturbances shall be restored to their previous condition, if practicable, or to a native ecosystem that is better suited to current environmental conditions. ii The special requirements of listed species shall be considered in developing management strategies for each natural area, but an individual species’ needs shall not take precedence over management of an entire ecosystem or be allowed to have a detrimental impact on that ecosystem's complement of species. Management Plan Development and Revision A management plan shall be written for each natural area that: 1) describes the natural and cultural resources; 2) identifies any constraints associated with managing the natural area in an urbanized environment; and 3) identifies the strategies and techniques that will be used to preserve, restore and manage the native ecosystems, preserve the cultural resources; protect listed species, control invasive/non-native plants and animals, provide for appropriate public access, and prevent unauthorized access and activities. Each plan shall be reviewed by the Palm Beach County Natural Areas Management Advisory Committee (NAMAC), a citizens’ advisory board, and the public shall be invited to comment on the plan at a public hearing held by NAMAC in the community in which the site is located. Following NAMAC’s review of any comments received, the plan shall be sent to the Board of County Commissioners for approval. Each approved plan shall be subsequently reviewed at least every ten years by the County. iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 99.3-acre Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area (natural area) is located in the east-central portion of Palm Beach County (County). The County owns the entire natural area, however, management of the site is shared with the Town of Hypoluxo. The Town of Hypoluxo manages a 2.7-acre portion of the site which includes the entrance/exit driveway, parking lot, two wildlife observation towers with a connecting platform (wildlife observation towers/platform), a picnic table, bike rack and surrounding landscape vegetation; the County manages the remaining 96.6 acres. The County purchased 96.7 acres of the site in December 1999. In 2010 a 0.9-acre abandoned, County-owned right-of-way was incorporated into the natural area. A 1.7-acre County-owned Stormwater Retention Tract is managed as part of the natural area pursuant to a 2013 agreement between the County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management and Engineering Department. Funding for the 96.7-acre Gran Central Tract came from the Palm Beach County Lands for Conservation Purposes Bond Issue Referendum of March 9, 1999 and matching funds from the Florida Communities Trust. Open water, scrub and scrubby flatwoods are the only natural communities present on the site. Thus far, 250 species of plants and 182 species of animals have been recorded on the site, including 10 plant and 21 animal species that have been listed as having some degree of endangerment by at least one governmental agency or have been ranked by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory. The primary purpose for the acquisition of this natural area was to preserve, restore/enhance and manage the site’s existing ecological resources, including the existing natural communities, their component plant and animal species, and local groundwater resources. Acquisition and development of the site as a natural area have provided the general public with opportunities for recreational activities, environmental education and scientific research which are consistent with the primary purpose of the site’s acquisition. It also has helped the County and the Town of Hypoluxo comply with portions of their respective comprehensive plans. Public use facilities have been constructed; the site opened to the public in July 2005. An accessible nature trail, hiking trail, wildlife observation towers/platform, shade shelter with benches and kiosks